Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32228658›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2020

Co-infection, reinfection and superinfection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum strains in a cattle herd based on ankA gene and multilocus sequence typing.

Denis B Langenwalder, Cornelia Silaghi, Marion Nieder, Martin Pfeffer, Friederike D von Loewenich

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 24% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Epidemiological Significance of the Fox (Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
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  2. European human granulocytic anaplasmosis is caused by a subcluster ofCurrent research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases · 2025
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  3. Diversity ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021
    Article
  8. Ecological and evolutionary perspectives on tick-borne pathogen co-infections.Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases · 2021
    Review
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Denis B LangenwalderDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Mainz, Obere Zahlbacherstrasse 67, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
Cornelia SilaghiInstitute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Marion NiederInstitute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Martin PfefferInstitute for Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Friederike D von LoewenichDepartment of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Mainz, Obere Zahlbacherstrasse 67, 55131, Mainz, Germany. friederike.loewenich@unimedizin-mainz.de.
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz · DELeipzig University · DEFriedrich-Loeffler-Institut · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAnaplasma phagocytophilum is a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium that replicates in neutrophil granulocytes. It is transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex and causes febrile illness in humans and animals. We used multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and ankA gene-based typing to study the molecular epidemiology of the A. phagocytophilum strains circulating in a German cattle herd over one pasture season. The aim was to investigate whether co-infection with two distinct variants, reinfection with the same and/or superinfection by a different strain occurred during one pasture season. Eight genetic loci were sequenced in 47 PCR-positive samples from 15 animals.

resultsFive different sequence types (ST) and four ankA alleles were detected in the cattle herd. Three different ST caused clinically overt tick-borne fever in primary infected animals. The concordance between ST and ankA allele was 100%. Therefore, the housekeeping genes used for MLST and the highly variable ankA gene were concatenated to increase resolution. Co-infection could be proven because samples of chronologically close collection dates were included. Co-infecting A. phagocytophilum strains differed by 14 to 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Most superinfecting variants varied by 14 SNPs from the previous strain and appeared in median after a free interval of 31 days. Thus, it is unlikely that superinfecting strains arose by in-animal evolution. Immunity against re- or superinfection was assumed because the cattle developed clinical signs only during primary infection.

conclusionsThe tick-pathogen-vertebrate host interaction is probably much more complex than previously thought taking into account the frequently occurring events of co-infection, reinfection and superinfection. This complex situation could not be easily simulated in an experimental infection and underlines the value of field studies.

Indexed as

Anaplasma phagocytophilumAnimalsCattleCattle DiseasesCoinfectionDNA, BacterialEhrlichiosisGenes, BacterialGermanyMolecular EpidemiologyMultilocus Sequence TypingPhylogenyPolymerase Chain ReactionPolymorphism, Single NucleotideSuperinfectionTick-Borne DiseasesDNA, BacterialAnaplasma phagocytophilumankACattleGermanyMultilocus sequence typing (MLST)PathogenicityRoe deerTick-borne feverVariant

Identifiers

PMID32228658
PMCPMC7106686
OpenAlexW3013629124

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.