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. 2018 Mar 20;11(1):201.
doi: 10.1186/s13071-018-2789-5.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., haemoplasma species and Hepatozoon spp. in ticks infesting cats: a large-scale survey

Florent Duplan  1 , Saran Davies  2 , Serina Filler  3 , Swaid Abdullah  2 , Sophie Keyte  1 , Hannah Newbury  4 , Chris R Helps  5 , Richard Wall  2 , Séverine Tasker  6   7
Affiliations

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., haemoplasma species and Hepatozoon spp. in ticks infesting cats: a large-scale survey

Florent Duplan et al. Parasit Vectors. .

Abstract

Background: Ticks derived from cats have rarely been evaluated for the presence of pathogens. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., haemoplasma species and Hepatozoon spp. in ticks collected from cats in the UK.

Methods: Five hundred and forty DNA samples extracted from 540 ticks collected from cats presenting to veterinarians in UK practices were used. Samples underwent a conventional generic PCR assay for detection of Hepatozoon spp. and real-time quantitative PCR assays for detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and three feline haemoplasma species and a generic qPCR for detection of Bartonella spp. Feline 28S rDNA served as an endogenous internal PCR control and was assessed within the haemoplasma qPCR assays. Samples positive on the conventional and quantitative generic PCRs were submitted for DNA sequencing for species identification.

Results: Feline 28S rDNA was amplified from 475 of the 540 (88.0%) ticks. No evidence of PCR inhibition was found using an internal amplification control. Of 540 ticks, 19 (3.5%) contained DNA from one of the tick-borne pathogens evaluated. Pathogens detected were: A. phagocytophilum (n = 5; 0.9%), Bartonella spp. (n = 7; 1.3%) [including Bartonella henselae (n = 3; 0.6%) and Bartonella clarridgeiae (n = 1; 0.2%)], haemoplasma species (n = 5; 0.9%), "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum" (n = 3; 0.6%), Mycoplasma haemofelis (n = 1; 0.2%), "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" (n = 1; 0.2%), Hepatozoon spp. (n = 2; 0.4%), Hepatozoon felis (n = 1; 0.2%) and Hepatozoon silvestris (n = 1; 0.2%).

Conclusion: These data provide important information on the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in ticks infesting cats, with the identification of haemoplasma species, A. phagocytophilum, H. felis and Bartonella spp. (including B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae). This study also documents the first report of H. silvestris in ticks collected from domestic cats.

Keywords: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Bartonella clarridgeiae; Bartonella henselae; Feline; Haemoplasma; Hepatozoon felis; Hepatozoon silvestris; Mycoplasma haemofelis; Tick-borne pathogens; “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum”; “Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis”.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval

Ethical approval for this study was given by the University of Bristol’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body with the University Investigation Number UB/17/003.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

ST and CH work for the Diagnostic Laboratories, Langford Vets, University of Bristol. The Laboratories provide a range of commercial diagnostic services including PCR and qPCR testing for A. phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum”, Mycoplasma haemofelis, “Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis” and Hepatozoon spp.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Location of all ticks positive by PCR for any of the selected tick-borne pathogens
Fig 2
Fig 2
Location of ticks positive by qPCR for A. phagocytophilum DNA.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Location of ticks positive by qPCR for Bartonella species DNA. Key: Green diamond, B. henselae; yellow diamond, B. clarridgeiae; brown diamond, Bartonella spp. (unable to identify to the species level)
Fig 4
Fig 4
Location of ticks positive by qPCR for feline haemoplasmas. Key: Red pentagon, “Ca. M. haemominutum”; turquoise pentagon: M. haemofelis, purple pentagon: “Ca. M. turicensis”
Fig 5
Fig 5
Location of ticks positive by cPCR for Hepatozoon species DNA. Key Green square, H. felis; pink square, H. silvestris
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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