Dataset Information

"Candidatus anaplasma camelii" in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Morocco: a novel and emerging anaplasma species?

ABSTRACT: There has been a growing interest in camel anaplasmosis due to its recent emergence in this reservoir species and concerns for its zoonotic potential. The epidemiology of anaplasmosis in camels therefore remains poorly understood mostly because camels belong to marginalised poor and often transhumant populations whose interests are largely neglected. Most studies of anaplasmosis in camels have relied on microscopy and serology for diagnosis and only three studies, undertaken in Tunisia, Saudia Arabia and China, have used molecular diagnostics. The present work characterises Anaplasmataceae strains circulating in the Camelus dromedarius reservoir in Morocco using PCR.Camels (n = 106) were randomly sampled from 6 regions representing different agro-ecological areas in southern Morocco. Whole blood was collected and screened using PCR methods targeting the gene groEL. Anaplasmataceae strains were characterised by sequence analysis of the gene groEL.A total of 39.62% (42/106) camels screened were positive for Anaplasmataceae spp. GenBank BLAST analysis of five positive sequenced samples revealed that all strains were 100% identical to "Candidatus Anaplasma camelii". Phylogenetic investigation and genetic characterisation of the aligned segment (650 bp) of the gene groEL confirmed high similarity with A. platys.This study demonstrates the circulation of a previously unidentified species of the genus Anaplasma in Morocco which is genetically close to the agent causing canine anaplasmosis but whose main reservoir is thought to be Camelus dromedarius.This study is not a clinical trial and therefore a trial registration number does not apply.

SUBMITTER: Ait Lbacha H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5292149 | biostudies-other | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

ACCESS DATA

Publications

"Candidatus anaplasma camelii" in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Morocco: a novel and emerging anaplasma species?

Ait Lbacha Hicham H Zouagui Zaid Z Alali Said S Rhalem Abdelkbir A Petit Elisabeth E Ducrotoy Marie Julie MJ Boulouis Henri-Jean HJ Maillard Renaud R

Infectious diseases of poverty 20170205 1

<h4>Background</h4>There has been a growing interest in camel anaplasmosis due to its recent emergence in this reservoir species and concerns for its zoonotic potential. The epidemiology of anaplasmosis in camels therefore remains poorly understood mostly because camels belong to marginalised poor and often transhumant populations whose interests are largely neglected. Most studies of anaplasmosis in camels have relied on microscopy and serology for diagnosis and only three studies, undertaken i ...[more]

PMID: 28160773

Similar Datasets

Project description:BACKGROUND:Ticks are hematophagous arthropods responsible for maintenance and transmission of several pathogens of veterinary and medical importance. Current knowledge on species diversity and pathogens transmitted by ticks infesting camels in Nigeria is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to unravel the status of ticks and tick-borne pathogens of camels in Nigeria. METHODS:Blood samples (n?=?176) and adult ticks (n?=?593) were collected from one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) of both sexes in three locations (Kano, Jigawa and Sokoto states) in north-western Nigeria and screened for the presence of Rickettsia spp., Babesia spp., Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma spp. and Coxiella-like organisms using molecular techniques. All ticks were identified to species level using a combination of morphological and molecular methods. RESULTS:Ticks comprised the three genera Hyalomma, Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus. Hyalomma dromedarii was the most frequently detected tick species (n?=?465; 78.4%) while Amblyomma variegatum (n?=?1; 0.2%) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (n?=?1; 0.2%) were less frequent. Other tick species included H. truncatum (n?=?87; 14.7%), H. rufipes (n?=?19; 3.2%), H. impeltatum (n?=?18; 3.0%) and H. impressum (n?=?2; 0.3%). The minimum infection rates of tick-borne pathogens in 231 tick pools included Rickettsia aeschlimannii (n?=?51; 8.6%); Babesia species, (n?=?4; 0.7%) comprising of B. occultans (n?=?2), B. caballi (n?=?1) and Babesia sp. (n?=?1); Coxiella burnetii (n?=?17; 2.9%); and endosymbionts in ticks (n?=?62; 10.5%). We detected DNA of "Candidatus Anaplasma camelli" in 40.3% of the blood samples of camels. Other tick-borne pathogens including Anaplasma marginale were not detected. Analysis of risk factors associated with both tick infestation and infection with Anaplasma spp. in the blood indicated that age and body condition scores of the camels were significant (P?<?0.05) risk factors while gender was not. CONCLUSIONS:This study reports low to moderate prevalence rates of selected tick-borne pathogens associated with camels and their ticks in north-western Nigeria. The presence of zoonotic R. aeschlimannii emphasizes the need for a concerted tick control programme in Nigeria.

Dataset Information

"Candidatus anaplasma camelii" in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Morocco: a novel and emerging anaplasma species?

Publications

"Candidatus anaplasma camelii" in one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Morocco: a novel and emerging anaplasma species?

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets