Anaplasma phagocytophilumin White-tailed Deer

Abstract

We examined the reservoir potential of white-tailed deer for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Results suggest that white-tailed deer harbor a variant strain not associated with human infection, but contrary to published reports, white-tailed deer are not a reservoir for strains that cause human disease. These results will affect surveillance studies of vector and reservoir populations.

The Biological Survey of Canada: A Personal History

“…While the white-footed mouse is likely the dominant small-mammal reservoir, infection is usually transient, unlike the chronic infection observed with B. burgdorferi (Goodman 2005). White-tailed deer are important for the maintenance of Ixodes populations, but the role these large mammals play in the life cycle of A. phagocytophilum is unclear (Massung et al 2005;Tate et al 2005;Rainwater et al 2006). White-tailed deer may be seropositive and/or PCR positive for A. phagocytophilum (Bouchard et al 2013).…”

Prevalence of Human-Active and Variant 1 Strains of the Tick-Borne Pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Hosts and Forests of Eastern North America

“…32 In the same study, feeding adult ticks collected from deer were found to be infected with A. phagocytophilum-v1 more often than with A. phagocytophilum-ha. 32 However, it is unknown whether these infections were acquired from deer or another species during a previous blood meal.…”

“…42 In a previous study, blood from white-tailed deer was tested for the presence of the two strains 32 ; 11 of 38 deer were positive for A. phagocytophilumv1, whereas no A. phagocytophilum-ha was found in deer blood, suggesting that they can acquire A. phagocytophilumv1 but perhaps not A. phagocytophilum-ha. 32 In the same study, feeding adult ticks collected from deer were found to be infected with A. phagocytophilum-v1 more often than with A. phagocytophilum-ha. 32 However, it is unknown whether these infections were acquired from deer or another species during a previous blood meal.…”

“…In one study, almost 40% of ticks collected from deer were infected with A. phagocytophilum; of these ticks, 26% were carrying the A. phagocytophilum-ha strain. 32 However, blood samples collected from the same deer were never positive for A. phagocytophilum-ha.…”

“…29 In contrast, ticks feeding on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are infected with A. phagocytophilum-v1 more frequently than with A. phagocytophilum-ha. 32 This result may be because deer cannot support an infection with A. phagocytophilum-ha. In one study, almost 40% of ticks collected from deer were infected with A. phagocytophilum; of these ticks, 26% were carrying the A. phagocytophilum-ha strain.…”