AUTHOR=Mahmoud Hassan Y. A. H. , Ali Alsagher O. , Tanaka Tetsuya 

TITLE=Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma marginale infecting cattle, buffalo, and camel populations in southern Egypt

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2023.1169323

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2023.1169323

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p>Anaplasmosis is a severe tickborne disease of ruminants caused by <italic>Anaplasma marginale</italic>. <italic>A. marginale</italic> is distributed worldwide and attacks erythrocytes, resulting in an increased body temperature, anemia, jaundice, abortion, and, in some cases, death. Animals infected with this pathogen become lifelong carriers. In this study, we aimed to detect and characterize <italic>A. marginale</italic> isolated from cattle, buffalo, and camel populations using novel molecular techniques in southern Egypt. In total, 250 samples (from 100 cattle, 75 water buffaloes, and 75 camels) were analyzed by PCR for the presence of <italic>Anaplasmataceae</italic>, specifically <italic>A. marginale</italic>. The animals varied in breed, age, and gender, with most showing no signs of severe disease. By species, <italic>A. marginale</italic> was found in 61 out of 100 (61%) cattle, 9 out of 75 (12%) buffaloes, and only 5 out of 75 (6.66%) camels. All <italic>A. marginale</italic>-positive samples were examined for the heat-shock protein <italic>groEL</italic> gene and, additionally, for <italic>major surface protein 4</italic> (<italic>msp4</italic>) and <italic>major surface protein 5</italic> (<italic>msp5</italic>) genes to enhance specificity. Phylogenetic analysis of <italic>A. marginale</italic> targeted three genes (<italic>groEL, msp4</italic>, and <italic>msp5</italic>). This study provides the first report on using three genes for <italic>A. marginale</italic> detection in <italic>Camelus dromedarius</italic> in southern Egypt and generated new phylogenetic data for <italic>A. marginale</italic> infections in camels. <italic>A. marginale infection</italic> is endemic in different animal species in southern Egypt. Screening herds for <italic>A. marginale</italic> is recommended even when the signs of anaplasmosis are absent.</p>