Prevalence of Anaplasma platys in dogs of Thrissur and its molecular detection

Anaplasma platys is an obligate intracellular rickettsial organism that infects platelets, resulting in infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia (ICCT). Blood samples from dogs in Kerala, India were examined using microscopy and molecular tools. Of the 229 samples, 60 showed intracytoplasmic basophilic inclusion bodies in platelets, indicative of A. platys infection on microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears. Anaemia and thrombocytopenia were the major haematological alterations observed in this study. Species-specific primers for A. platys were used to amplify the 16S rRNA gene from canine blood samples with severe thrombocytopenia. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequence obtained herein was closely related to sequences from Assam, Delhi and Mizoram, India. The amplified product showed 100% nucleotide identity to the A. platys sequence from a stray dog in Malaysia. Future research studies involving comprehensive genomic analyses and considering host factors will further improve our understanding of the diversity and evolution of A. platys strains for implementing effective disease management strategies