Abstract
Obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the genus Anaplasma spp. are responsible for causing a hemolytic disease called anaplasmosis in animals, as well as in humans. This study was aimed at the molecular identification and genetic analysis of responsible causative agents of anaplasmosis beyond those already reported. A survey was performed during July and August 2018 in the Jhang District, Punjab, Pakistan. Four hundred and fifty blood samples from asymptomatic, tick-infested cattle were collected on FTA cards and tested for the Anaplasma spp. presence using nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences generated from the positive samples were used for genetic analysis of Anaplasma spp. The nested-PCR results showed the presence of two Anaplasma spp. with an overall prevalence rate of 10.44%, where the prevalence of A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum was 7.78% and 2.66%, respectively. The study portrayed new molecular data on the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in the studied cattle population, indicating a potential threat to the human population as well.
Highlights
Being an agricultural country, the economy of Pakistan gets a real boost from its livestock industry, with a share of 58.92% in the agriculture sector and a contribution of almost 11.11% during the2017–2018 economic year, as far as total gross domestic product is concerned
Despite being an integral part of the economy, and despite the fact that a major proportion of the human population of Pakistan is involved in the livestock industry, detailed information regarding disease prevalence and its prevention, management practices and control strategies is lacking
The overall prevalence rate observed for A. bovis was higher than that of A. phagocytphilum, which was
Summary
The economy of Pakistan gets a real boost from its livestock industry, with a share of 58.92% in the agriculture sector and a contribution of almost 11.11% during the2017–2018 economic year, as far as total gross domestic product is concerned. In Pakistan, there are currently 84.9 million heads of buffalo and cattle present, sharing 96.80% of the total milk gross production; whereas 96.03% and 50.56% of the total milk and meat, respectively, is consumed by the human population [http://www.finance.gov.pk/survey_1617.html]. Anaplasma species, which is a gram negative bacteria possessing an obligate intracellular nature, is responsible for causing anaplasmosis, a hemolytic tick transmitted disease, in humans and animals. It has a wide distribution in the temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of the world [1]. The disease is continuously becoming a serious concern for the animal breeding system, as the infection puts an additional burden on veterinary care by reducing the body weight of animals, decreasing milk production, and frequently causing abortions leading to death [2,3,4,5]
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