Tick borne diseases

Anaplasma phagocytophilium 

human granulocytic (WBC) ehrlichiosis

is A. phagocytophilium a bacteria

yes treated with antibiotic

what are granulocytes

white blood cells that fight infections and allergies with enzymes

what does A. phagocytophilium affect

joints therefore causing lethargy

A. phagocytophilium infection in horses

acute febrile disease

A. phagocytophilium is most common geographically 

in the NE and upper midwest and along west coast

A. phagocytophilium is transmitted by the

Ixodes ticks

A. phagocytophilium resevoir host

squirrels and chipmunks

clinical signs with A. phagocytophilium may be

asymptomatic

can A. phagocytophilium go to the brain

yes which can cause ataxia or seizures

Leukopenia

decreased number of WBC

Thrombocytopenia

decreased number of platelets

Anaplasma marginale

causes hemolytic anemia in cattle

A. marginale transmission by

Dermacenter (American dog tick) and Rhipicephalus (brown dog tick)

A. marginale can be transmitted mechanically by

blood-feeding flies, some mosquito species, and contaminated fomites such as needles, ear tagging devices, or castration equipment

is A. marginale fatal

yes it can cause death

Morulae are readily found in

erythrocytes of acutely affected cattle and sheep

Anaplasma platys

infects the platelets of dogs and causes mild febrile disease + thrombocytopenia

A. platys bacteria

rarer bacteria that can cause cyclic thrombocytopenia (can be there or not + decreased platelets)

reduction of platelets

bleeding disorders + bruising

how is anaplasmosis diagnosed

ELISA, IFA, PCR, microscopic examination

diagnosis of anaplasmosis

will be positive despite being treated

treatment of anasplasmosis

antibiotics (doxycycline)

doxycycline in cats

followed by water to prevent it from getting stuck

anaplasmosis + joint pain

pain killers or NSAIDS in addition

prognosis can depends on

type and severity (cause meningitis/kidney disease)

E. Canis

causative agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis

E. Ewingii

affects neutrophils and occasinally eosinophils

E. Chaffeensis

causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis (also reported in dogs)

is ehrlichiosis zoonotic

yes it can infect humans

can tests distinguish individual ehrilichiosis

no it cannot distinguish

E. canis disease

severe febrile disease 

E. canis is sometimes referred to as

tropical canine pancytopenia

special clinical sign in E. canis

ocular sign

chronic infection of E. canis

emaciation and hypoplastic bone marrow

E. canis is transmitted by

Rhipicephalus and Dermacentor

E. Ewingii disease

less severe febrile disease

clinical sign of E. Ewingii

neurological signs (head tilt + ataxia) and lameness due to neutrophilic polyarthritis

E. Ewingii is referred to as

canine granuloytic ehrlichiosis

E. Ewingii is transmitted by

amblyomma (long star tick)

E. Chaffeensis disease

human monocytic ehrlichiosis (most common southern human tick-borne disease)

E. Chaffeensis transmission

Amblyomma and white-tailed deer as reservoir host

Ehrlichia ruminantium

heartwater disease (cowdriosis)

E. Ruminantium transmission

amblyomma ticks

E. Ruminantium infection in 

endothelial cells causing febrile disease characterized by vasculitis 

E. Ruminantium refers to the development of

pericardial effusion in acute cases

what is a trematode

parasitic flatworm/fluke

salmon poisoning disease

transmitted via trematode

salmon poisoning disease infection is associated with

consumption of intermediate hosts harboring trematode metacercaria infected with the rickettsia

Neorickettsia helminthoeca vectored by

Nanophyetus salmincola

salmon poisoning intermediate hosts

snails and salmonid fish

when a dog ingests fish harboring metacercariae

it becomes infected with both trematodes and rickettsia

is salmon poisoning fatal

highly fatal

is salmon poisoning zoonotic

yes it can infect humans

Borrelia burgdorferi

lyme disease

bacteria shape of lyme disease

spirochete (cork screw)

lyme disease transmission

tick bite (black-legged tick, Ixodes, deer-tick)

B. borgdorfei resevoir host

raccoons, chipmunks, mice, deer, etc are not affected by it

lyme glomerulonephritis

protein-losing nephropathy which can be fatal

lyme vaccine

widely used in endemic areas

human infection is seen with

bullet lesion

diagnosis of lyme

antibody test

babesia transmission time

sporogony takes about 24-48 hours must occur before the parasite can be transmitted

rickettsia, anaplasma, and babesia transmission time

infectious agent is in the salivary gland so parasite is transmitted when tick bites/feeds

borrelia transmission time

parasite is in midgut and must move to salivary gland before transmission (delay in infection)

Bartonella henselae

cat scratch disease

B. henselae transmission to humans

scratch/bite by a bacteremic cat that harbors infectious bartonella bacteria on teeth/claws

B. henselae transmission to cats

through fleas and direct contact

B. henselae human infection clinical signs

neurologic signs, granulomatous hepatitis, etc

B. henselae infection in cats

self-limiting - gingivitis, fever, etc

Francisella tularensis

tularemia

tularemia transmission

direct contact with infected carcasses particularly rabbits or transmission by ticks and blood feeding flues

vectors of tularemia

deer flies and the american dog tick, mosquitos can also be involved

clinical disease of tularemia

most commonly in cats after eating prey

Yersinia pestis

plague

plague transmission

transmitted between animals and people via fleas