Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in collected ticks from deer in Lithuania

Abstract

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging tick-borne pathogen of global public health and veterinary significance. Wild ungulates are suggested to serve as reservoirs for A.phagocytophilum in Europe. In this study we investigated the occurrence of A. phagocytophilum in ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus) collected from deer in Lithuania. A. phagocytophilum were detected in 49 (22.3 %) out of 220 samples. Five Anaplasma-positive PCR products were purified and sequenced. Sequencing the 380 bp of the msp4 gene revealed two different sequence types. Two types of sequences differed from each other at 33 nucleotide positions. Types of sequences from this study matched those derived from roe deer, red deer, sika deer and ticks (Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus) in other Europe countries.