Anaplasmosis in two dogs in France and molecular and phylogenetic characterization of Anaplasma phagocytophilum

• Published in: Veterinary clinical pathology Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 215 - 221
• Main Authors: Canelas Domingos, Margarida, Trotta, Michele, Briend‐Marchal, Alexandra, Medaille, Christine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.06.2011
• Subjects: 16S rRNA; Anaplasma phagocytophilum - genetics; Anaplasmosis - blood; Anaplasmosis - microbiology; Animals; AnkA gene; Base Sequence; Dog Diseases - blood; Dog Diseases - microbiology; Dogs; Female; Genes, Bacterial - genetics; granulocytic anaplasmosis; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; real‐time PCR; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Thrombocytopenia - microbiology; Thrombocytopenia - veterinary; tick‐borne
• ISSN: 0275-6382; 1939-165X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-165X.2011.00321.x

: Two dogs in France were diagnosed with Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection by real‐time PCR. The most remarkable hematologic and biochemical findings were severe thrombocytopenia, mild neutrophilia, morulae in neutrophils, and increased serum concentration of the α2‐globulin fraction detected by agarose gel electrophoresis of serum proteins. Using sequencing of the partial 16S rRNA and ankA genes, molecular characterization of the A. phagocytophilum strains showed that the organisms from both dogs were identical to the European strains isolated from horses and people. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the ankA gene was more discriminating than the 16S rRNA gene in distinguishing the majority of European and American strains of A. phagocytophilum infecting people and animals. Three isolates of A. phagocytophilum, 1 from Spain (cow) and 2 from Norway (sheep and deer), were external to the European and American clades.