VETERINARY RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS, cilt.0, sa.0, ss.1-9, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, the presence, prevalence, and genotypes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, A. ovis, and A. capra in sheep
were investigated based on 16 S SSU rRNA, groEL, and gtlA gene-specifc polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively.
The sequences of the genes were used for detection of the phylogenetic position of the species. Additionally, a restriction
fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) were carried out for discrimination of A. phagocytophilum and related variants (A.
phagocytophilum-like 1 and 2). The prevalence of Anaplasma spp. was found as 25.8% (101/391), while it was found that
A. ovis, A. phagocytophilum-like 1, and A. capra are circulating in the sheep herds in Kyrgyzstan, according to the PCRs,
RFLP and the partial DNA sequencing results. The positivity rates of A. phagocytophilum-like 1, A. ovis, and A. capra
genotype-1 were 6.9, 22.5, and 5.3%, respectively. A total of 32 (8.2%) sheep were found to be mix infected. Moreover,
phylogenetic analyses and sequence comparison with those available in the GenBank showed that A. capra formed two
distinct genetic groups (A. capra genotype-1 and A. capra genotype-2). Considering the zoonotic potential of these species, it may be necessary to make changes in the interpretation of anaplasmosis cases in animals and there is a need for
further studies to determine the pathogenicity of the species/genotypes circulating in animals.