Anaplasma Infections in Wild and Domestic Ruminants: A Review

Abstract

Anaplasma marginale can be transmitted, will grow and can survive in a large number of domestic and wild animals. It is pathogenic in cattle, and usually produces nonapparent or mild infections in other species. Anaplasma marginale has been recovered from cattle, sheep, goats, water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus), black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus), pronghorn (Antilocapra americana americana), Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis), black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnu), blesbuck (Damaliscus albifrons), and duiker (Sylvicapra grimmi grimmi). Unidentified anaplasms have been seen in, and in some instances isolated from, Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), Cokes hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii), Thompson's gazelle (Gazella thompsonii), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), and sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), with serological evidence of Anaplasma infection in an even wider range of wild ruminant species. Anaplasma ovis, A. centrale, or other as yet unidentified anaplasms may well occur in other ruminants. With the exception of black-tailed deer, the epidemiologic significance of anaplasmosis in wildlife has yet to be determined. The only wild animal in which Anaplasma is reported to produce serious clinical disease is the giraffe.

Tick-borne blood parasites in nyala (Tragelaphus angasii, Gray 1849) from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

“…A grey duiker infected with A. marginale developed an inapparent infection (Neitz & Du Toit 1932). On blood smear examination, sable antelope, blesbok, blue wildebeest and black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) were found to be carriers of A. marginale (Thomas et al 1982;Kuttler 1984). High seroprevalence of Anaplasma species, ranging from 75 to 100%, was found in wildlife at the livestock-wildlife interface in Kenya (Ngeranwa et al 2008).…”

“…Piroplasms (Babesia and Theileria species), Anaplasma species and Ehrlichia ruminantium contribute to huge economic losses in the African livestock industry (Uilenberg 1995). Although tick-borne haemoparasites have also been implicated in losses amongst wild animals, including endangered species (Kuttler 1984;Peter et al 2002;Penzhorn 2006), the epidemiology and phylogeny of piroplasms of wildlife are still largely unknown. New techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse line blot (RLB) hybridisation (Gubbels et al 1999;Bekker et al 2002) make surveying and typing of piroplasms and other haemoparasites easier and more reliable than the traditionally used blood-smear methods.…”

Health Protocol for Translocation of Free-Ranging Elk

“…However, efforts to recover Anaplasma spp. from free-ranging elk populations have been unsuccessful, suggesting that even though these species are susceptible, they are probably not responsible for maintaining infections or acting as a source of infection for cattle (Howe and Hepworth, 1965;Vaughn et al, 1976;Merrell and Wright, 1978;Kuttler, 1984). Clinical anaplasmosis has not been reported in elk.…”

Soroprevalência de Anaplasma marginale em bovinos leiteiros e estudos sobre a dinâmica da infecção natural em bezerros holandeses no Sul do Brasil

“…Following acute anaplasmosis, repetitive cycles of rickettsemia ranging from approximately 10 2.5 to 10 7 infected erythrocytes per ml characterize the persistent infection (ERIKS et al, 1993;KIESER et al, 1990;FRENCH et al, 1998). Persistently infected cattle remain carriers with low levels of rickettsemia, which can not be detected microscopically, serving as a permanent source of infection for susceptible cattle (ZAUGG et al, 1986;KUTTLER, 1984;SWIFT;THOMAS, 1983).…”