Genetic diversity of Anaplasma marginale in calves under natural transmission conditions in the Northeast region of Pará

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The objective of the present study was to detect the genetic diversity of Anaplasma marginale strains in naturally infected calves from a rural property located in the northeastern region of the state of Pará, Eastern Amazon, which has a history of mortality due to anaplasmosis. Fourteen calves positive for A. marginale were selected using a semi-nested polymerase chain reaction for the target msp1α gene, with asymptomatic (n=3) and symptomatic (n=11) infections. After sequencing the samples, two genotypes were verified in the E and C regions and the structures in tandem repeats were determined. Nine different strains were found: eight related to the E genotype (α-β-β-Γ = one animal, asymptomatic; 16-F-17-F-F = two animals, symptomatic; α-β-F-F-F-F = one animal, asymptomatic; 31-62-62-61 = one animal, symptomatic; τ-10-3 = three animals, two symptomatic and one asymptomatic; α-β-β-β = one animal, symptomatic; τ-22 -13-18 = two animals, both symptomatic; β-β-β-BRA1-31 = two animals, both symptomatic), and one related to genotype C (23-24-25-31-27-27 = one animal, asymptomatic). Genotype E was predominant in 92.86% of the samples (13/14), followed by genotype C (7.14%). This study made it possible to detect the genetic diversity of A. marginale in calves from the selected dairy farm, in addition to identifying the BRA1 sequence in the animals of the present study, which was recently diagnosed in Minas Gerais, demonstrating the dispersion of A. marginale strains in herds from different Brazilian states. Genetic diversity of A. marginale was observed in both symptomatic and asymptomatic calves. There were no significant differences when clinical signs were compared to the genotype verified in the infected animals. The prevalence of pathogenicity was not observed.

Keywords

• Semi-nested PCR
• sequencing
• Anaplasma marginale
• msp1α
• BRA1
• calves