<i>Anaplasma</i> Species in Ticks Infesting Mammals of Sardinia, Italy
Valentina Chisu | Silvia Dei Giudici | Cipriano Foxi | Giovanna Chessa | Francesca Peralta | Valentina Sini | Giovanna Masala
Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites that are recognized for their ability to vector a wide variety of pathogens of viral, bacterial, protozoal, and helminthic nature to vertebrate hosts. Among the different diseases transmitted by ticks, also called “Tick-Borne Diseases” (TBD), many are zoonotic. Pathogens of the genus <i>Anaplasma</i> refer to obligate intracellular bacteria within the Rickettsiales order transmitted mainly through tick bites and considered as well-established threats to domestic animals, livestock, and humans, worldwide. In this retrospective study, 156 ticks collected from twenty goats, one marten, and one cattle from several Sardinian sites, were examined by molecular analyses to detect the presence of <i>Anaplasma</i> species. A total of 10 (10/156; 6.4%) ticks were shown to be <i>Anaplasma</i>-positive by PCR screening. After sequence analyses, <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> was detected in four <i>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</i> s.l. (3.3%) and four <i>Rh. bursa</i> (11%) ticks from goats, while one <i>Rh. sanguineus</i> s.l. (0.8%) and one <i>Rh. bursa</i> (2.8%) collected from the marten and cattle, respectively, exhibited 100% of identity with <i>A. marginale</i> strains. In this study, we provide the first description and molecular detection of <i>A. marginale</i> and <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> in ticks of the <i>Rhiphicephalus</i> genus in Sardinia. Considering the growing impact of tick-borne <i>Anaplasma</i> pathogens on human health, further studies are necessary to monitor the prevalence of these pathogens in Sardinia.
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