Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma marginale in cattle from the Lower Shabelle Region of Somalia.
12 affiliations
- 1Graduate Program in Veterinary Sciences, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. [email protected].
- 2Somali One Health Centre, Mogadishu, Somalia. [email protected].
- 3Department of Animal Health and Veterinary Services, Ministry of Livestock, Forestry, and Range, Mogadishu, Somalia. [email protected].
- 4Somali One Health Centre, Mogadishu, Somalia.
- 5Abrar Research and Training Centre, Mogadishu, Somalia.
- 6Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Jaboticabal, Brazil.
- 7Program in Vector-borne Disease, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
- 8Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- 9Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Paraná, Palotina, PR, Brazil.
- 10Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA.
- 11Department of Public Health and Health Administration, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA.
- 12Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks (CIPHER), The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA.
Abstract
Background
Anaplasma marginale is a major tick-borne pathogen impacting the global cattle industry, yet its status in Somalia remains poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the molecular and serological occurrence and the genetic diversity of A. marginale in cattle from the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia.Methods
Blood samples (n = 131) were collected from cattle, alongside epidemiological data on location, body condition, and tick presence. Packed cell volume (PCV) was measured, and sera were screened for anti-A. marginale IgG antibodies using a commercial rMSP5-based ELISA. Molecular detection was performed by qPCR targeting the msp1β gene, and positive samples were further characterized by PCR amplification and sequencing of the msp1α and msp4 genes, followed by bioinformatic analyses.Results
A total of 110/131 (83.9%) cattle presented IgG antibodies to A. marginale, while 121/131 (92.4%) tested positive by qPCR targeting the msp1β gene. A significant difference in median PCV was observed between seropositive and seronegative animals (p = 0.026). qPCR positivity showed no significant association with tick infestation and body condition. There was a fair agreement between serology and qPCR (κ = 0.28). Among the 32 qPCR-positive samples further analyzed, 31 (96.9%) were msp1α-positive and all were msp4-positive. Ten new msp1α and five previously reported short-sequence repeats were identified, while msp4 analysis revealed 18 genotypes, with Somali isolates clustering alongside strains from Africa and Russia.Conclusions
This study confirms the high prevalence and genetic diversity of A. marginale in Somali cattle, highlighting the need for improved surveillance and control measures.
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BibTeX
@article{osman2026molecular,
title = {{Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma marginale in cattle from the Lower Shabelle Region of Somalia.}},
author = {Aamir M Osman and Ahmed A Hassan-Kadle and Marcos R André and Kelly A Brayton and Abdalla M Ibrahim and Anna Claudia B Mongruel and Flávia C M Collere and Caroline Tostes Secato and Daniel Antônio Braga Lee and Lorena Freitas das Neves and Renan Bressianini do Amaral and Thállitha S W J Vieira and Rosangela Z Machado and Rafael F C Vieira},
journal = {Parasites \& vectors},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s13071-026-07563-2},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897651},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma marginale in cattle from the Lower Shabelle Region of Somalia.
AU - Aamir M Osman
AU - Ahmed A Hassan-Kadle
AU - Marcos R André
AU - Kelly A Brayton
AU - Abdalla M Ibrahim
AU - Anna Claudia B Mongruel
AU - Flávia C M Collere
AU - Caroline Tostes Secato
AU - Daniel Antônio Braga Lee
AU - Lorena Freitas das Neves
AU - Renan Bressianini do Amaral
AU - Thállitha S W J Vieira
AU - Rosangela Z Machado
AU - Rafael F C Vieira
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Parasites & vectors
DO - 10.1186/s13071-026-07563-2
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897651
AB - Background Anaplasma marginale is a major tick-borne pathogen impacting the global cattle industry, yet its status in Somalia remains poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate the molecular and serological occurrence and the genetic diversity of A. marginale in cattle from the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia.Methods Blood samples (n = 131) were collected from cattle, alongside epidemiological data on location, body condition, and tick presence. Packed cell volume (PCV) was measured, and sera were screened for anti-A. marginale IgG antibodies using a commercial rMSP5-based ELISA. Molecular detection was performed by qPCR targeting the msp1β gene, and positive samples were further characterized by PCR amplification and sequencing of the msp1α and msp4 genes, followed by bioinformatic analyses.Results A total of 110/131 (83.9%) cattle presented IgG antibodies to A. marginale, while 121/131 (92.4%) tested positive by qPCR targeting the msp1β gene. A significant difference in median PCV was observed between seropositive and seronegative animals (p = 0.026). qPCR positivity showed no significant association with tick infestation and body condition. There was a fair agreement between serology and qPCR (κ = 0.28). Among the 32 qPCR-positive samples further analyzed, 31 (96.9%) were msp1α-positive and all were msp4-positive. Ten new msp1α and five previously reported short-sequence repeats were identified, while msp4 analysis revealed 18 genotypes, with Somali isolates clustering alongside strains from Africa and Russia.Conclusions This study confirms the high prevalence and genetic diversity of A. marginale in Somali cattle, highlighting the need for improved surveillance and control measures.
SN - 1756-3305
ER -