First reports of indigenous lethal infection with Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma bovis and Theileria orientalis in Croatian cattle

Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) impose an important limitation to livestock production worldwide, especially in subtropical and tropical areas. Earlier studies in Korea have examined TBPs residing in ticks and animals; however, information on multiple TBPs in ticks infesting cattle is lacking. This study assessed the prevalence of TBPs in ticks parasitizing cattle. A total of 576 ticks, including 340 adults and 236 nymphs, were collected from cattle in Korea between 2014 and 2018. All ticks collected were identified as Haemaphysalis longicornis based on their morphological and molecular characteristics. Among piroplasms and other tick-associated pathogens, seven TBP genes, namely Theileria orientalis (5.0%), Anaplasma bovis (2.3%), Anaplasma capra (4.7%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum-like Anaplasma spp. (APL) clades A (1.9%) and B (0.5%), Ehrlichia canis (1.6%), and Candidatus Rickettsia longicornii (17.5%), were detected. Bartonella spp. and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus were not found. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report the presence of the pathogens T. orientalis major piroplasm surface protein genotypes 3 and 7, A. capra, and APL in ticks from Korea. Cattle ticks may be maintenance hosts for many TBPs, and veterinary and medical clinicians should be aware of their high probability of infection and clinical complexity in humans.

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Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens Abound in the Cattle Population of the Rabat-Sale Kenitra Region, Morocco

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10121594 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1594

Author(s):

Latifa Elhachimi ◽

Carolien Rogiers ◽

Stijn Casaert ◽

Siham Fellahi ◽

Thomas Van Leeuwen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Babesia Bovis ◽

Cattle Population ◽

Theileria Orientalis ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus Sensu Lato ◽

Rhipicephalus Bursa ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

Anaplasma Bovis

Tick-borne pathogens cause the majority of diseases in the cattle population in Morocco. In this study, ticks were collected from cattle in the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region of Morocco and identified morphologically, while tick-borne pathogens were detected in cattle blood samples via polymerase chain reaction assay and sequencing. A total of 3394 adult ixodid ticks were collected from cattle and identified as eight different tick species representing two genera, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus. The collected ticks consisted of Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, Rhipicephalus bursa, Hyalomma detritum, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Hyalomma dromedarii, and Hyalomma impeltatum. The overall prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in blood samples was 63.8%, with 29.3% positive for Babesia/Theileria spp., 51.2% for Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., and none of the samples positive for Rickettsia spp. Sequencing results revealed the presence of Theileria annulata, Babesia bovis, Anaplasma marginale, Theileria buffeli, Theileria orientalis, Babesia occultans, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma capra, Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma bovis, Ehrlichia minasensis, and one isolate of an unknown bovine Anaplasma sp. Crossbreeds, females, older age, and high tick infestation were the most important risk factors for the abundance of tick-borne pathogens, which occurred most frequently in Jorf El Melha, Sidi Yahya Zaer, Ait Ichou, and Arbaoua locations.

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Coinfection of cattle in Virginia with Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype and Anaplasma marginale

Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation ◽

10.1177/10406387211057627 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 104063872110576

Author(s):

Vanessa J. Oakes ◽

S. Michelle Todd ◽

Amanda A. Carbonello ◽

Pawel Michalak ◽

Kevin K. Lahmers

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Anaplasma Marginale ◽

Clinical Decision ◽

The United States ◽

Diagnostic Information ◽

Theileria Orientalis ◽

Blood Samples ◽

The Difference ◽

Tick Vectors

Theileria orientalis Ikeda is a newly identified agent of bovine infectious anemia in the United States. Although T. orientalis Ikeda is transmitted by ticks other than the tick that transmits Anaplasma marginale—a bacterial etiology of bovine infectious anemia—the geographic distributions of these 2 infectious organisms overlap, with coinfection reported in some cattle. Only anaplasmosis has an approved effective treatment in the United States. To provide rapid diagnostic information for producers with anemic animals, we developed a duplex real-time PCR (rtPCR) for A. marginale and T. orientalis. With a cutoff of 38 cycles, the duplex assay has a sensitivity of 97.0% and a specificity of 100% for A. marginale; with a cutoff of 45 cycles, the duplex assay has a sensitivity and a specificity of 100% for T. orientalis, compared to existing tests. In addition to providing a tool for improved clinical decision-making for veterinarians and producers, our rtPCR facilitates the study of coinfection of cattle in Virginia. Of 1,359 blood samples analyzed, 174 were positive for T. orientalis, 125 were positive for A. marginale, and 12 samples were positive for both T. orientalis and A. marginale. Hence, coinfection by these 2 agents of bovine infectious anemia does occur within Virginia. It is likely that this pattern of infection will be seen in other regions where T. orientalis and A. marginale infections are endemic, despite the difference in tick vectors.

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Co-Infection of cattle in Virginia with Theileria orientalis ikeda genotype and Anaplasma marginale

10.1101/2021.04.28.441839 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vanessa J. Oakes ◽

S. Michelle Todd ◽

Amanda A. Carbonello ◽

Pawel Michalak ◽

Kevin K. Lahmers

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Anaplasma Marginale ◽

Clinical Decision ◽

The United States ◽

Diagnostic Information ◽

Theileria Orientalis ◽

Blood Samples ◽

The Difference ◽

Tick Vectors

AbstractTheileria orientalis ikeda is a newly identified agent of bovine infectious anemia in the United States. Although it is transmitted by separate tick hosts than Anaplasma marginale – a bacterial etiology of bovine infectious anemia –the geographic distributions of these two infectious organisms overlap, with co-infection reported in some cattle. Only anaplasmosis has approved effective treatment in the United States. To provide rapid diagnostic information for producers with anemic animals, we developed a duplex qPCR for A. marginale and T. orientalis. With a cut-off of 38 cycles, the duplex assay has a sensitivity of 96.97% and a specificity of 100% for A. marginale; with a cut-off of 45 cycles, the duplex assay has a sensitivity and a specificity of 100% for T. orientalis. In addition to providing a tool for improved clinical decision-making for veterinarians and producers, this qPCR facilitates the study of co-infection rate of cattle in Virginia. Of 1,359 blood samples analyzed, 174 were positive for the presence of T. orientalis, 125 were positive for the presence of A. marginale, and 12 samples were positive for both T. orientalis and A. marginale. This indicated that co-infection of both of these etiologies of bovine infectious anemia does occur within the state of Virginia. It is likely that this pattern of infection will be seen in regions where T. orientalis and A. marginale are endemic, despite the difference in tick vectors.

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