Anaplasma ovis infects sheep in Niger

Anaplasmosis due to Anaplasma ovis (A ovis) is an infection spread in small ruminants mostly in the tropical and subtropical region. This neglected disease which often induces a subclinical infection can be severe in case of co-infection with other pathogens. In the Republic of Niger, small ruminant breeding contributes for a large extent to the national economy; however, little is known about pathogens that infect sheep in this region. In the present study, 33 sheep blood samples were collected near the village of Madama in the north of the country. Molecular analysis for the investigation of the presence of Anaplasmataceae species infection was conducted targeting three genes, the 23S rRNA, 16S rRNA and the rpoB genes. Results showed that 23/33 (69.7%) of the sheep were infected by A. ovis. This result is the first molecular description of A. ovis in Niger.