Detection of ehrlichial infection by PCR in dogs from Yamaguchi and Okinawa Prefectures, Japan

Species- specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the presence of possible canine ehrlichial agents (Ehrlichia canis, E. cha ffeensis, E. ewingii, E. equi and E. platys) and monocytic ehrlichial agent s found in Japan (E. muris and a recently discovered Ehrlichia species dete cted from Ixodes ovatus) in blood samples from dogs in Yamaguchi and Okinaw a Prefecture, Japan. Partial sequence of E. platys was detected from I of 6 7 dogs (1.5%) tested from Yamaguchi Prefecture and 24 out of 87 (27.6%) in the subtropical Okinawa Prefecture. Dogs in Okinawa and Miyako Islands had a higher positive rate (69.2 and 45.0%, respectively) than Ishigaki Island (11.1%). Another dog in Yamaguchi Prefecture had a positive PCR reaction to the Ehrlich ia sp. detected from I. ovatus. No other Ehrlichia were found in these samples.