Prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species in sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan

Molecular survey and phylogenetic analysis of Bartonella sp., Coxiella sp., and hemoplamas in pudu (Pudu puda) from Chile: first report of Bartonella henselae in a wild ungulate species

Introduction

Recent evidence shows a high diversity of infectious agents in wildlife that represent a threat to human, domestic, and wild animal health. In Chile, wild populations of the most common cervid species, pudu (Pudu puda), have been reported as hosts for novel pathogens such as Mycoplasma ovis-like and a novel ecotype of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. A better understanding of the epidemiology of this group and other intracellular bacteria that might have cervids as hosts would enlighten their population relevance. This study aimed to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp., hemotropic mycoplasmas, and Coxiella burnetii in pudus from Chile.

Methods

The DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 69 wild free-ranging and 30 captive pudus from Chile. A combination of real-time (nouG gene for Bartonella and IS1111 element for C. burnetii) and conventional PCR (16S rRNA for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and rpoB, gltA, and ITS for Bartonella spp.) was used for pathogen screening and molecular characterization.

Results

DNA of Bartonella spp. was detected in 10.1% [95% CI (5.2-18.2%)] samples, hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in 1.7% [95% CI (0.08-10.1%)], and C. burnetii in 1.0% [95% CI (0.05-6.3%)] samples. Two sequenced samples were identified as Mycoplasma ovis-like, and one free-ranging pudu was positive for C. burnetii. While one captive and two free-ranging pudus were positive for Bartonella henselae, one wild pudu was co-positive for B. henselae and Bartonella sp., similar to Bartonellae identified in ruminants.

Discussion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. henselae in wild ungulate species, and C. burnetii and Bartonella spp. in wild ungulate species in South America. Further research will be necessary to evaluate the potential role of pudu as reservoirs of infection and identify the sources for disease transmission among humans and wild and domestic animals.

Limited detection of shared zoonotic pathogens in deer keds and blacklegged ticks co-parasitizing white-tailed deer in the eastern United States

Deer keds, such as Lipoptena cervi Linnaeus (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), are blood-feeding flies from which several human and animal pathogens have been detected, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato Johnson (Spirochaetales: Borreliaceae), the causative agent of Lyme disease. Cervids (Artiodactyla: Cervidae), which are the primary hosts of deer keds, are not natural reservoirs of B. burgdorferi sl, and it has been suggested that deer keds may acquire bacterial pathogens via co-feeding near infected ticks. We screened L. cervi (n = 306) and Ixodes scapularis Say (Ixodida: Ixodidae) (n = 315) collected from 38 white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania for the family Anaplasmataceae, Bartonella spp. (Hyphomicrobiales: Bartonellaceae), Borrelia spp., and Rickettsia spp. (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). Limited similarity in the bacterial DNA detected between these ectoparasites per host suggested that co-feeding may not be a mechanism by which deer keds acquire these bacteria. The feeding biology and life history of deer keds may impact the observed results, as could the season when specimens were collected. We separately screened L. cervi (n = 410), L. mazamae Róndani (n = 13), L. depressa Say (n = 10), and Neolipoptena ferrisi Bequaert (n = 14) collections from locations within the United States and Canada for the same pathogens. These results highlight the need to further study deer ked-host and deer ked-tick relationships.

Genetic diversity of Bartonella infection in residential and field rodents in Hebei, China

Rodents are the primary natural reservoirs of Bartonella spp., and some of which are zoonotic causative agents. Hence, surveillance of Bartonella sp. infection in rodents is very important for the prevention of human bartonellosis caused by them. In this study, rodents were captured, and their spleen samples were collected for Bartonella sp. DNA detection and identification by amplifying the 16S rRNA, gltA, and ftsz genes using semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results indicated that Bartonella sp. DNA was detected in seven Rattus norvegicus individuals with a detection rate of 6.7% in Chengde City and bacterial DNA in 31 Apodemus agrarius individuals with a detection rate of 28.4% in Handan City. The DNA detection rate across the genders and ages of rodents was not found to be statistically significant. Furthermore, sequence analysis of the above-mentioned three genes demonstrated that at least eight Bartonella species were circulating in Hebei Province, of which three, including Bartonella rattimassiliensis, Bartonella grahamii, and Bartonella tribocorum, are human pathogens, thus suggesting the existence of a major public health risk. Overall, these results revealed the detection rate and genetic diversity of Bartonella species infection in rodents in Hebei Province, which could be potentially helpful for the prevention of bartonellosis caused by rodent-associated Bartonella species. This study highlights the urgent need for the surveillance of Bartonella infections in rodents and ectoparasites that affect both rodents and humans and can cause fever of unknown origin or endocarditis.

The New Haplotypes of Bartonella spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Identified in Lipoptena spp. (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) Collected in the Areas of North-Eastern Poland

Deer keds are hematophagous ectoparasites (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) that mainly parasitize Cervidae. These flies are particularly important for animal health due to the occurrence of numerous pathogenic microorganisms. They may also attack humans and their bites may cause allergenic symptoms. The aim of the study was to identify the molecular characteristics of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Bartonella spp. pathogens detected in Lipoptena spp. sampled both from the hosts and from the environment. For identification of Bartonella spp and B. burgdorferi s. l., the primers specific to the rpoB and flaB gene fragments were used, respectively. The overall prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA in Lipoptena cervi was 14.04%, including 14.8% infection in the tested group of winged specimens. The overall prevalence of Bartonella spp. was 57.02%. The presence of these bacteria was detected in 53.5% of specimens of L. cervi and 75.7% of L. fortisetosa. The phylogenetic analysis showed five new haplotypes of the rpoB gene of Bartonella sp. isolated from L. cervi/Lipoptena fortisetosa. We also identified one new haplotype of B. afzelii and three haplotypes of B. burgdorferi isolated from winged specimens of L. cervi. This is the first study to detect the genetic material of B. burgdorferi s.l. in L. cervi in Poland and the first report on the identification of these bacteria in host-seeking specimens in the environment.

