
To the Editor: The tick-borne pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an increasing potential public health threat across Europe. Its intraspecific genetic variability is associated with different reservoir host and vector tick species (1–4); however, the roles of various vertebrates as competent reservoirs of A. phagocytophilum in Europe need clarification (1). During March 2011–June 2013, we studied the prevalence and genetic variability of A. phagocytophilum in 821 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks (155 adults [A], 666 nymphs [N] collected by standard blanket dragging) and 284 engorged ixodid ticks (61A, 191N, 21 larvae [L]) collected from humans, dogs, sheep, hunted wild ungulates, live-trapped birds, and rodents. Blood samples from 1,295 rodents (yellow-necked mice [Apodemus flavicollis]), bank voles [Myodes glareolus], and harvest mice [Moscardinus avellanarius]) were also analyzed. All animal-handling procedures and ethical issues were approved by the Provincial Wildlife Management Committee (authorization n. 595 issued on 04.05.2011). The study site, Valle dei Laghi (northeastern Italian Alps), is a well-studied focus of emerging tick-borne pathogens in northern Italy (4).
DNA, Bacterial, Anaplasmosis, Ixodes ricinus, vector-borne infections, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Rodentia, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216, groEl, Host Specificity, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, Birds, Dogs, Ticks, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Animals, Humans, Settore VET/06 - PARASSITOLOGIA E MALATTIE PARASSITARIE DEGLI ANIMALI, bacteria, Letters to the Editor, Phylogeny, Sheep, Deer, R, Genetic Variation, groEL, Tick Infestations, Italy, msp4, Medicine, Anaplasma phagocytophilum
DNA, Bacterial, Anaplasmosis, Ixodes ricinus, vector-borne infections, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Rodentia, Infectious and parasitic diseases, RC109-216, groEl, Host Specificity, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, Birds, Dogs, Ticks, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Animals, Humans, Settore VET/06 - PARASSITOLOGIA E MALATTIE PARASSITARIE DEGLI ANIMALI, bacteria, Letters to the Editor, Phylogeny, Sheep, Deer, R, Genetic Variation, groEL, Tick Infestations, Italy, msp4, Medicine, Anaplasma phagocytophilum
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