Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Introduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were investigated in Tunisian dromedary camels. Methodology: A to...

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Main Authors: Hanène Belkahia, Mourad Ben Said, Lotfi Sayahi, Alberto Alberti, Lilia Messadi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2015-10-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6950
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author Hanène Belkahia
Mourad Ben Said
Lotfi Sayahi
Alberto Alberti
Lilia Messadi
author_facet Hanène Belkahia
Mourad Ben Said
Lotfi Sayahi
Alberto Alberti
Lilia Messadi
author_sort Hanène Belkahia
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were investigated in Tunisian dromedary camels. Methodology: A total of 226 camels from three different bioclimatic areas were sampled and tested for the presence of Anaplasma species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assays. Detected Anaplasma strains were characterized by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Results: Overall infection rate of Anaplasma spp. was 17.7%, and was significantly higher in females. Notably, A. marginale, A. centrale, A. bovis, and A. phagocytophilum were not detected. Animals were severely infested by three tick species belonging to the genus Hyalomma (H. dromedarii, H. impeltatum, and H. excavatum). Alignment, similarity comparison, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence variants obtained in this study suggest that Tunisian dromedaries are infected by more than one novel Anaplasma strain genetically related to A. platys. Conclusions: This study reports the presence of novel Anaplasma sp. strains genetically related to A. platys in dromedaries from various bioclimatic areas of Tunisia. Findings raise new concerns about the specificity of the direct and indirect diagnostic tests routinely used to detect different Anaplasma species in ruminants and provide useful molecular information to elucidate the evolutionary history of bacterial species related to A. platys.
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spelling doaj-art-8a571a3771b54615a11dcf9f936af2de2025-08-20T02:27:18ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802015-10-0191010.3855/jidc.6950Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)Hanène Belkahia0Mourad Ben Said1Lotfi Sayahi2Alberto Alberti3Lilia Messadi4Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, Institution de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, Université de La Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, TunisiaEcole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire, Institution de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, Université de La Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, TunisiaCommissariat régional au développement agricole de Sidi Bouzid, 9100 Sidi Bouzid, TunisiaUniversità degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, ItalyUniversità degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, ItalyIntroduction: Little information is currently available regarding the presence of Anaplasma species in North African dromedaries. To fill this gap in knowledge, the prevalence, risk factors, and genetic diversity of Anaplasma species were investigated in Tunisian dromedary camels. Methodology: A total of 226 camels from three different bioclimatic areas were sampled and tested for the presence of Anaplasma species by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) assays. Detected Anaplasma strains were characterized by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Results: Overall infection rate of Anaplasma spp. was 17.7%, and was significantly higher in females. Notably, A. marginale, A. centrale, A. bovis, and A. phagocytophilum were not detected. Animals were severely infested by three tick species belonging to the genus Hyalomma (H. dromedarii, H. impeltatum, and H. excavatum). Alignment, similarity comparison, and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence variants obtained in this study suggest that Tunisian dromedaries are infected by more than one novel Anaplasma strain genetically related to A. platys. Conclusions: This study reports the presence of novel Anaplasma sp. strains genetically related to A. platys in dromedaries from various bioclimatic areas of Tunisia. Findings raise new concerns about the specificity of the direct and indirect diagnostic tests routinely used to detect different Anaplasma species in ruminants and provide useful molecular information to elucidate the evolutionary history of bacterial species related to A. platys. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6950Anaplasma speciesDromedary (Camelus dromedarius)Molecular identification16S rRNA geneTunisia
spellingShingle Hanène Belkahia
Mourad Ben Said
Lotfi Sayahi
Alberto Alberti
Lilia Messadi
Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Anaplasma species
Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius)
Molecular identification
16S rRNA gene
Tunisia
title Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)
title_full Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)
title_fullStr Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)
title_full_unstemmed Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)
title_short Detection of novel strains genetically related to Anaplasma platys in Tunisian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius)
title_sort detection of novel strains genetically related to anaplasma platys in tunisian one humped camels camelus dromedarius
topic Anaplasma species
Dromedary (Camelus dromedarius)
Molecular identification
16S rRNA gene
Tunisia
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/6950
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