Molecular identification and characterization of Anaplasma capra and Anaplasma platys-like in Rhipicephalus microplus in Ankang, Northwest China

BACKGROUND: Four species within Anaplasma genus are emerging zoonotic pathogens, which are transmitted by ticks and generate veterinary and public health concerns. Here, we performed a molecular survey of Anaplasma in Ankang, Northwest China. METHODS: Hard ticks were collected and identified using morphological and molecular methods. Human-pathogenic Anaplasma species were tested using nested polymerase chain reaction. The nearly complete rrs, gltA, and groEL genes sequences from revealed Anaplasma species were amplified and sequenced to determine their molecular characteristics and their phylogeny. RESULTS: All ticks collected in Ankang belonged to the Rhipicephalus microplus. Novel unclassified Anaplasma strains genetically related to A. platys and A. capra were detected in these ticks. Co-infection of these two organisms was also found. The novel unclassified Anaplasma strains identified in this study formed a distinct phylogenetic lineage based on the groEL gene and two lineages based on the gltA gene within A. platys and related strains group. The revealed A. capra strains identified in this study were most closely related to those detected in humans and other vertebrate animals. CONCLUSION: We revealed the presence of A. capra, a novel human pathogens in R. microplus ticks in previously unrecognized endemic regions. We also detected a novel unclassified Anaplasma species genetically related to A. platys. The epidemiology of anaplasmosis caused by these two Anaplasma species in humans should be assessed in future studies. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-019-4075-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.