Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses from Southern Punjab (Pakistan).
Abstract: The present study was designed to optimize a PCR-RFLP protocol for the molecular detection of Anaplasma sp. and to compare its prevalence in blood samples of equines from Southern Punjab (Pakistan) and to find out the risk factors involved in the spread of anaplasmosis. A total of 210 blood samples were collected from equines from 2 sampling sites (Dera Ghazi Khan and Khanewal districts). Data on the animals' characteristics (age, species and gender) were collected through survey. PCR amplified the 577bp product specific for 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasma spp. in 9 blood samples (4.3% of total), [Dera Ghazi Khan (N = 3) and Khanewal (N = 6)]. These Anaplasma spp. positive blood samples were used for PCR amplification using A. phagocytophilum specific primers and parasite was detected in all of them. Also it was revealed that the characteristics of the animals i.e. age, gender, species had no significant association with the presence of Anaplasma sp. Hematological parameters remained unaffected while lymphocyte count was significantly lowered in A. phagocytophilum positive samples.
Publication Date: 2015-12-23 PubMed ID: 26691251
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article is about a study that uses molecular techniques to detect the presence of the parasite Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses from Southern Punjab, Pakistan and exploring the factors that could influence its spread.
Research Objectives
- The objective of the study was to develop a PCR-RFLP method for the detection of Anaplasma species (a type of parasite) in blood samples.
- The study also aimed to compare the prevalence of this parasite in equines (horses, donkeys, etc.) from two districts in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, and to identify potential risk factors that could influence the parasite’s spread.
Methods and Experimentation
- A total of 210 blood samples were collected from horses in two districts of Southern Punjab (Dera Ghazi Khan and Khanewal).
- Information related to the animals’ age, species, and gender was gathered through a survey.
- The researchers used a PCR test, a method used to make multiple copies of a specific DNA segment, to identify the Anaplasma species in the blood samples.
- The researchers further confirmed the presence of a specific Anaplasma species, A. phagocytophilum, using specific primers in a PCR amplification test.
Findings
- Nine blood samples (4.3% of the total samples) were found to be positive for Anaplasma species.
- When tested for A. phagocytophilum, all nine Anaplasma-positive samples tested positive.
- The researchers’ analysis suggested that the factors such as the age, species, and gender of the animals did not significantly influence the presence of the parasites.
- The lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) count in the samples tested positive for A. phagocytophilum was found to be significantly lower, while other hematological parameters remained unaffected.
Cite This Article
APA
Razzaq F, Khosa T, Ahmad S, Hussain M, Saeed Z, Khan MA, Shaikh RS, Ali M, Iqbal F.
(2015).
Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses from Southern Punjab (Pakistan).
Trop Biomed, 32(2), 233-239.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Zoology Division, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Zoology Division, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Zoology Division, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
- Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Zoology Division, Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan 60800, Pakistan.
MeSH Terms
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum / isolation & purification
- Animals
- Blood / microbiology
- DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
- DNA, Bacterial / genetics
- DNA, Ribosomal / chemistry
- DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
- Ehrlichiosis / epidemiology
- Ehrlichiosis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Male
- Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods
- Pakistan / epidemiology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
- Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
- Prevalence
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Tariq M, Badshah F, Khan MS, Ibáñez-Arancibia E, Ríos-Escalante PRL, Khan NU, Naeem S, Manzoor A, Tahir R, Mubashir M, Ilyas M, Manzoor GA, Said MB. Prevalence of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi (Kinetoplastea, Trypanosomatidae) in domestic ruminants from Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Vet World 2024 Sep;17(9):1955-1965.
- Akbari H, Basaki M, Imani Baran A, Akbarzadeh Z. Molecular Study of Anaplasma spp. in Horses, Sheep, and Goats with Phylogenetic Analysis in Northwest Iran. Arch Razi Inst 2024 Apr;79(2):327-334.
- Niaz S, Ur Rahman Z, Ali I, Cossío-Bayúgar R, Amaro-Estrada I, Alanazi AD, Khattak I, Zeb J, Nasreen N, Khan A. Molecular prevalence, characterization and associated risk factors of Anaplasma spp. and Theileria spp. in small ruminants in Northern Pakistan. Parasite 2021;28:3.
- Saeed U, Ali S, Latif T, Rizwan M, Attaullah, Iftikhar A, Ghulam Mohayud Din Hashmi S, Khan AU, Khan I, Melzer F, El-Adawy H, Neubauer H. Prevalence and Spatial Distribution of Animal Brucellosis in Central Punjab, Pakistan. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020 Sep 21;17(18).
- Soosaraei M, Haghi MM, Etemadifar F, Fakhar M, Teshnizi SH, Asfaram S, Esboei BR. Status of Anaplasma spp. infection in domestic ruminants from Iran: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2020 Nov;11:e00173.
- Asif M, Parveen A, Ashraf S, Hussain M, Aktas M, Ozubek S, Shaikh RS, Iqbal F. First Report Regarding the Simultaneous Molecular Detection of Anaplasma marginale and Theileria annulata in Equine Blood Samples Collected from Southern Punjab in Pakistan. Acta Parasitol 2020 Mar;65(1):259-263.
- Iqbal N, Mukhtar MU, Yang J, Sajid MS, Niu Q, Guan G, Liu Z, Yin H. First Molecular Evidence of Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Bovine from Central Punjab, Pakistan. Pathogens 2019 Sep 17;8(3).
- Bilgic HB, Bakırcı S, Kose O, Unlu AH, Hacılarlıoglu S, Eren H, Weir W, Karagenc T. Prevalence of tick-borne haemoparasites in small ruminants in Turkey and diagnostic sensitivity of single-PCR and RLB. Parasit Vectors 2017 Apr 27;10(1):211.
- Atif FA. Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma phagocytophilum: Rickettsiales pathogens of veterinary and public health significance. Parasitol Res 2015 Nov;114(11):3941-57.
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