High diversity of ankA sequences of Anaplasma phagocytophilum among Ixodes ricinus ticks in Germany.

ABSTRACT: In Germany humans with acute granulocytic ehrlichiosis have not yet been described. Here, we characterized three different genes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum strains infecting German Ixodes ricinus ticks in order to test whether they differ from strains in other European countries and the United States. A total of 1,022 I. ricinus ticks were investigated for infection with A. phagocytophilum by nested PCR and sequence analysis. Forty-two (4.1%) ticks were infected. For all positive ticks, parts of the 16S rRNA and groESL genes were sequenced. The complete coding sequence of the ankA gene could be determined in 24 samples. The 16S rRNA and groESL gene sequences were as much as 100% identical to known sequences. Fifteen ankA sequences were >/=99.37% identical to sequences derived from humans

SUBMITTER: von Loewenich FD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC262509 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature