Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) and Lyme borreliosis (LB) are tick-borne infectious diseases caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species, respectively. In this study, p44/msp2 paralogues specific to A. phagocytophilum and 5S-23S rRNA gene-intergenic spacers specific to B. burgdorferi sensu lato species were detected by PCR in ticks collected in two regi...

BACKGROUND A major challenge in sheep farming during the grazing season along the coast of south-western Norway is tick-borne fever (TBF) caused by the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum that is transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus. METHODS A study was carried out in 2007 and 2008 to examine the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum infection and effect on weaning weight in lambs. The study incl...

BACKGROUND Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in domestic ruminants is widespread in the coastal areas of southern Norway. The bacteria may persist in mammalian hosts. Several genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum exist. In the present study, we investigate whether superinfection occurs in the acute and persistent phase of the infection. METHODS Five-month-old lambs of the Norwegian Dala br...

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the tick-transmitted obligate intracellular bacterium that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). A. phagocytophilum binding to sialyl Lewis x (sLe(x)) and other sialylated glycans that decorate P selectin glycoprotein 1 (PSGL-1) and other glycoproteins is critical for infection of mammalian host cells. Here, we demonstrate the importance of A. phagocytophilu...

BACKGROUND Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever in ruminants and human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis (HGA). The bacterium is able to survive for several months in immune-competent sheep by modifying important cellular and humoral defence mechanisms. Little is known about how different strains of A. phagocytophilum propagate in their natural hosts during persiste...

Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Infection with this zoonotic pathogen affects gene expression in both the vertebrate host and the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Here, we identified new genes, including spectrin alpha chain or alpha-fodrin (CG8) and voltage-dependent anion-selective channel or mitochondrial porin (T2), that are involved in A. phagocytophilum in...

INTRODUCTION Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were investigated in Tunisian dromedary camels. METHODOLOGY A total of 226 camels from three different bioclimatic areas were sampled and tested for the presence ...

We conducted a study of the distribution and prevalence of tickborne infections in Denmark by using roe deer as sentinels. Blood samples from 237 roe deer were collected during the 2002-2003 hunting season. Overall, 36.6% of deer were Borrelia seropositive, while 95.6% were Anaplasma phagocytophilum positive; all animals were negative for Bartonella quintana and B. henselae by indirect immunofl...

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a gram-negative intracellular bacterium that transmitted by hard ticks. A. phagocytophilum infect and multiply in the organs of ticks, in particular the salivary glands which enable the transmission to vertebrate hosts during feeding. The tick becomes infected by feeding on an infected host and there is transstadial but not transovarial passage of the organism. The ...

Ixodes scapularis ticks were collected in 2000 and 2001 from two areas in Pennsylvania and tested for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi by PCR and DNA sequencing. Of the ticks collected from northwestern and southeastern Pennsylvania, 162 of 263 (61.6%) and 25 of 191 (13.1%), respectively, were found to be positive for B. burgdorferi. DNA sequencing showed >99% ...