Detection of a Non-Pathogenic Variant of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes ricinus from La Rioja, Spain
Abstract: Our aim was to identify variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum 16S rRNA gene sequences among products amplified from Ixodes ricinus collected in La Rioja, Spain. A. phagocytophilum AP-variant 1, reported as non-pathogenic, was detected in 12 samples (two adults and ten nymphs). This finding could justify the low incidence of human anaplasmosis in our area, despite the high prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in ticks.
anaplasma phagocytophilum ixodes ricinus spain ap-variant 1 human anaplasmosis ticks