title: Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Norway using a realtime PCR assay targeting the Anaplasma citrate synthase gene gltA.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A TaqMan real-time PCR assay targeting the Anaplasma citrate synthase gene, gltA, was developed and used for detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 765 Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from dogs and cats in northern Norway (n = 669) and Telemark county in southern Norway (n = 96).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the ticks from northern Norway the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum was 3.0 %, while the prevalence in southern Norway was 2.1 % (p = 0.63). The gltA PCR assay showed a high analytical sensitivity (30 genomic units) and efficiency (98.5 %), and its utility in clinical diagnostics should be evaluated in future studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of A. phagocytophilum occurrence in ticks collected north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. The prevalence is comparable to that found in Telemark county in southern Norway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Division of Medical Services, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden. anna.jonsson.henningsson@rjl.se.
authors.forename: Anna J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Henningsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. Dag.Hvidsten@unn.no.
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hvidsten
authors.affiliation: Research group of host-microbe interactions, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway. corleoneno@yahoo.no.
authors.forename: Bjørn-Erik
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Division of Medical Services, County Hospital Ryhov, Jönköping, Sweden. andreas.matussek@rjl.se.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matussek
authors.affiliation: Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Sandnes, Norway. snorre.stuen@nmbu.no.
authors.forename: Snorre
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stuen
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Health Studies, Telemark University College, Bø, Norway. andrew.jenkins@hit.no.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D018884:Ixodes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009664:Norway; D015995:Prevalence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase