title: Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in fallow deer (Dama dama) and feeding ticks from an Italy preserve.
abstract: Up to date, information concerning the Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in fallow deer is scant, therefore, to verify its prevalence in these ungulates serological and PCR screenings were performed on blood of 72 fallow deer hunted in a Central-Northern Italian preserve. Molecular analyses were also performed on 90 ticks removed from the animals. A. phagocytophilum infection in fallow deer was confirmed in 20 out 72 by IFA assay and in 11 out 72 by PCR. The sequence obtained revealed a complete genetic homology among the blood samples and strong degrees of homology with other European isolates. Considering the 90 ticks collected we found that 7.3% of Ixodes ricinus harboured A. phagocytophilum specific DNA. The data obtained confirmed that fallow deer can be a competent host for A. phagocytophilum and, therefore, that may represent a biological reservoir playing an important role in the epidemiological scenarios of the infection, in the geographical areas where is widespread.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biopatologiche ed Igiene delle Produzioni Animali e Alimentari, Università di Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galuppi
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tampieri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonoli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mammoli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piergili Fioretti
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003670:Deer; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007558:Italy; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G