<i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts
Bovine anaplasmosis is a disease caused by <i>Anaplasma marginale</i>, a tick-borne bacterial pathogen with global distribution, primarily determined by the range of its vector. In Argentina, <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> is the main species associated with <i>A. margi...
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2025-02-01
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| author | Agustina E. Pérez Eliana C. Guillemi Nestor F. Sarmiento Germán J. Cantón Marisa D. Farber |
| author_facet | Agustina E. Pérez Eliana C. Guillemi Nestor F. Sarmiento Germán J. Cantón Marisa D. Farber |
| author_sort | Agustina E. Pérez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bovine anaplasmosis is a disease caused by <i>Anaplasma marginale</i>, a tick-borne bacterial pathogen with global distribution, primarily determined by the range of its vector. In Argentina, <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> is the main species associated with <i>A. marginale</i> transmission, even though this bacterium can also be mechanically transmitted. We studied complex infections (more than one <i>A. marginale</i> variant) in naturally infected bovines from two different epidemiological contexts: a region with the tick vector and a tick-free region. In the tick-free area, symptomatic infections were associated with a single <i>A. marginale</i> genotype, while asymptomatic bovines from the same herd remained chronically infected with a low number of genotype variants. By contrast, in the region where <i>R. microplus</i> is present, the only symptomatic bovine showed highly diverse infections, with 19 distinctive genotypes. Additionally, <i>A. marginale</i> genotypes were also detected in tick tissues. These findings, together with previous data, indicate that <i>R. microplus</i> harbors <i>A. marginale</i> populations that are maintained through tick generations by means of transovarial transmission. Furthermore, this tick species is responsible for maintaining <i>A. marginale</i> diversity in the bovine host over time through coinfection and superinfection events. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-a88e58c73f82497abb1872b2bb458f332025-08-20T02:44:47ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-02-0114216010.3390/pathogens14020160<i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological ContextsAgustina E. Pérez0Eliana C. Guillemi1Nestor F. Sarmiento2Germán J. Cantón3Marisa D. Farber4Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), INTA-CONICET, Hurlingham B1686LQF, ArgentinaInstituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), INTA-CONICET, Hurlingham B1686LQF, ArgentinaEstación Experimental Agropecuaria Mercedes, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Mercedes 3470, ArgentinaInstituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible (IPADS), INTA Balcarce-CONICET, Balcarce 7620, ArgentinaInstituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular (IABIMO), INTA-CONICET, Hurlingham B1686LQF, ArgentinaBovine anaplasmosis is a disease caused by <i>Anaplasma marginale</i>, a tick-borne bacterial pathogen with global distribution, primarily determined by the range of its vector. In Argentina, <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> is the main species associated with <i>A. marginale</i> transmission, even though this bacterium can also be mechanically transmitted. We studied complex infections (more than one <i>A. marginale</i> variant) in naturally infected bovines from two different epidemiological contexts: a region with the tick vector and a tick-free region. In the tick-free area, symptomatic infections were associated with a single <i>A. marginale</i> genotype, while asymptomatic bovines from the same herd remained chronically infected with a low number of genotype variants. By contrast, in the region where <i>R. microplus</i> is present, the only symptomatic bovine showed highly diverse infections, with 19 distinctive genotypes. Additionally, <i>A. marginale</i> genotypes were also detected in tick tissues. These findings, together with previous data, indicate that <i>R. microplus</i> harbors <i>A. marginale</i> populations that are maintained through tick generations by means of transovarial transmission. Furthermore, this tick species is responsible for maintaining <i>A. marginale</i> diversity in the bovine host over time through coinfection and superinfection events.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/160<i>Anaplasma marginale</i><i>msp1α</i>epidemiologygenotypestick bornecomplex infections |
| spellingShingle | Agustina E. Pérez Eliana C. Guillemi Nestor F. Sarmiento Germán J. Cantón Marisa D. Farber <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts Pathogens <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> <i>msp1α</i> epidemiology genotypes tick borne complex infections |
| title | <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts |
| title_full | <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts |
| title_fullStr | <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts |
| title_short | <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i> and Its Impact on <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> Multistrain Infections in Contrasting Epidemiological Contexts |
| title_sort | i rhipicephalus microplus i and its impact on i anaplasma marginale i multistrain infections in contrasting epidemiological contexts |
| topic | <i>Anaplasma marginale</i> <i>msp1α</i> epidemiology genotypes tick borne complex infections |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/2/160 |
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