title: Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma spp. in sheep and cattle from Xinjiang, northwest China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaplasmosis is caused by obligate intracellular bacteria in the genus Anaplasma. These bacterial pathogens are transmitted by ticks and impact both human and animal health. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and molecular characterization of Anaplasma spp. in ruminants sampled in Xinjiang, northwest China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was performed in August 2012 in rural areas of six counties in Xinjiang province. A total of 250 blood samples from ruminants were collected and tested for the presence of Anaplasma spp. by PCR. Positive samples were genetically characterized based on the 16S rRNA and msp4 genes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a high prevalence of Anaplasma spp. in ruminants, with at least three different Anaplasma species detected (A. phagocytophilum, A. bovis and A. ovis). The mean prevalence of single infection with each species was 17.6% (A. phagocytophilum), 4.8% (A. bovis) and 40.5% (A. ovis). Coinfection occurred in 20 (8.0%) animals. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum revealed a higher degree of genetic diversity for the latter. The results for A. ovis showed genotypic variation among geographic regions in China. In addition, a closely related isolate to the canine pathogen A. platys was identified in ruminants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey revealed a high prevalence of Anaplasma sp. infections in sheep and cattle in the northwestern border regions of China, indicating the potential risk of transboundary disease.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. yangjifei@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Jifei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. youquan-li@163.com.
authors.forename: Youquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. lvrilzj@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. liujunlong@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Junlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. niuqingli@163.com.
authors.forename: Qingli
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. haioufei20@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Qiaoyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. chenze_1215@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ze
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. guanguiquan2002@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. luojianxun@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Jianxun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Xujiaping 1, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730046, P. R. China. yinhong@caas.cn.|Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009, P. R. China. yinhong@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S