Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR

Abstract Background Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium able to infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide. Based on the genetic diversity observed with different molecular markers, several host-specific lineages have been...

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Main Authors: Maggy Jouglin, Sophie Chagneau, Frédéric Faille, Hélène Verheyden, Suzanne Bastian, Laurence Malandrin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2017-08-01
Series:Parasites & Vectors
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2316-0
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author Maggy Jouglin
Sophie Chagneau
Frédéric Faille
Hélène Verheyden
Suzanne Bastian
Laurence Malandrin
author_facet Maggy Jouglin
Sophie Chagneau
Frédéric Faille
Hélène Verheyden
Suzanne Bastian
Laurence Malandrin
author_sort Maggy Jouglin
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium able to infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide. Based on the genetic diversity observed with different molecular markers, several host-specific lineages have been identified. Roe deer is one of the most important reservoirs of this bacterium and hosts different genetic groups sometimes found on domestic animals. We therefore developed an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR (nPCR) to evaluate the prevalence of the three different ankA genetic groups described in roe deer (clusters II, III and IV) at three locations in France and the level of co-infections. Results The specificity of the three nPCRs was assessed by partially sequencing 35 amplicons of ankA genes obtained from the different nested PCRs. All three genetic lineages were detected in roe deer from all three geographical locations. Of the infected deer population, 60.7% were co-infected by two or three different genetic variants. Co-infections varied from 42.9 to 70.6% of the infected population depending on the local infection prevalences (from 33.3 to 73.9%). All types of mixed infections occurred, suggesting the absence of a strict variant exclusion by another variant. Conclusions Mixed infections by two or three genetic variants of A. phagocytopilum are a common feature in roe deer. Genetic variants (cluster IV) also found in domestic ruminants (cattle and sheep) were present in all the roe deer populations analyzed, suggesting a shared epidemiological cycle.
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spelling doaj.art-6f98b536a29c495b8d8e40fac656da152022-12-21T19:31:38ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052017-08-011011910.1186/s13071-017-2316-0Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCRMaggy Jouglin0Sophie Chagneau1Frédéric Faille2Hélène Verheyden3Suzanne Bastian4Laurence Malandrin5INRA, UMR1300 Biology, Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Animal HealthINRA, UMR1300 Biology, Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Animal HealthINRA, UMR1300 Biology, Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Animal HealthCEFS, Toulouse University, INRAINRA, UMR1300 Biology, Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Animal HealthINRA, UMR1300 Biology, Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Animal HealthAbstract Background Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium able to infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals worldwide. Based on the genetic diversity observed with different molecular markers, several host-specific lineages have been identified. Roe deer is one of the most important reservoirs of this bacterium and hosts different genetic groups sometimes found on domestic animals. We therefore developed an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR (nPCR) to evaluate the prevalence of the three different ankA genetic groups described in roe deer (clusters II, III and IV) at three locations in France and the level of co-infections. Results The specificity of the three nPCRs was assessed by partially sequencing 35 amplicons of ankA genes obtained from the different nested PCRs. All three genetic lineages were detected in roe deer from all three geographical locations. Of the infected deer population, 60.7% were co-infected by two or three different genetic variants. Co-infections varied from 42.9 to 70.6% of the infected population depending on the local infection prevalences (from 33.3 to 73.9%). All types of mixed infections occurred, suggesting the absence of a strict variant exclusion by another variant. Conclusions Mixed infections by two or three genetic variants of A. phagocytopilum are a common feature in roe deer. Genetic variants (cluster IV) also found in domestic ruminants (cattle and sheep) were present in all the roe deer populations analyzed, suggesting a shared epidemiological cycle.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2316-0Anaplasma phagocytophilumCapreolus capreolusankA variantCo-infectionNested polymerase chain reactionFrance
spellingShingle Maggy Jouglin
Sophie Chagneau
Frédéric Faille
Hélène Verheyden
Suzanne Bastian
Laurence Malandrin
Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR
Parasites & Vectors
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Capreolus capreolus
ankA variant
Co-infection
Nested polymerase chain reaction
France
title Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR
title_full Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR
title_fullStr Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR
title_full_unstemmed Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR
title_short Detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) by developing an ankA cluster-specific nested PCR
title_sort detecting and characterizing mixed infections with genetic variants of anaplasma phagocytophilum in roe deer capreolus capreolus by developing an anka cluster specific nested pcr
topic Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Capreolus capreolus
ankA variant
Co-infection
Nested polymerase chain reaction
France
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-017-2316-0
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