Abstract
Recently, the incidence and awareness of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals have increased due to several factors, which in association favor the chances of contact among wild animals and their ectoparasites, domestic animals and humans. Wild and domestic carnivores are considered the primary source of tick-borne zoonotic agents to humans. Among emergent tick-borne pathogens, agents belonging to family Anaplasmataceae (Order Rickettsiales) agents stand out due their worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential. In this review we aimed to review the genetic diversity of the tick-transmitted genera Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp.” in wild carnivores Caniformia (Canidae, Mustelidae and Ursidae) and Feliformia (Felidae, Hyanidae, Procyonidae and Viverridae) worldwide, discussing the implications for human and domestic animal health and wildlife conservation. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) have been identified as hosts for Anaplasma spp. (A. phagocytophilum, Anaplasma ovis, A. platys), Ehrlichia canis and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp.” (FU98 strain) and may contribute to the maintaenance of A. phagocytophilum in Europe. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) have been reported as hosts for E. canis, A. bovis, “Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris” and A. phagocytophilum, and play a role in the maintenance of A. phagocytophilum in the USA. Raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) may play a role as hosts for A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum. New Ehrlichia and/or Anaplasma genotypes circulate in wild canids and felids from South America and Africa. While Ehrlichia sp. closely related to E. canis has been reported in wild felids from Brazil and Japan, Anaplasma sp. closely related to A. phagocytophilum has been detected in wild felids from Brazil and Africa. Red foxes and mustelids (otters) are exposed to E. canis in countries located in the Mediaterranean basin, probably as a consequence of spillover from domestic dogs. Similarly, E. canis occurs in procyonids in North (raccoons in USA, Spain) and South (Nasua nasua in Brazil) Hemispheres, in areas where E. canis is frequent in dogs. While “Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris” seems to be a common and specific agent of raccoons in the USA, “Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp.” (FU98 strain) seems to show a broader range of hosts, since it has been detected in red fox, golden jackal (Canis aureus) and badger (Meles meles) in Europe so far. Brown (Ursus arctos) and black (Ursus americanus) bears seem to play a role as hosts for A. phagocytophilum in the North Hemisphere. Anaplasma bovis has been detected in wild Procyonidae, Canidae and Felidae in Asia and Brazil. In order to assess the real identity of the involved agents, future works should benefit from the application of MLST (Multi Locus Sequence Typing), WGS (Whole Genome Sequencing) and NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technologies aiming at shedding some light on the role of wild carnivores in the epidemiology of Anaplasmataceae agents.
Highlights
The incidence of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals have increased due to several factors, which in association favor the chances of contact among wild animals and associated ectoparasites, domestic animals and humans
Among the main factors associated with the emergence or re-emergence of vector-borne diseases, we can name: climate change, including global warming; “outdoor” activities, global traveling, urbanization, changes in land use, deforestation, habitat fragmentation, natural environment encroachment, which together predispose to a higher contact among wildlife, humans and domestic animals; the employment and easier access to molecular tools, favoring the diagnosis and identification of vector-borne agents; and the increase of awareness of tick-borne agents by veterinarians, physicians, scientists, and public health authorities
In this review we aimed to review the genetic diversity of the tick-transmitted genera Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp.” in terrrestrial wild carnivores worldwide, discussing the implications for human and domestic animal health and wildlife conservation
Summary
The incidence of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals have increased due to several factors, which in association favor the chances of contact among wild animals and associated ectoparasites, domestic animals and humans. A. phagocytophilum rrs have been detected in little spotted cats and coatis in Brazil (9), these animals were negative in qPCR assays targeting specific msp-2 of A. phagocytophilum and conventional PCR directed to groEL gene, indicating that an Anaplasma genotype closely related to A. phagocytophilum circulate among wild carnivores in South America (Table 1).
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