Seroprevalence and molecular detection of Anaplasma marginale infected beef herds in Georgia, USA

Authors

  • A. Lee Jones Food Animal Health and Management Program, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tifton, GA 31793
  • Roy D. Berghaus Food Animal Health and Management Program, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602
  • Allen A. Kalatari Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic & Investigational Laboratory, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tifton, GA 31793
  • Brenton Credille Food Animal Health and Management Program, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602
  • Hemant K. Naikare Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic & Investigational Laboratory, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Tifton, GA 31793
  • Bradley Heins Food Animal Health and Management Program, Department of Population Health, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, GA 30602
  • JeremiahT. Saliki Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Oklahoma State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Stillwater, OK 74078
  • Rebecca P. Wilkes Department of Comparative Pathobiology/Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Purdue University, College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN 47907

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol56no2p70-78

Keywords:

Anaplasma marginale, anaplasmosis, beef cattle, Georgia, seroprevalence

Abstract

The objective of the study was to conduct and compare serop­revalence and molecular detection of Anaplasma marginale-in­fected beef herds in Georgia, and to identify herd risk factors associated with A. marginale-positive herds. Herd informa­tion from the beef operations was collected from the sampled herds through a questionnaire to determine practices that may affect the risk of herd infections with A. marginale. Blood samples were collected from 1,059 adult beef cattle (≥ 2 years) from 33 herds. Overall, 8.12% of cattle and 42% of herds were cELISA antibody-positive. Seventy-seven percent of plasma samples from a subset of corresponding seropositive samples (n = 73) were PCR positive. All of the 406 seronegative samples were negative by PCR. There was almost perfect agreement by Cohen’s kappa statistics between PCR and cELISA (k = 0.85). Survey response rate was 100%. Surprisingly, 27% of the pro­ducer respondents had not heard of anaplasmosis. Survey also revealed that many producers had management procedures at their operations that could potentially cause mechanical transmission of A. marginale. About 55% of respondents did not always disin­fect tools between animals and 88% of the operations used the same needle to inject more than one animal. Over 80% of the producer respondents had brought in new cattle onto their op­erations in the last 3 years from the time of this study. Given the 8% seroprevalence in Georgia beef cattle and the reported survey findings from this study, educational programs on ef­fective preventive management practices to control bovine anaplasmosis is warranted.

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Published

2022-12-29

How to Cite

Jones, A. L., Berghaus, R. D., Kalatari, A. A., Credille, B., Naikare, H. K., Heins, B., Saliki, J., & Wilkes, R. P. (2022). Seroprevalence and molecular detection of Anaplasma marginale infected beef herds in Georgia, USA. The Bovine Practitioner, 56(2), 70–78. https://doi.org/10.21423/bovine-vol56no2p70-78

Issue

Section

Research Article

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