Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses and ticks: a preliminary survey of Central Italy.
Abstract: Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of granulocytic ehrlichiosis, affects several species of wild and domesticated mammals, including horses. In this work we compared direct and indirect methods to evaluate A. phagocytophilum presence in Central Italy: 135 sera were screened by IFA for A. phagocytophilum and other haemopathogens (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi). Each horse was also tested for A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA with a nested-PCR technique. In order to examine the risk of A. phagocytophilum transmission, 114 ticks were examined for the presence of A. phagocytophilum by PCR targeting the 16S rRNA. The seroprevalence against A. phagocytophilum was 17.03% and 11 horses (8.14%) showed positive PCR results. The concordance rate of A. phagocytophilum detection between IFAT and PCR had a K value of 0.34.
Publication Date: 2008-09-20 PubMed ID: 18805584DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2008.08.002Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Anaplasmosis
- Animal Health
- Animal Studies
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Transmission
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Infectious Disease
- Pathogens
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Public Health
- Serological Surveys
- Seroprevalence
- Theileria equi
- Ticks
- Vector-borne disease
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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This research investigates the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a bacteria causing granulocytic ehrlichiosis, in horses and ticks in Central Italy. The study utilises both direct and indirect methods to detect the bacteria, also assessing its transmission risk by examining ticks.
Background and Purpose
- This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses and ticks in Central Italy. A. phagocytophilum is a bacteria that causes granulocytic ehrlichiosis, an infectious disease affecting various mammals.
- The study also aims to compare the accuracy of different detection methods – Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) which is an indirect method, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) which is a direct method.
Methods
- A total of 135 horse blood serum samples were taken and screened using IFAT for the presence of A. phagocytophilum. The same samples were also tested for other blood parasites – Theileria equi and Babesia caballi.
- The same horse samples were tested for the presence of the bacteria’s 16S rRNA genetic material using a nested-PCR technique. This direct method is a more specific technique to detect the bacterium’s genetic material in the samples.
- 114 ticks were collected and tested with PCR to evaluate the risk of A. phagocytophilum transmission to horses.
Results
- The seroprevalence, which is the number of individuals in a population that test positive for a specific disease based on serology (blood serum) tests, against A. phagocytophilum was found to be 17.03%.
- 11 horses (8.14%) showed positive PCR results indicating the presence of A. phagocytophilum’s genetic material.
- The concordance rate, showing the agreement between the IFAT and PCR detection methods, for A. phagocytophilum was found to have a K value of 0.34. This value represents the Cohen’s Kappa statistic, with a number closer to 1 indicating better agreement. A value of 0.34 suggests a fair level of agreement between the two detection methods.
Cite This Article
APA
Passamonti F, Veronesi F, Cappelli K, Capomaccio S, Coppola G, Marenzoni ML, Piergili FD, Verini SA, Coletti M.
(2008).
Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses and ticks: a preliminary survey of Central Italy.
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 33(1), 73-83.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cimid.2008.08.002 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Pathology, Diagnostic and Veterinary Clinic Department, Sport Horse Research Centre, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy. fabrizio.passamonti@unipg.it
MeSH Terms
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum / immunology
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum / isolation & purification
- Animals
- Ehrlichiosis / epidemiology
- Ehrlichiosis / immunology
- Ehrlichiosis / microbiology
- Ehrlichiosis / veterinary
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses / immunology
- Horses / microbiology
- Italy / epidemiology
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / analysis
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Ticks / immunology
- Ticks / microbiology
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