GroEL typing and phylogeny of Anaplasma species in ticks from domestic and wild vertebrates

Anaplasma species are globally distributed tick-borne bacteria causing a range of clinical conditions in domestic animals, wildlife, and human. Nevertheless, data on presence and distribution of Anaplasma strains in ticks are still lacking, especially in the Mediterranean region. This study reports the molecular identification, genetic characterization and phylogeny of Anaplasma strains of both veterinary and zoonotic importance in ticks collected from domestic and wild hosts sampled in a typical Mediterranean warm temperate region, the island of Sardinia. Results reveal the presence of A. ovis in Rhipicephalus bursa and R. sanguineus sensu lato ticks; A. platys-like was found in R. bursa ticks; while A. platys and A. phagocytophilum were detected in Hyalomma marginatum and H. lusitanicum ticks. Investigating the occurrence of different Anaplasma species in ticks from domestic and wild hosts improves the knowledge of tick-borne diseases in the Mediterranean area, and has implications in defining vector species distribution and risk assessment.