COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF ANAPLASMA PLATYS
Described herein are improved diagnostic tools for veterinary and human use which can be used for serodiagnosing A. platys in mammals, particularly in members of the Canidae family and in humans. The diagnostic tools are a group of outer membrane proteins of A. platys and variants thereof, referred to hereinafter as the “OMP proteins”, a group of outer membrane proteins of A. platys and variants thereof referred to hereinafter as the “P44 proteins”, and antibodies to the OMP proteins and the P44 proteins.
1 - 103 . (canceled)
104 . A method for detecting an infection or exposure to Anaplasma in a subject, comprising contacting a biological sample from the subject with a polypeptide, and assaying the biological sample for the presence of an antibody that specifically binds the polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is sufficiently conserved to detect infection or exposure to at least two species of Anaplasma.
105 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the polypeptide is an immunogenic fragment of an Anaplasma P44 protein.
106 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the polypeptide is an immunogenic fragment of an Anaplasma OMP-1X protein.
107 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the polypeptide is encoded by one or more of the nucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 124-132.
108 . The method of claim 104 , wherein the Anaplasma is selected from the group consisting of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma centrale, Anaplasma mesaeterum, Anaplasma ovis , and Anaplasma platys.
109 . The method of claim 104 , further comprising assaying the biological sample from the subject for infection or exposure to Ehrlichia canis.
110 . A method for detecting an infection or exposure to Anaplasma in a subject, comprising contacting a biological sample from the subject with a DNA primer or probe comprising a nucleic acid sequence that is sufficiently conserved to detect infection or exposure to at least two species of Anaplasma.
111 . The method of claim 110 , wherein the DNA primer or probe comprises a fragment of an Anaplasma P44 gene.
112 . The method of claim 110 , wherein the DNA primer or probe comprises a fragment of an Anaplasma OMP-1X gene.
113 . The method of claim 110 , wherein the DNA primer or probe comprises a fragment of an Anaplasma Tr1 gene.
114 . The method of claim 110 , wherein the Anaplasma is selected from the group consisting of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma centrale, Anaplasma mesaeterum, Anaplasma ovis , and Anaplasma platys.
115 . The method of claim 110 , wherein the DNA primer or probe comprises one or more of the nucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 124-132.
116 . The method of claim 110 , wherein the DNA primer or probe is capable of hybridizing to one or more of the nucleotides of SEQ ID NOs: 124-132 under stringent conditions.
117 . The method of claim 110 , further comprising assaying the biological sample from the subject for infection or exposure to Ehrlichia canis.