Molecular Epidemiology of Anaplasma capra in Cattle from the Black Sea Region of Türkiye

Abstract

Anaplasma capra is an emerging tick-borne pathogen with zoonotic potential. Since its first description, the pathogen has been reported in several countries across Asia, Europe, and Africa; however, information on its distribution in Türkiye remains limited. This study investigated its molecular occurrence in 654 cattle from 157 farms across six provinces in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye. DNA samples were examined using nested PCR and a previously developed TaqMan quantitative PCR assay targeting the groEL gene. Six samples tested positive by both methods, whereas ten additional samples were positive only by qPCR, resulting in an apparent molecular detection frequency of 2.45% (16/654). The paired assay results differed significantly (exact McNemar test, p = 0.00195), with moderate agreement between the methods (Cohen’s κ = 0.539; 95% CI: 0.288–0.791). Sequencing of the six nestedPCR-positive amplicons showed that all sequences were identical within the analyzed fragment and clustered within the known genotype 1 lineage. No significant associations were found between qPCR positivity and province, age, or sex. These findings provide molecular evidence of A. capra in cattle from the Black Sea Region. However, because the ten qPCR-only results were not independently confirmed, the estimated detection frequency and the potential value of qPCR for surveillance should be interpreted cautiously and validated using independent reference methods.