COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES, cilt.0, sa.107, ss.1-7, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a vector-borne zoonotic pathogen and can infect various vertebrate hosts, especially cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs. Molecular-based studies have revealed that the agent has a high
genetic diversity and closely related strains circulate in hosts. In this study, 618 sheep blood samples obtained
from different geographic regions of Türkiye were researched for A.phagocytophilum and related strains with
PCR, RFLP, and DNA sequence analyses. The DNA of these pathogens was detected in 110 (17.79%) samples.
RFLP assay showed that all positive samples were infected with A.phagocytophilum-like 1, whereas A.phagocytophilum–like 2 and A.phagocytophilum were not detected. Partial parts of 16 S rRNA gene of seven
randomly selected positive samples were sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses of these isolates revealed that at
least two A.phagocytophilum-like 1 isolates circulate among hosts in Türkiye and around the world. A.phagocytophilum-related strains have been reported in molecular-based studies over the last few years, but there is a
lack of data on the vector competence, epidemiology, clinical symptoms, and genetic diversity of these pathogens. Therefore, large-scale molecular studies are still needed to obtain detailed data on the above-mentioned
topics.