Vet World   Vol.14   April-2021  Article-19

Research Article

Veterinary World, 14(4): 943-948

https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.943-948

Detection and genetic characterization of "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomacaque" infection among long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Thailand using broad-range nested polymerase chain reaction assay

Wanat Sricharern1,2,3, Supakarn Kaewchot4, Sarawan Kaewmongkol3, Natnaree Inthong3, Thitichai Jarudecha3, Rucksak Rucksaken3, Bandid Mangkit3, Sakulchit Wichianchot3, and Tawin Inpankaew1,2,5
1. Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
2. Center of Excellence on Agricultural Biotechnology, Science and Technology Postgraduate Education and Research Development Office, Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Science, Research Innovation (AG-BIO/ PERDO-CHE), Bangkok, Thailand.
3. Department of Veterinary Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Technology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
4. Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok, Thailand.
5. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Background and Aim: Hemoplasmas are defined as small, epicellular parasitic bacteria that can infect the red blood cells of several mammalian species. Diseases caused by these bacteria range from asymptomatic infections to acute hemolytic anemia. However, data on hemoplasmas in non-human primates in Thailand remain to be limited. Therefore, this study aims to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of hemoplasmas among long-tailed macaques in Thailand.

Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 339 long-tailed macaques in three provinces of Thailand. DNA was then extracted from the blood samples and tested for hemoplasma using broad-range nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the 16S rRNA gene. PCR-positive samples were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis for species identification was conducted.

Results: In total, 38 (11.2%) out of the 339 samples were found to be positive for hemoplasmas, based on the broad-range nested PCR assay of the 16S rRNA gene. The 16S rRNA sequences of Mycoplasma spp. were highly similar (98-99% identity) to "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomacaque." Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood demonstrated that the sequences were located in the same cluster of "Ca. M. haemomacaque."

Conclusion: The detection of hemoplasmas among long-tailed macaques in Thailand is reported. Genetic characterization confirmed that these hemoplasmas are closely related to "Ca. M. haemomacaque." These results indicate that long-tailed macaques in several locations in Thailand may be infected and serve as reservoirs for this parasite. Keywords: broad-range nested polymerase chain reaction, hemoplasma, long-tailed macaque, mycoplasma, Thailand.

Keywords: broad-range nested polymerase chain reaction, hemoplasma, long-tailed macaque, mycoplasma, Thailand.

How to cite this article: Sricharern W, Kaewchot S, Kaewmongkol S, Inthong N, Jarudecha T, Rucksaken R, Mangkit B, Wichianchot S, Inpankaew T (2021) Detection and genetic characterization of "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomacaque" infection among long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Thailand using broad-range nested polymerase chain reaction assay, Veterinary World, 14(4): 943-948.

Received: 19-11-2020  Accepted: 01-03-2021     Published online: 19-04-2021

Corresponding author: Tawin Inpankaew   E-mail: tawin.i@ku.th

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.943-948

Copyright: Sricharern, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.