title: Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and mouflon (Ovis musimon) in Germany.
abstract: Infections with the tick-borne pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. can cause febrile disease in several mammalian species, including humans. Wild ruminants in Europe are suggested to serve as reservoir hosts for particular strains or species of these pathogens. The aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and mouflon (Ovis musimon orientalis) in Germany, and the diversity and host association of genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia species. From 2009 to 2010, 364 spleen samples from 153 roe deer, 43 fallow deer and 168 mouflon from 13 locations in Germany were tested for DNA of A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. by real-time PCR or conventional PCR, respectively. Variants of A. phagocytophilum were investigated with a nested PCR targeting the partial 16S rRNA gene, and species of piroplasms were identified by sequencing. DNA of A. phagocytophilum was detected in 303 (83.2%) samples: roe deer, 96.1% (147/153); fallow deer, 72.1% (31/43); and mouflon, 74.4% (125/168). Sequence analysis of 16S rRNA-PCR products revealed the presence of nine different genetic variants. DNA of Babesia spp. was found in 113 (31.0%) samples: roe deer, 62.8% (96/153); fallow deer, 16.3% (6/43); and mouflon, 6.5% (11/168). Babesia capreoli, Babesia sp. EU1 (referred to also as B. venatorum), B. odocoilei-like and a Theileria species were identified. Co-infections with A. phagocytophilum and Babesia spp. were detected in 30.0% of the animals which were tested positive for A. phagocytophilum and/or Babesia spp. Roe deer had a significantly higher percentage of co-infections (60.8%), followed by fallow deer (14.0%) and mouflon (6.5%). Thus, the results suggest that roe deer plays a key role in the endemic cycles of the pathogens investigated.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kauffmann
authors.affiliation: Merial GmbH, Kathrinenhof Research Center, Rohrdorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rehbein
authors.affiliation: Merial GmbH, Kathrinenhof Research Center, Rohrdorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hamel
authors.affiliation: Forschungsstelle für Jagdkunde und Wildschadenverhütung, Landesamt für Natur, Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz NRW, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Walburga
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lutz
authors.affiliation: Musée Nationale d' Historie Naturelle, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heddergott
authors.affiliation: Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.affiliation: Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: cornelia.silaghi@uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silaghi
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000502:physiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D005858:Germany; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Babesia spp.; Germany; Theileria; Wild ruminants