Test comparison for the detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum antibodies in goats, and prevalence of granulocytic anaplasmosis in goats from Northern California and Southern Oregon
2022
Johns, Jennifer L. | Higgins, Berta | Schroller, Samantha G. | Flanders, Madison M. | Heller, Meera C.
Granulocytic anaplasmosis (GA), caused by infection with the tick-borne bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is a tick-borne fever of small and large ruminants. Clinical disease due to A. phagocytophilum infection is well-characterized in sheep, but few studies report the clinicopathologic outcomes of infection in domestic goats. Prevalence data for infection in domestic goats is minimally reported in the U.S. and many other countries, and goat-specific serologic testing is poorly characterized. The goals of this study were to compare serologic testing options for goats using positive-control samples from naturally infected goats, and to define the seroprevalence for A. phagocytophilum infection in domestic goat herds in three regions of the Pacific Coast Range (Northern California to Southern Oregon). Blood samples were collected from 259 study goats, representing three herds each in the three regions of interest, and from five negative-control goats. Two immunofluorescence assays were validated for use in domestic goats. Seroprevalence by herd ranged from 6.3 %–38.2 %, and comparison of the three regions found significantly higher seroprevalence in goats in region 2 (Humboldt County, CA) than region 3 (Coos and Curry Counties, OR) (p = .0026). Additional studies are needed to determine the frequency and nature of clinical illness in goats due to A. phagocytophilum infection, what bacterial strains most often cause clinical illness in goats, and how regional seroprevalence relates to incidence of clinically apparent infection in goats.
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