Anaplasma phagocytophilum–infected Ticks, Japan

Abstract

We report Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection of Ixodes persulcatus and I. ovatus ticks in Japan. Unique p44/msp2 paralogs (and/or 16S rRNA genes) were detected in tick tissues, salivary glands, and spleens of experimentally infected mice. These findings indicate the public health threat of anaplasmosis in Japan.

Keywords

• Anaplasma phagocytophilum
• anaplasmosis
• Ixodes
• Japan
• p44 protein
• 16S ribosomal RNA