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. 2025 Sep 18;20(9):e0331833.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0331833. eCollection 2025.

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetics of camel anaplasmosis

Farhan Ahmad Atif  1 , Ammar Tahir  1 , Muhammad Kashif  1 , Aziz Ur Rehman  2 , Abdulmohsen H Alqhtani  3 , Alaa Bassuny Ismael  4 , Ioannis A Giantsis  5 , Adil Khan  6 , Furhan Iqbal  7 , Muhammad Imran  8 , Ayman A Swelum  3
Affiliations

Molecular epidemiology and phylogenetics of camel anaplasmosis

Farhan Ahmad Atif et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Camel anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease of zoonotic concern, yet its epidemiology in Pakistan remains understudied. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, associated risk factors, and phylogenetic characteristics of Anaplasma spp. in camels across diverse agro-climatic zones of Punjab. A total of 400 blood samples were collected from two districts-Jhang and Bahawalpur (n = 200 each)-using a multistage cluster sampling approach. From each district, four tehsils were selected; ten herds per tehsil were sampled, with five camels per herd. The PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene was used for Anaplasma detection. Epidemiological data were gathered using a structured questionnaire. The overall prevalence was 25.75%. Multivariable analysis identified age (>5 years), district (Jhang), intensive management, and health status as significant risk factors. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. phagocytophilum isolates were genetically related to strains from India, Iran, and Turkey; A. platys showed proximity to dog-derived isolates from India, South Africa, and Spain; while Candidatus A. camelii was closely related to camel isolates from Egypt, China, Kenya, and Iran. In conclusion, camel anaplasmosis is prevalent in Punjab. Further research is warranted to explore the pathogenic potential and vector dynamics of circulating strains to devise control strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Maps of Pakistan showing the sampling districts: Jhang (highlighted in orange) and Bahawalpur (highlighted in blue).
Enlarged district maps illustrate the specific sampling sites within Jhang and Bahawalpur..
Fig 2
Fig 2. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of A. phagocytophilum based on the 16S rRNA gene.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of A. platys based on the 16S rRNA gene.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of Candidatus A. camelii based on the 16S rRNA gene.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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