Grassi Laura, Franzo Giovanni, Martini Marco, Mondin Alessandra, Cassini Rudi, Drigo Michele, Pasotto Daniela, Vidorin Elena, Menandro Maria Luisa
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Jan 26;11(2):310. doi: 10.3390/ani11020310.
() is a tick-borne pathogen causing disease in both humans and animals. Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) is an emerging disease, but despite the remarkable prevalence in European ticks and wild animals, human infection appears underdiagnosed. Several genetic variants are circulating in Europe, including the zoonotic ecotype I. This study investigated occurrence in wild ungulates and their ectoparasites in an area where HGA has been reported. Blood samples from wild ungulates and ectoparasites were screened by biomolecular methods targeting the gene. The gene was amplified and sequenced to perform genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 188 blood samples were collected from different wild ungulates species showing an overall prevalence of 63.8% (88.7% in wild ruminants and 3.6% in wild boars). The prevalence of DNA in ticks (manly ), and keds collected from wild ruminants was high, reflecting the high infection rates obtained in their hosts. Among ticks collected from wild boars ( and ) no DNA was detected. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated the presence of ecotype I and II. To date, this is the first Italian report of ecotype I in alpine chamois, mouflon, and wild boar species. These findings suggest their role in HGA epidemiology, and the high prevalence detected in this study highlights that this human tick-borne disease deserves further attention.
（）是一种通过蜱传播的病原体，可导致人类和动物患病。人粒细胞无形体病（HGA）是一种新出现的疾病，尽管在欧洲蜱和野生动物中发病率显著，但人类感染似乎未得到充分诊断。欧洲存在几种基因变体，包括人畜共患生态型I。本研究调查了在报告过HGA的地区野生有蹄类动物及其体外寄生虫中（该病原体的）发生情况。通过针对该基因的生物分子方法对野生有蹄类动物和体外寄生虫的血样进行筛查。对该基因进行扩增和测序以进行基因特征分析和系统发育分析。共从不同野生有蹄类动物物种采集了188份血样，总体患病率为63.8%（野生反刍动物中为88.7%，野猪中为3.6%）。从野生反刍动物采集的蜱（主要是 ）和羊虱中该病原体DNA的患病率很高，反映出其宿主中的高感染率。在从野猪采集的蜱（ 和 ）中未检测到该病原体DNA。系统发育分析表明存在生态型I和II。迄今为止，这是意大利首次在高山羚羊、摩弗伦羊和野猪物种中报告生态型I。这些发现表明它们在HGA流行病学中的作用，本研究中检测到的高患病率凸显出这种人类蜱传疾病值得进一步关注。
