title: Molecular detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Romania.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are one of the most widespread wild carnivores in the world, being recognized to harbor and transmit a wide range of vector-borne diseases. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are zoonotic tick-borne pathogens causing emerging diseases. Wild animals play an essential role in the transmission of diseases and pathogens maintenance in nature. Epidemiological studies regarding the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in red foxes are of public health importance, as they may successfully act as a pathogen transmission interface between wildlife, domestic animals and humans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study included 14 counties from Romania. A total number of 353 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were examined. Heart tissue samples were collected during necropsy and stored at -20 °C. Genomic DNA extraction was performed and all samples were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Specific primers for A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, E. canis and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. were used. Sequence analysis was performed (Macrogen Europe, Amsterdam) and obtained sequences are available at GenBank™. Out of the 353 samples, 9 (2.55 %; 95 % CI: 1.25-4.96 %) were positive for A. phagocytophilum. Positive animals originated from 5 counties. In total, 5 out of 353 heart tissue samples (1.42 %; 95 % CI: 0.52-3.47 %) collected from red foxes were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. Red foxes originated from 4 counties. None of the samples were positive for A. platys or E. canis. No co-infection with A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first report of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. in red foxes from Romania suggests a limited role of foxes in the maintenance of the two related pathogens, but may represent a potential risk from a public health perspective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. mirabela.dumitrache@usamvcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Mirabela Oana
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Dumitrache
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. matei.ioana@usamvcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Ioana Adriana
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Matei
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. ionica.angela@usamvcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Angela Monica
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ionică
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. zsuzsa_kalmar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Zsuzsa
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kalmár
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. gianluca.damico@usamvcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecological and Biotechnological Systems, Faculty of Environmental Science Babeş - Bolyai University, 14 Stadionului Street, 520064, Sfântu Gheorghe, Romania. sikobsandor@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sikó-Barabási
authors.affiliation: Department of Game and Wildlife, Faculty of Silviculture and Forestry Engineering, Transilvania University, Şirul Beethoven 1, 500123, Braşov, Romania. dionescu@unitbv.ro.
authors.forename: Dan Traian
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Ionescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. calin.gherman@usamvcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Călin Mircea
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gherman
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. amihalca@usamvcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Andrei Daniel
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Mihalca
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005589:Foxes; D005843:Geography; D006321:Heart / Q000382:microbiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial