Molecular detection of <italic>Anaplasma bovis</italic> in Holstein cattle in the Republic of Korea.

Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne infectious disease that affects both human and animal health. This study was performed to characterize and investigate the prevalence of infection with <italic>Anaplasma bovis</italic> in Holstein cattle originating from two regions in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Blood samples (n = 151; 80 from Namwon and 71 from Jeju Island) were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, and the prevalence of <italic>A. bovis</italic> infection was compared before and after grazing. In Namwon, <italic>A. bovis</italic> infection was not detected, while in the Jeju Island, <italic>A. bovis</italic> infection was detected in three of 13 animals after grazing. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the <italic>A. bovis</italic> isolates had homology (97.1–99.7%) with a Korean spotted deer (<italic>Cervus nippon</italic>) isolate and <italic>Haemaphysalis longicornis</italic> tick isolates identified in the ROK. <italic>A. bovis</italic> infection has not previously been diagnosed in cattle in the ROK. This study shows that <italic>A. bovis</italic> infection in the Jeju Island is closely related to grazing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]