Abstract
BackgroundAnaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium able to infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide. Based on the genetic diversity observed with different molecular markers, several host-specific lineages have been identified. Roe deer is one of the most important reservoirs of this bacterium and hosts different genetic groups sometimes found on domestic animals. We therefore developed an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR (nPCR) to evaluate the prevalence of the three different ankA genetic groups described in roe deer (clusters II, III and IV) at three locations in France and the level of co-infections.ResultsThe specificity of the three nPCRs was assessed by partially sequencing 35 amplicons of ankA genes obtained from the different nested PCRs. All three genetic lineages were detected in roe deer from all three geographical locations. Of the infected deer population, 60.7% were co-infected by two or three different genetic variants. Co-infections varied from 42.9 to 70.6% of the infected population depending on the local infection prevalences (from 33.3 to 73.9%). All types of mixed infections occurred, suggesting the absence of a strict variant exclusion by another variant.ConclusionsMixed infections by two or three genetic variants of A. phagocytopilum are a common feature in roe deer. Genetic variants (cluster IV) also found in domestic ruminants (cattle and sheep) were present in all the roe deer populations analyzed, suggesting a shared epidemiological cycle.
Highlights
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium able to infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide
We developed three ankyrin A gene (ankA) cluster-specific nested PCR (nPCR), two for the ankA clusters usually described from roe deer (II and III), and one for the ankA cluster shared with domestic ruminants
Prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in roe deer at three locations in France A roe deer sample was considered positive as soon as one positive amplicon was obtained in the four possible nPCR
Summary
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium able to infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide. Anaplasma phagocytophilum displays noticeable diversity and versatility It infects a large range of wild and domestic animal species worldwide (birds, reptiles, mammals) and is transmitted by different tick species depending on the geographical area, but mainly of the genus Ixodes [2]. It is able to invade and multiply within the granulocytes of diverse vertebrate hosts, as well as within different cell types of its tick vector (tick gut and salivary gland cells) This bacterium has developed common molecular strategies for infection, compatible with its heavily reduced genome [3]. Vertebrate host tropism, pathogenicity and clinical manifestations seem to vary between different A. phagocytophilum strains, and imply the existence at some stage of specific infection strategies, which still remain largely unknown
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