156579 20251009133840.0 doi 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2025.102486 sideral 143872 ART-2025-143872 eng Ruiz, Héctor Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-8474-2831 Epidemiological study on the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis infection in Aragón, Spain 2025 Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted Ovine anaplasmosis is an emerging disease in Europe, primarily affecting the Mediterranean region. It is caused by Anaplasma ovis, a bacterium mainly transmitted by ticks. Despite its growing presence, comprehensive data on its distribution across Europe remain scarce. This epidemiological study aimed to assess the prevalence of A. ovis in sheep farms across Aragón, Spain, between March 2023 and April 2024. A total of 70 farms, covering a diverse range of climatic zones within Aragón, were sampled, representing 700 sheep. Two pooled blood samples, each comprising five sheep per farm, were tested using quantitative PCR (qPCR) to detect the presence of A. ovis. The results revealed a widespread presence of the bacterium, with 69 out of 70 farms testing positive. The only negative case was a farm located in a Steppe Dry climate area near Zaragoza, at approximately 240 m above sea level. Notably, no clinical signs of the disease were observed in any of the animals during the study period. In addition to the high prevalence, the study highlighted a concerning lack of awareness among farmers, with only 33 % reporting familiarity with the disease. These findings underscore the extensive distribution of A. ovis in Aragón and suggest that neither climatic conditions nor livestock management practices had a significant influence on transmission. The study also emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced control measures, increased farmer education, and further research into environmental and management factors that may contribute to outbreaks. info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/A15-20R info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/A15-23R info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by-nc-nd https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion González, José María Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-4655-9171 Ruiz de Arcaute, Marta Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-7655-2472 Villanueva-Saz, Sergio Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0001-6209-4282 Ramos, Juan José Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-2724-2785 Arnal, José Luis Baselga, Cristina Quílez, Pablo Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0009-0003-9757-3840 Ortín, Aurora Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-0313-5926 Lacasta, Delia Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-7822-6646 1009 617 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Patología Animal Área Medicina y Cirugía Animal 16, 3 (2025), 102486 [8 pp.] Ticks Tick-borne Dis. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 1877-959X 7022922 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/156579/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2465852 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/156579/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:156579 articulos driver 2025-10-09-13:25:51 ARTICLE