New genetic variants of anaplasma phagocytophilum and anaplasma bovis from Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus)

Wild deer are one of the important natural reservoir hosts of Anaplasma species, which cause granulocytic anaplasmosis in equines, canines, and humans. The objective of the present study was to determine whether and what species of Anaplasma naturally infect Korean water deer (KWD) in the Republic of Korea. A total of 66 spleens from KWD carcasses were collected by the Conservation Genome Resource Bank for Korean Wildlife in Korea between March 2008 and May 2009. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using 16S ribosomal (r)RNA, with ankA, groEL, and msp2 gene primers to amplify the genes of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. Using 16S rRNA-based nested PCR, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma bovis were detected in 42 (63.6%) and 23 (34.8%) of 66 KWD spleens, respectively. The 42 A. phagocytophilum were classified into five genotypes and the 23 A. bovis were classified into two genotypes by sequence analysis. By ankA-, groEL-, and msp2-based nested PCR, A. phagocytophilum was detected in 1 (1.5%), 7 (10.6%), and 3 (4.6%) of 66 samples, respectively. These gene sequences had only one genotype. Five of seven obtained 16S rRNA gene sequences have never been identified. The ankA, groEL, and msp2 obtained gene sequences represented new genotypes. This is the first report of A. phagocytophilum and A. bovis in KWD, suggesting that they may act as reservoirs for anaplasmosis zoonotic pathogens.