Detection of Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA from Haemaphysalis megaspinosa in Hokkaido, Japan

DNA from 101 ticks, including Haemaphysalis megaspinosa, Haemaphysalis douglasi, Haemaphysalis flava, Ixodes ovatus and Ixodes persulcatus, collected by flagging in a pasture in Hidaka district (Hokkaido, Japan) was examined for infection with Anaplasma bovis and A. phagocytophilum by species-specific nested PCR. Of the 48 H. megaspinosa nymphs, examined, 1 (2.1%) and 6 (12.5%) were positive for A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum, respectively. One of the 6 positive nymphs was dual positive for both pathogens. Of the 4 larval pools of H. megaspinosa examined, 1 pool was positive for both A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum. None of the samples of the other tick species and adults of H. megaspinosa showed any positive results. These results suggest that H. megaspinosa is a dominant vector tick species of both A. bovis and A. phagocytophilum for cattle in the pasture of Hidaka district, Japan.