Detection of Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks attached to dogs from Egypt; a public health concern

Abstract

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. are emerging tick-borne zoonotic bacteria with expanding reservoirs and vectors than ever. The current study aimed to molecularly detect and characterize the Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in ticks of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto (s.s.) attached to dogs in Egypt. For that purpose, ticks were collected from 156 dogs (72 household, 69 kenneled and 15 free-roaming). Ticks of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.s. were identified morphologically then molecularly. Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. were detected in the collected tick pools using PCR targeted 16s rRNA of both genera, obtained bands were sequenced and analysed phylogenetically with other sequences recovered from humans and animals and infection rates were calculated. Out of the 156 collected tick pools, 151 were molecularly positive for Rhipicephalus sanguineus. PCR and sequencing for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. revealed identification of two bacterial species; A. platys in two kenneled dogs tick pools (1.32%) and E. canis in two tick pools of household dogs and one recovered from the kenneled ones (1.98%). Moreover, the phylogenetic analysis of E. canis reveals genetic relatedness with those isolated from human cases.