title: Genetic profiling for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in ticks collected in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
abstract: Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are emerging tick-borne pathogens that cause anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in humans and other animals worldwide. Infections caused by these pathogens are deadly if left untreated. There has been relatively no systematic survey of these pathogens among ticks in South Africa, thus necessitating this study. The presence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species were demonstrated by PCR in ticks collected from domestic ruminants at some selected communities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The ticks were identified by morphological characteristics and thereafter processed to extract bacterial DNA, which was analyzed for the presence of genetic materials of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia.
  
  
  
  Three genera of ticks comprising five species were identified. The screening yielded 16 positive genetic materials that were phylogenetically related to Ehrlichia sequences obtained from GenBank, while no positive result was obtained for Anaplasma. The obtained Ehrlichia sequences were closely related to E. chaffeensis, E. canis, E. muris and the incompletely described Ehrlichia sp. UFMG-EV and Ehrlichia sp. UFMT.
  
  
  
  The findings showed that ticks in the studied areas were infected with Ehrlichia spp. and that the possibility of transmission to humans who might be tick infested is high.
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape, South Africa. benvida2004@yahoo.com.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. benvida2004@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Benson C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Iweriebor
authors.affiliation: The Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Elia J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mmbaga
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Abiodun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adegborioye
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Aboi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Igwaran
authors.affiliation: Academic and Research Division, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Larry C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Obi
authors.affiliation: SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape, South Africa.|Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, 5700, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
authors.forename: Anthony I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Okoh
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D006041:Goats / Q000469:parasitology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D006736:Horses / Q000469:parasitology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D013019:South Africa; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000145:classification / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Anaplasmosis; Ehrlichiosis; South Africa; Tick-borne