1
|
Víchová B, Majláthová V, Nováková M, Stanko M, Hviščová I, Pangrácová L, Chrudimský T, Čurlík J, Petko B. Anaplasma infections in ticks and reservoir host from Slovakia. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2013; 22:265-72. [PMID: 23770268 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2013] [Revised: 05/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2013] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a worldwide distributed bacterium with a significant medical and veterinary importance. It grows within the phagosome of infected neutrophils and is responsible for human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), tick-borne fever (TBF) of small ruminants and cattle, canine and equine granulocytic anaplasmosis, but infects also a great variety of wildlife species. Wild ungulates and rodents are considered reservoirs of infection in natural foci. The objective of this study was to determine the spectrum of animal species involved in the circulation of A. phagocytophilum in Slovakia and to analyze the variability of obtained nucleotide sequences, in order to determine whether genotypes from Slovakia cluster according to host-species or geographical location. Several animal species and vector ticks were screened for the presence of members of the family Anaplasmataceae using PCR based methods. Additional data on the molecular evidence of Anaplasma ovis and Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis are presented. These pathogens were detected in tested sheep flocks and rodents with the mean infection rates of 8.16% and 10.75%, respectively. A. phagocytophilum was genotyped by 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequencing. Bacterial DNA was confirmed in questing ixodid ticks, in domesticated canine, wild rodents and several species of wild ungulates. In European isolates, 16S rRNA gene does not seem to be an appropriate locus for the analyses of heterogeneity as it is too conservative. Similarly, 16S rRNA isolates from our study did not reveal any polymorphisms. All isolates were identical in overlapped region and showed identity with sequences from ticks, horses or ruminants previously isolated elsewhere in the world. On the other hand, the groESL heat shock operon is widely used for determination of diversity and the analyses have already revealed considerable degree of heterogeneity. Tested ungulates were infected with A. phagocytophilum to a considerable extent. High proportions of red and roe deer tested positive and the rates of infection reached over 60.0%. GroEL sequences from canine, wild ungulates and ticks from Slovakia clustered within a clade together with isolates from horses, humans, wild ungulates and ticks from Slovakia or elsewhere in the world. Sequences from rodents clustered apart from those obtained from wild ungulates, ticks and humans. These results suggest that European rodents do not harbour A. phagocytophilum strains with strong zoonotic potential such as those from United States.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bronislava Víchová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia.
| | - Viktória Majláthová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Mária Nováková
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia; Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Lofflerova 10, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Ivana Hviščová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Lucia Pangrácová
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Tomáš Chrudimský
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Čurlík
- Institute for Breeding and Diseases of Animals and Fishes, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Branislav Petko
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tate CM, Howerth EW, Mead DG, Dugan VG, Luttrell MP, Sahora AI, Munderloh UG, Davidson WR, Yabsley MJ. Anaplasma odocoilei sp. nov. (family Anaplasmataceae) from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2012; 4:110-9. [PMID: 23276749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2011] [Revised: 09/11/2012] [Accepted: 09/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recently, an undescribed Anaplasma sp. (also called Ehrlichia-like sp. or WTD agent) was isolated in ISE6 tick cells from captive white-tailed deer. The goal of the current study was to characterize this organism using a combination of experimental infection, morphologic, serologic, and molecular studies. Each of 6 experimentally inoculated white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus) became chronically infected (100+ days) with the Anaplasma sp. by inoculation of either infected whole blood or culture. None of the deer showed evidence of clinical disease, but 3 of the 6 deer evaluated had multiple episodes of transient thrombocytopenia. Light microscopy of Giemsa-stained, thin blood smears revealed tiny, dark, spherical structures in platelets of acutely infected deer. Anaplasma sp. was detected in platelets of inoculated deer by polymerase chain reaction, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization. Five of 6 deer developed antibodies reactive to Anaplasma sp. antigen, as detected by indirect fluorescent antibody testing. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA, groESL, and gltA sequences confirmed the Anaplasma sp. is related to A. platys. Two attempts to transmit the Anaplasma sp. between deer by feeding Amblyomma americanum, a suspected tick vector, were unsuccessful. Based on its biologic, antigenic, and genetic characteristics, this organism is considered a novel species of Anaplasma, and the name Anaplasma odocoilei sp. nov. is proposed with UMUM76(T) (=CSUR-A1) as the type strain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia M Tate
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yabsley MJ, Davidson WR, Stallknecht DE, Varela AS, Swift PK, Devos JC, Dubay SA. Evidence of tick-borne organisms in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from the western United States. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2007; 5:351-62. [PMID: 16417431 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2005.5.351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Free-ranging mule deer (MD; Odocoileus hemionus) from Arizona and California were tested for evidence of infection with several tick-borne pathogens, including species of Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Babesia, and Borrelia. Of 125 mule deer tested from Arizona, 29 (23%) and 11 (9%) had antibodies reactive to E. chaffeensis and A. phagocytophilum by indirect immunofluorescent antibody testing, respectively; none of the six MD tested from California were seropositive. Using a commercial competitive ELISA kit, antibodies reactive to Anaplasma spp. were detected in 19 (15%) MD from Arizona and four of six (67%) MD from California. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for tick-borne pathogens was conducted on blood samples from 29 MD from Arizona and 11 MD from California. Twenty-two of 29 (75.9%) MD from Arizona had PCR evidence of infection with at least one tick-borne pathogen. We detected an Anaplasma sp. in 19 of 29 (65.5%) MD and a Babesia sp. in 10 of 29 (34%) MD. Sequencing of these amplicons indicated that the Anaplasma sp. was the same that had previously been detected in MD from California and the Babesia sp. was similar to one previously detected in a reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from California. All of the California MD had evidence of infection with a tick-borne pathogen. Two different species of Anaplasma spp. were detected in MD from California, eight of of 11 MD were infected with an Anaplasma sp., and three of 11 MD were infected with A. ovis. This is the first report of a mule deer naturally infected with A. ovis. Ten of 11 MD from California were infected with a Babesia-like organism previously associated with human disease, and a single MD was PCR positive for Borrelia coriaceae, which has been associated with epizootic bovine abortion. Together, these data suggest that MD in northern Arizona and eastern California are exposed to several pathogens of human and veterinary importance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|