Genetic Identification and Phylogenetic Analysis of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia Species in Haemaphysalis longicornis Collected from Jeju Island, Korea

A total of 1,395 Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks collected from Jeju Island of Korea were examined by 16S rRNAgene-based nested PCR for the presence of infection with Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species. Template DNAs to detectthe tick-borne pathogens were prepared from a total 506 tick pools. Eight genera of Anaplasma and six Ehrlichia by16S rRNA gene PCR and sequencing analysis were identified. A. phagocytophilum was the most prevalent (27 [1.9%])by nested PCR, followed by A. bovis (5 [0.4%]), E. chaffeensis (4 [0.2%]), and A. centrale (1 [0.1%]). In the phylogeneticanalysis based on 16S rRNA sequences, eight genera of Anaplasma group (> 99.4% homology) and six Ehrlichia group(> 99.5% homology) were close to deposited A. marginale strains (AF309867, AF414874, and FJ226454) and Ehrlichiasp. (DQ324547), respectively. Three Anaplasma species groups A. phagocytophilum (group A), A. bovis (group B), andA. centrale (group C) and one Ehrlichia species E. chaffeensis (group D) were determined by comparing with Anaplasmaand Ehrlichia related sequences. First, twenty-eight A. phagocytophilum clones belonging to group A were divided into7 genotypes. The sequence similarity among genotypes A1 to A4 was very high (> 99.6%). Genotype B2 was close to A. bovis from Korea (99.7%). Genotype D1 was close to known E. chaffeensis strains (M73222, AF147752, and AY350424)and their similarity value was 99.7%. In conclusion, the genera of Anaplasma/Ehrlichia, A. phagocytophilum, and E. chaffeensis identified in predominant H. longicornis ticks were ubiquitous throughout the Jeju Island. The various nativegroups have been found through sequence identities and phylogenetic analysis. KCI Citation Count: 3