Molecular survey and characterization of Theileria annulata and Ehrlichia ruminantium in cattle from Northwest China

• Published in: Parasitology international Vol. 67; no. 6; pp. 679 - 683
• Main Authors: Guo, Huanping, Yin, Chunsheng, Galon, Eloiza May, Du, Jige, Gao, Yang, Adjou Moumouni, Paul Franck, Liu, Mingming, Efstratiou, Artemis, Lee, Seung-Hun, Li, Jixu, Ringo, Aaron Edmond, Wang, Guanbo, Li, Yongchang, Tumwebaze, Maria Agnes, Xuan, Xuenan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Cattle; Ehrlichia ruminantium; Theileria annulata; Xinjing Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR); Xinjing Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR); Cattle; Theileria annulata; Ehrlichia ruminantium
• ISSN: 1383-5769; 1873-0329
• DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2018.06.011

Theileriosis and ehrlichiosis are two important tick-borne diseases affecting cattle farming in China. However, limited information is available regarding prevalence and molecular characterization of Theileria annulata and Ehrlichia ruminantium in cattle in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), northwestern China. In this study, a total of 176 blood samples of cattle from three rural areas of XUAR were collected in June 2017 and were tested by nested-PCR. A total of 34 (19.3%) samples were found to be infected with one or two pathogens. The overall prevalence rates of T. annulata and E. ruminantium were 18.2% and 1.7%, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the E. ruminantium isolates from XUAR were located in the same clade but diverged from the isolates from African countries using pCS20 gene while T. annulata isolates from XUAR revealed differences in the genotypes using Tams1 sequences. To our knowledge, this is the first report of E. ruminantium infection in cattle in China. It also provides the first genetic characterization of T. annulata in cattle in XUAR. The current findings are important for understanding the distribution of agents of theileriosis and ehrlichiosis and in designing measures for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases in cattle, other animals, and humans. [Display omitted] •Theileria annulata and Ehrlichia ruminantium were detected in cattle from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR).•19.3% samples were found to be infected with one or two pathogens.•This is the first report of E. ruminantium infection in cattle in China.•This study provides important data for the surveillance of theileriosis and ehrlichiosis in XUAR.