ABSTRACT
“
Candidatus
Neoehrlichia mikurensis” (
Anaplasmataceae
) is an emerging pathogen transmitted by
Ixodes
ticks. Conventional PCR and the newly developed high-resolution melt PCR were used to detect and discriminate “
Candidatus
Neoehrlichia mikurensis” and
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
. Both bacterial species were frequently found in
Ixodes ricinus
and
Ixodes hexagonus
but virtually absent from
Dermacentor reticulatus
. In rodents, “
Candidatus
N. mikurensis” was significantly more prevalent than
A. phagocytophilum
, whereas in cats, only
A. phagocytophilum
was found.