title: PCR-based survey of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Portuguese ticks (Acari: Ixodidae).
abstract: A total of two-thousand and six ticks, collected from 2002 to 2006 in areas belonging to seven districts of Mainland Portugal and also in Madeira Island, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Active infections were detected exclusively in Ixodes species, including six questing I. ricinus nymphs from Madeira Island, one questing I. ventalloi nymph from Setúbal District, and two I. ventalloi adults found parasitizing domestic cats in both Setúbal and Santarém District. These findings confirm prior observations and suggest the persistence of A. phagocytophilum on Madeira Island. Moreover, it adds I. ventalloi and domestic cats to the list of potential elements of the agent's enzootic cycles in Portugal. Molecular analysis of PCR amplicons suggests the existence of two A. phagocytophilum genotypes in Portugal, one of which is identical or very similar to North American strains implicated in human disease.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Vectores e Doenças Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Lisboa, Portugal. ana.santos@insa.min-saude.pt
authors.forename: Ana S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: M Margarida
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Santos-Silva
authors.forename: Rita de
authors.initials: Rd
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bacellar
authors.forename: J Stephen
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dumler
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011174:Portugal; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial