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Andr‚, M.R.
Diversity of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia/Neoehrlichia agents in terrestrial wild Carnivores worldwide: Implications for human and domestic animal health and wildlife conservation
2018  Frontiers in Veterinary Science (5): 1-24

Recently, the incidence and awareness of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals have increased due to several factors, which in association favor the chances of contact among wild animals and their ectoparasites, domestic animals and humans. Wild and domestic carnivores are considered the primary source of tick-borne zoonotic agents to humans. Among emergent tick-borne pathogens, agents belonging to family Anaplasmataceae (Order Rickettsiales) agents stand out due to their worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential. In this review we aimed to review the genetic diversity of the tick-transmitted genera Ehrlichia, Anaplasma and "Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp." in wild carnivores Caniformia (Canidae, Mustelidae and Ursidae) and Feliformia (Felidae, Hyanidae, Procyonidae and Viverridae) worldwide, discussing the implications for human and domestic animal health and wildlife conservation. Red foxes (_Vulpes vulpes_) have been identified as hosts for _Anaplasma spp._ (_A. phagocytophilum, Anaplasma ovis, A. platys_), _Ehrlichia canis_ and "_Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp_." (FU98 strain) and may contribute to the maintaenance of _A. phagocytophilum_ in Europe. Raccoons (_Procyon lotor_) have been reported as hosts for _E. canis, A. bovis, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris" _and_ A. phagocytophilum_, and play a role in the maintenance of _A. phagocytophilum_ in the USA. Raccoon dogs (_Nyctereutes procyonoides)_ may play a role as hosts for _A. bovis_ and _A. phagocytophilum_. New Ehrlichia and/or Anaplasma genotypes circulate in wild canids and felids from South America and Africa. While _Ehrlichia sp_. closely related to _E. canis_ has been reported in wild felids from Brazil and Japan, _Anaplasma sp_. closely related to _A. phagocytophilum_ has been detected in wild felids from Brazil and Africa. Red foxes and mustelids (otters) are exposed to _E. canis_ in countries located in the Mediaterranean basin, probably as a consequence of spillover from domestic dogs. Similarly, _E. canis_ occurs in procyonids in North (raccoons in USA, Spain) and South (_Nasua nasua_ in Brazil) Hemispheres, in areas where _E. canis_ is frequent in dogs. While "_Candidatus Neoehrlichia lotoris_" seems to be a common and specific agent of raccoons in the USA, "_Candidatus Neoehrlichia sp_." (FU98 strain) seems to show a broader range of hosts, since it has been Andr‚ Tick-Borne Anaplasmataceae in Wild Carnivores detected in red fox, golden jackal (_Canis aureus_) and badger (_Meles meles_) in Europe so far. Brown (_Ursus arctos_) and black (_Ursus americanus_) bears seem to play a role as hosts for _A. phagocytophilum_ in the North Hemisphere. _Anaplasma bovis_ has been detected in wild Procyonidae, Canidae and Felidae in Asia and Brazil. In order to assess the real identity of the involved agents, future works should benefit from the application of MLST (Multi Locus Sequence Typing), WGS (Whole Genome Sequencing) and NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technologies aiming at shedding some light on the role of wild carnivores in the epidemiology of Anaplasmataceae agents.

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