AUTHOR=Wang Ye , Zhang Qingxun , Han Shuyi , Li Ying , Wang Bo , Yuan Guohui , Zhang Peiyang , Yang Ziwen , Zhang Heng , Sun Yali , Chen Jiyong , Han Xueqing , He Hongxuan 

TITLE=Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Four Anaplasma Species With Veterinary and Public Health Significance Identified in Tibetan Sheep (Ovis aries) and Yaks (Bos grunniens) in Qinghai, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.727166

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2021.727166

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p>Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) can cause serious economic losses and are very important to animal and public health. To date, research on TBDs has been limited in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. This epidemiological investigation was conducted to evaluate the distribution and risk factors of <italic>Anaplasma</italic> spp. and <italic>Ehrlichia chaffeensis</italic> in livestock in Qinghai. A total of 566 blood samples, including 330 yaks (<italic>Bos grunniens</italic>) and 236 Tibetan sheep (<italic>Ovis aries</italic>) were screened. Results showed that <italic>A. bovis</italic> (33.3%, 110/330) and <italic>A. phagocytophilum</italic> (29.4%, 97/330) were most prevalent in yaks, followed by <italic>A. ovis</italic> (1.2%, 4/330), <italic>A. capra</italic> (0.6%, 2/330), and <italic>E. chaffeensis</italic> (0.6%, 2/330). While <italic>A. ovis</italic> (80.9%, 191/236) and <italic>A. bovis</italic> (5.1%, 12/236) infection was identified in Tibetan sheep. To our knowledge, it is the first time that <italic>A. capra</italic> and <italic>E. chaffeensis</italic> have been detected in yaks in China. Apart from that, we also found that co-infection of <italic>A. bovis</italic> and <italic>A. phagocytophilum</italic> is common in yaks (28.2%, 93/330). For triple co-infection, two yaks were infected with <italic>A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum</italic>, and <italic>A. capra</italic>, and two yaks were infected with <italic>A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum</italic>, and <italic>E. chaffeensis</italic>. Risk analysis shows that infection with <italic>A. bovis, A. phagocytophilum</italic>, and <italic>A. ovis</italic> was related to region and altitude. This study provides new data on the prevalence of <italic>Anaplasma</italic> spp. and <italic>E. chaffeensis</italic> in Qinghai, China, which may help to develop new strategies for active responding to these pathogens.</p>