Feline ehrlichiosis – literature review

Abstract

Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by a bacterium belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family that can infect mammals. In Brazil, canine ehrlichiosis is caused by Ehrlichia canis, and it is endemic in some regions. The bacterium is transmitted by vectors, and especially the Rhipicephalus sanguineus. In cats the disease process is less understood due to scarce research, and lack of standardization of diagnostic tests. Lack of awareness of veterinarians about the importance of the disease in cats is also a contributing factor to scarce information. The available information suggests that the course of the disease in cats is similar to that of the dog. In this article we present a literature review on feline ehrlichiosis describing etiopathogenesis, methods of diagnostic, treatment, and prophylaxis strategies.