Molecular identification of Anaplasma ovis in sheep in Guilan province using PCR method

Anaplasma ovis is the cause of disease in sheep and goats in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This study aimed to determine the Anaplasma ovis species in the sheep of Guilan province and the effect of some variables (season, age, and sex of the animal) on its prevalence. For this purpose, 200 blood samples were taken randomly from different parts of Guilan province through the veins of the sheep.  DNA extracted from blood samples was amplified with a primer pair that amplified a 1468 bp fragment of the 16S rRNA gene of the genus Anaplasma. Then the positive samples were amplified with the specific primer pair of Anaplasma ovis from the msp4 gene, which amplified the fragment of 866 bp. In total, 38 out of 200 samples (19%) were positive for Anaplasma ovis. In comparing the frequency of Anaplasma ovis in different seasons, the infection in the second six months of the year was significantly higher than in the first six months (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in relation to the different ages of the investigated animals and the sex of animals (P>0.05). In this study, infection with Anaplasma ovis was confirmed in sheep in Gilan province. The study of the transmission methods of Anaplasma ovis and its vectors in Iran has remained largely unknown and requires more research in future studies.