United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2011 Apr;11(4):349-54. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0052. Epub 2011 Mar 11.
Infection by Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in feral raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Hokkaido, Japan, was examined by molecular methods. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screen for Anaplasmataceae, based on 16S rRNA, showed that 38 (5.4%) of 699 raccoons examined were positive. These 38 positive samples were examined for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma bovis, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and Ehrlichia canis infection by species-specific nested PCR. Nested PCR results indicated that 36 of the 38 samples were positive for A. bovis. All 38 samples were PCR negative for A. phagocytophilum, E. chaffeensis, and E. canis. This is the first report of the detection of A. bovis in the peripheral blood of raccoons. A total of 124 raccoons were infested with ticks, including Ixodes ovatus, Ixodes persulcatus, and Haemaphysalis spp. The rate of A. bovis infection in raccoons infested with Haemaphysalis spp. (46.7%, 7/15) was significantly higher than that in raccoons without Haemaphysalis spp. infestation (3.7%, 4/109, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in A. bovis infection rates between raccoons infested with I. ovatus or I. persulcatus and those not so infested. A total of four ticks (two males and two nymphs) and one larval pools from four raccoons showed positive for A. bovis-specific nested PCR. This results support the correlation between the A. bovis infection of raccoons and Haemaphysalis infestation. In conclusion, raccoons could be possible reservoir animals for A. bovis, and A. bovis infection in raccoons may be related to infestation with Haemaphysalis spp.
在日本北海道，采用分子方法检测了野生浣熊（Procyon lotor）中的嗜吞噬细胞无形体（Anaplasma）和埃立克体（Ehrlichia）感染情况。基于 16S rRNA 的聚合酶链反应（PCR）筛选显示，在检查的 699 只浣熊中，有 38 只（5.4%）呈阳性。对这 38 个阳性样本进行了针对嗜吞噬细胞无形体、牛埃立克体、查菲埃立克体和犬埃立克体感染的种特异性巢式 PCR 检测。巢式 PCR 结果表明，38 个样本中有 36 个为牛埃立克体阳性。所有 38 个样本对嗜吞噬细胞无形体、查菲埃立克体和犬埃立克体的 PCR 均为阴性。这是首次在浣熊外周血中检测到牛埃立克体。共有 124 只浣熊被蜱虫（Ixodes ovatus、Ixodes persulcatus 和 Haemaphysalis 属）寄生。寄生 Haemaphysalis 属蜱的浣熊的牛埃立克体感染率（46.7%，7/15）明显高于未寄生 Haemaphysalis 属蜱的浣熊（3.7%，4/109，p < 0.001）。寄生 I. ovatus 或 I. persulcatus 的浣熊与未寄生的浣熊的牛埃立克体感染率无显著差异。从四只浣熊的四只蜱（两只雄性和两只若虫）和一个幼虫池中，总共四个样本对牛埃立克体特异性巢式 PCR 呈阳性。这些结果支持浣熊的牛埃立克体感染与 Haemaphysalis 寄生之间的相关性。综上所述，浣熊可能是牛埃立克体的潜在储存宿主，浣熊的牛埃立克体感染可能与 Haemaphysalis 属的寄生有关。
