Molecular detection and identification of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in cattle from Turkey

Bovine anaplasmosis is a tick-borne rickettsial disease widespread in tropical and subtropical areas. We investigated the presence and distribution of Anaplasma spp. in cattle from 6 provinces in Turkey. For amplification of the segment spanning the V1 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of Anaplasma species, a reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay was performed on 389 blood samples. RLB identified Anaplasma infections in 9.0% (35/389) of the samples. The most frequently found species was A. marginale (11/389, 2.8%), followed by A. centrale (4/389, 1.0%) and A. phagocytophilum (4/389, 1.0%). Eighteen of 35 PCR-positive samples gave positive signals to the catch-all probes, but did not show any response to the species-specific probes tested. Sequencing results of 5 representative amplicons randomly selected from these specimens indicated that 3 were 100% identical to the sequence of A. ovis, and the other 2 sequences were 99.5% identical to the sequence of Ehrlichia sp. Omatjenne strain. The results further confirmed that A. ovis and Ehrlichia sp. Omatjenne infection occurs in cattle populations in Turkey.