title: Molecular detection of Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis in dogs from Kabylie, Algeria.
abstract: Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys are bacteria belonging to the Anaplasmataceae family that cause acute, self-limiting and sometimes fatal vector-borne infections in dogs. These bacteria have been reported worldwide and are transmitted mainly by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Aside from a report on E. canis once in 1935, no other Anaplasmataceae bacteria have been reported in Algeria to date. The aim of this study was to identify the microbial species implicated in ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis by a molecular epidemiological survey in dogs. The study was carried out in Kabylie, in northeast Algeria. Sampling was performed in 11 municipalities in the province of Tizi Ouzou and 2 municipalities in the province of Béjaïa. Peripheral blood samples from 110 dogs were screened by qPCR, which is capable of identifying most Anaplasmataceae bacteria. Out of 110, a total of 13 samples screened positive (7/110 E. canis and 6/110 A. platys), and two genetic variants of A. platys and one of E. canis were identified. This is the first study to report the presence of A. platys in dogs from Algeria using a molecular investigative method. This survey was conducted in early spring. As tick activity can affect the prevalence of these pathogens in dogs, further investigations are needed to establish the year-round prevalence of these infections.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahmani
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Abdelghani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loudahi
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France; Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Institute of Research for the Development, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mediannikov
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France; Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Institute of Research for the Development, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fenollar
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France; Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Institute of Research for the Development, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
authors.affiliation: Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases (URMITE) UMR CNRS, 7278 IRD 198 INSERM 1095, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France. Electronic address: bernard.davoust@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davoust
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Algeria; Anaplasma platys; Dogs; Ehrlichia canis; Kabylie