Molecular Prevalence and Identification of Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma platys from Dogs in Nay Pyi Taw Area, Myanmar

Abstract

Ticks are vectors of different types of viruses, protozoans, and other microorganisms, which include Gram-negative prokaryotes of the genera <i>Rickettsiales</i>, <i>Ehrlichia</i>, <i>Anaplasma</i>, and <i>Borrelia</i>. Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis caused by <i>Ehrlichia canis</i> and canine cyclic thrombocytopenia caused by <i>Anaplasma platys</i> are of veterinary importance worldwide. In Myanmar, there is limited information concerning tick-borne pathogens, <i>Ehrlichia</i> and <i>Anaplasma</i> spp., as well as genetic characterization of these species. We performed nested PCR for the <i>gltA</i> gene of the genus <i>Ehrlichia</i> spp. and the 16S rRNA gene of the genus <i>Anaplasma</i> spp. with blood samples from 400 apparently healthy dogs in Nay Pyi Taw area. These amplicon sequences were compared with other sequences from GenBank. Among the 400 blood samples from dogs, 3 (0.75%) were positive for <i>E. canis</i> and 1 (0.25%) was positive for <i>A. platys</i>. The partial sequences of the <i>E. canis gltA</i> and <i>A. platys</i> 16SrRNA genes obtained were highly similar to <i>E. canis</i> and <i>A. platys</i> isolated from different other countries.