New Genetic Variants ofAnaplasma phagocytophilumandAnaplasma bovisfrom Korean Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus)

Abstract

Wild deer are one of the important natural reservoir hosts of Anaplasma species, which cause granulocytic anaplasmosis in equines, canines, and humans. The objective of the present study was to determine whether and what species of Anaplasma naturally infect Korean water deer (KWD) in the Republic of Korea. A total of 66 spleens from KWD carcasses were collected by the Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife in Korea between March 2008 and May 2009. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using 16S ribosomal (r)RNA, with ankA, groEL, and msp2 gene primers to amplify the genes of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. Using 16S rRNA-based nested PCR, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma bovis were detected in 42 (63.6%) and 23 (34.8%) of 66 KWD spleens, respectively. The 42 A. phagocytophilum were classified into five genotypes and the 23 A. bovis were classified into two genotypes by sequence analysis. By ankA-, groEL-, and msp2-based nested PCR, A. phagocytophilum was detected in 1 (1.5%), 7 (10.6%), and 3 (4.6%) of 66 samples, respectively. These gene sequences had only one genotype. Five of seven obtained 16S rRNA gene sequences have never been identified. The ankA, groEL, and msp2 obtained gene sequences represented new genotypes. This is the first report of A. phagocytophilum and A. bovis in KWD, suggesting that they may act as reservoirs for anaplasmosis zoonotic pathogens.

Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis as a Cause of Febrile Illness in Korea Since at Least 2006

“…13,14 In South Korea, A. phagocytophilum and E. chaffeensis have been frequently detected in ticks including Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes nipponensis, and Ixodes persulcatus and in wild animals such as striped field mice, weasels, and Korean water deer (KWD). [15][16][17][18][19] However, in South Korea, only one suspected HME case was serologically diagnosed in a U.S. Forces Korea soldier in 2000, 20 and only one microbiologically confirmed HGA case with clinical description has been reported in 2014.…”

Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, South Korea, 2013

“…However, A. phagocytophilum has been detected in Haemaphysalis longicornis , Ixodes nipponensis , and I. persulcatus ticks ( 6 , 7 ) in this country. Molecular epidemiologic studies detected A. phagocytophilum in 2.6% (5/196) of striped field mice ( 7 , 8 ) and in 63.6% (42/66) of Korean water deer ( 9 ). Seroprevalence studies showed that 1.8% of serum samples from patients with acute fever were positive for A. phagocytophilum by an immunofluorescence antibody test ( 10 ).…”

Ticks Collected from Selected Mammalian Hosts Surveyed in the Republic of Korea During 2008-2009

“…Outdoor activities, including recreational hiking, agriculture, construction, and military operations, expose large sectors of human populations and their pets to all life stages of ticks, and associated pathogens of mammal [12]. Military populations are at increased risk for acquiring tick-borne infections because they often conduct training operations in unmanaged lands where small mammals (i.e., rodents, soricomorphs, rabbits, and weasels), as well as larger species (i.e., deer, wild pigs, raccoon dogs, badgers, and feral cats) and pathogen-infected ectoparasites are present.…”