Anaplasma phagocytophilum: an emerging tick-borne pathogen in Hungary and Central Eastern Europe

Anaplasma phagocytophilum (formerly Ehrlichia phagocytophila, Ehrlichia equi and Anaplasma phagocytophila) is the causative agent of granulocytic ehrlichiosis (anaplasmosis) in humans, horses, sheep, cattle, dogs and cats. In the present study, 452 European sheep ticks (Ixodes ricinus) collected from 100 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Hungary were tested for the pathogen, as 112 pools each containing five or fewer ticks from one fox. Six of the pools, representing ticks from six different foxes, were found infected in the PCR-based test employed. This is the first time that A. phagocytophilum has been reported in Hungary. A summary of the information available from Central Eastern Europe on the prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in ticks, its seroprevalence in humans, and the number of human cases of granulocytic ehrlichiosis known in the region is presented.