Abstract
BackgroundAnaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate parasitic intracellular bacterium. It is the causative agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, with effects on human and animal health. In Europe, the pathogen is mainly transmitted among a wide range of vertebrate hosts by blood-sucking arthropods. The aim of this study was to determine the presence of A. phagocytophilum in wild carnivores, viz raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), badgers (Meles meles), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), martens (Martes sp.) and European polecats (Mustela putorius), using molecular methods.MethodsIn the present study, 174 spleen samples were collected from adult, wild carnivores hunted in the years 2013–2016. A short fragment (383 bp) of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene partial sequence was used as a marker to identify A. phagocytophilum in spleen samples collected from carnivores using nested PCR.ResultsThe prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in wild carnivores was 31.61% (55/174). Seven sequences of A. phagocytophilum were generated from two raccoon dogs, two badgers, one marten, one red fox and one European polecat. Six identical nucleotide sequences were obtained from one raccoon dog, two badgers, one marten, one red fox and one European polecat (A. phagocytophilum sequences 1: MH328205–MH328209, MH328211), and these were identical to many A. phagocytophilum sequences in the GenBank database (100% similarity). The second sequence (A. phagocytophilum sequence 2: MH328210) obtained from the raccoon dog shared 99.74% identity with A. phagocytophilum sequence 1.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study to use molecular methods to determine the presence of A. phagocytophilum in wild carnivores, viz raccoon dog, badger, marten and European polecat, in Poland. The detected A. phagocytophilum sequences (1 and 2) were closely related with those of A. phagocytophilum occurring in a wide range of wild and domestic animals and vectors.
Highlights
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate parasitic intracellular bacterium
Molecular detection of A. phagocytophilum was based on semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the partial 16S rRNA gene according to Werszko et al [9]
The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum was significantly higher in martens than in badgers (χ2 = 4.5422, df = 1, P = 0.033; 95% CI: 0.16–0.36)
Summary
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate parasitic intracellular bacterium. It is the causative agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, with effects on human and animal health. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the family Anaplasmataceae [1]. It is the causative agent of tick-borne fever in ruminants, known as bovine or ovine granulocytic anaplasmosis, and of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is typically detected in Szewczyk et al Parasites Vectors (2019) 12:465 tick vectors, transovarial transmission has not been observed [7]. Anaplasma phagocytophilum has been detected in other arthropods such as blood-sucking flies, deer flies (Lipoptena cervi) and horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) [9]. The growing degree of contact between free-living animals, domestic animals and human populations due to climate change and population growth has resulted in an elevated risk of human and bovine anaplasmosis outbreaks [10]
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