First molecular evidence of vertical transmission of Ehrlichia canis in naturally infected female dogs in Brazil

Abstract

Ehrlichia canis is an obligate intracellular bacterium transmitted by the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. This pathogen is also the etiological agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, a disease with widespread global distribution and recognized zoonotic potential. Although vector-borne transmission is well established, evidence supporting the occurrence of vertical transmission remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the potential transplacental transmission of E. canis in 51 naturally infected pregnant bitches using molecular diagnostic techniques, genetic sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Blood and placental samples from the 51 dams, organ pool samples from 22 stillborn puppies, and peripheral blood from 40 live neonates up to five days of age were analyzed. Molecular analyses were performed using nested PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene, with initial detection of the genus Ehrlichia and subsequent specific confirmation of E. canis, followed by genetic sequencing and phylogenetic characterization of the positive samples. Ehrlichia spp. DNA was detected in 27.45 % of dams blood samples, 5.88 % of placentas, 9.09 % of stillborns organ pools, and 2.5 % of live-born puppies up to five days old. The sequences obtained showed 100 % identity with previously characterized E. canis isolates from different geographic regions. The study confirms the occurrence of transplacental transmission of E. canis in dogs and highlights the potential of this route in the maintenance and dissemination of zoonotic vector-borne agents. It emphasizes the need to study vertical transmission mechanisms of pathogens and their impact in endemic areas, and to combine reproductive monitoring with infectious disease control in dogs for improved animal and public health.

Keywords: Ehrlichiosis; Hemopathogens; PCR; Pregnant female dog; Tick-borne pathogens; Transplacental transmission.