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. 2024 May 10;20(1):185.
doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04045-4.

Molecular diagnosis and characterization of Anaplasma marginale and Ehrlichia ruminantium infecting beef cattle of Maputo Province, Mozambique

Carlos António Matos  1 , Cesária Fiossiane Nomboro  2 , Luiz Ricardo Gonçalves  3 , Aida Cristina Cala  4 , Carlos Francisco Sitoe  4 , Ana Paula Rúpia Vinte  4 , Cristovão Mario Mondlane  4 , Marcos Rogério André  5 , Maria do Carmo Carrilho  4
Affiliations

Molecular diagnosis and characterization of Anaplasma marginale and Ehrlichia ruminantium infecting beef cattle of Maputo Province, Mozambique

Carlos António Matos et al. BMC Vet Res. .

Abstract

Background: Members of the Anaplasmataceae family, such as the Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species, cause economic losses and public health risks. However, the exact economic impact has not been comprehensively assessed in Mozambique due to limited data available on its basic epidemiology. Therefore, we investigated the molecular occurrence and identity of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. infecting beef cattle in Maputo province, Mozambique.

Methods: A total of 200 whole blood samples were collected from apparently healthy beef cattle. Whole blood DNA was extracted and tested for presence of Anaplasma spp. and Ehrlichia ruminantium DNA through amplification of the 16S rRNA and map1 genes. Positive samples to Anaplasma spp. were subject to PCR assay targeting the A. marginale-msp5 gene. Amplicons obtained were purified, sequenced and subject to phylogenetic analyses.

Results: Anaplasma spp., A. marginale and E. ruminantium were detected in 153 (76.5%), 142 (71%) and 19 (9.5%) of all the samples analyzed, respectively. On this same sample group, 19 (9.5%) were co-infected with A. marginale and E. ruminantium. The 16S rRNA sequences of Anaplasma spp. obtained were phylogenetically related to A. marginale, A. centrale and A. platys. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. marginale-msp5 nucleotide sequences were grouped with sequences from Asia, Africa and Latin America, whereas E. ruminantium-map1 DNA nucleotide sequences were positioned in multiple clusters.

Conclusion: Cattle in Maputo Province are reservoirs for multiple Anaplasma species. A high positivity rate of infection by A. marginale was observed, as well as high genetic diversity of E. ruminantium. Furthermore, five new genotypes of E. ruminantium-map1 were identified.

Keywords: Anaplasma spp.; Ehrlichia ruminantium; Map1; msp5; 16S rRNA; Cattle; Maputo Province.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no any conflict of interest and no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript. Similarly, this manuscript has not been submitted to, nor is under review at, another journal or other publishing method.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sites of cattle blood sample collection in Maputo Province, Mozambique between April and September of 2022. Source: Prepared by authors
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Phylogenetic relationships within the Anaplasma genus based on the 16S rRNA region. The tree was inferred by using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) with the JC model. The sequences detected in the present study are highlighted. The numbers at the nodes correspond to bootstrap values higher than 50% accessed with 1,000 replicates. Ehrlichia caffeensis was used as an outgroup
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Phylogenetic relationships among A. marginale msp-5 sequences. The tree was inferred by using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) with the TN93 model. The sequences detected in the present study are highlighted. The numbers at the nodes correspond to bootstrap values higher than 60% accessed with 1,000 replicates. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was used as an outgroup
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Phylogenetic relationships among the Ehrlichia ruminantium map1 sequences. The tree was inferred by using the Maximum Likelihood (ML) with the GTR + G model. The sequences detected in the present study are highlighted. The numbers at the nodes correspond to bootstrap values higher than 60% accessed with 1,000 replicates. Ehrlichia sp. was used as an outgroup
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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