Objective: To provide further pathogenic evidence of Granulocytic ehrlichia infection in China.
Methods: Specific primers derived from 444-Epank gene were used to amplify Granulocytic ehrlichia DNA from specimens of ticks, animals and human blood. PCR products of ticks were cloned and sequenced.
Results: 444 bp specific DNA fragments were amplified from 2 of 62 pools of Ixodes persulcatus collected from Heilongjiang province and 1 of 129 blood specimens from forest workers in Inner Mongolia. Eight animal specimens were negative. PCR products from ticks were then cloned and sequenced. It differed at 23 positions in comparison to American strain (AF047897) with 94.9% homology. The homology of deduced ammonia was 88.44%.
Conclusion: Our findings further confirmed that Granulocytic ehrlichia infection did exist in China.