Two New Haplotypes of Bartonella sp. Isolated from Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) in SE Poland

Simple Summary

Lipoptena fortisetosa is a hematophagous ectoparasite of game animals feeding accidentally on companion animals and humans. Since the presence of numerous pathogenic microorganisms has been described in this species, monitoring its geographic distribution is of great epidemiological importance. To the best of our knowledge, we present two new haplotypes of Bartonella sp. isolated from L. fortisetosa in south-eastern Poland and confirm the presence of this invasive species in Lublin Voivodeship since 2013.

Abstract

Insects of the genus Lipoptena are parasitic arthropods with a broad host range. Due to the type of parasitism (hematophagy), their potential role as vectors of pathogens, i.e., Bartonella sp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia burgdorferi is considered. As the range of their occurrence has been changing dynamically in recent years and infestations of humans have increasingly been reported, these organisms are now the subject of numerous studies. Our research aimed to present the molecular characteristics of Bartonella sp. detected in Lipoptena fortisetosa parasitizing wild cervids in south-eastern Poland. Adults of Lipoptena spp. were collected from carcasses of roe deer and red deer between spring and autumn in 2013. The PCR method was used to detect Bartonella sp. in the insects. We report two new haplotypes of the rpoB gene of Bartonella sp. isolated from L. fortisetosa feeding on wild cervids in south-eastern Poland and the presence of this invasive ectoparasitic species in the studied area since 2013. Phylogenetic analyses of newly obtained Bartonella sp. haplotypes confirmed their unique position on the constructed tree and network topology. The rpoB gene sequences found belonging to lineage B support the view that this phylogenetic lineage represents a novel Bartonella species.

Lipoptena fortisetosa as a vector of Bartonella bacteria in Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon)

Background

Two species of deer ked (Lipoptena cervi and L. mazamae) have been identified as vectors of Bartonella bacteria in cervids in Europe and the USA. In an earlier study we showed that Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon) harbor three Bartonella species, namely B. capreoli (lineage A) and two novel Bartonella species (lineages B and C); however, there is currently no information on the vector of Bartonella bacteria in sika deer. The aim of this study was to clarify potential vectors of Bartonella in Japanese sika deer.

Methods

Thirty-eight wingless deer keds (L. fortisetosa) and 36 ticks (Haemaphysalis and Ixodes species) were collected from sika deer. The prevalence of Bartonella in the arthropods was evaluated by real-time PCR targeting the 16S−23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and by culture of the organisms. The total number of Bartonella bacteria were quantified using real-time PCR. The distribution of Bartonella bacteria in deer ked organs was examined by immunofluorescence analysis. The relationship of Bartonella strains isolated from sika deer and arthropods were examined by a phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated sequences of the gltA, rpoB, ftsZ, and ribC genes, followed by a BLAST search for gltA and rpoB.

Results

Bartonella prevalence in deer keds was 87.9% by real-time PCR and 51.5% in culture and that in the ticks was 8.3% by real-time PCR and 2.8% in culture. The mean number of Bartonella bacteria per ked was calculated to be 9.2 × 10⁵ cells. Bartonella aggregates were localized in the midgut of the keds. The phylogenetic analysis and BLAST search showed that both the host deer and the keds harbored two Bartonella species (lineages B and C), while B. capreoli (lineage A) was not detected in the keds. Two novel Bartonella species (lineages D and E) were isolated from one ked.

Conclusions

Lipoptena fortisetosa likely serves as a vector of at least two Bartonella species (lineages B and C), whereas ticks do not seem to play a significant role in the transmission of Bartonella between sika deer based on the lower detection rates of Bartonella in ticks compared to keds. Bartonella species in lineages D and E appear to be L. fortisetosa-specific strains.

Bartonella spp. detection in ticks, Culicoides biting midges and wild cervids from Norway

Bartonella spp. are fastidious, gram-negative, aerobic, facultative intracellular bacteria that infect humans, and domestic and wild animals. In Norway, Bartonella spp. have been detected in cervids, mainly within the distribution area of the arthropod vector deer ked (Lipoptena cervi). We used PCR to survey the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in blood samples from 141 cervids living outside the deer ked distribution area (moose [Alces alces, n = 65], red deer [Cervus elaphus, n = 41] and reindeer [Rangifer tarandus, n = 35]), in 44 pool samples of sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus, 27 pools collected from 74 red deer and 17 from 45 moose) and in biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae, 120 pools of 6,710 specimens). Bartonella DNA was amplified in moose (75.4%, 49/65) and in red deer (4.9%, 2/41) blood samples. All reindeer were negative. There were significant differences in Bartonella prevalence among the cervid species. Additionally, Bartonella was amplified in two of 17 tick pools collected from moose and in 3 of 120 biting midge pool samples. The Bartonella sequences amplified in moose, red deer and ticks were highly similar to B. bovis, previously identified in cervids. The sequence obtained from biting midges was only 81.7% similar to the closest Bartonella spp. We demonstrate that Bartonella is present in moose across Norway and present the first data on northern Norway specimens. The high prevalence of Bartonella infection suggests that moose could be the reservoir for this bacterium. This is the first report of bacteria from the Bartonella genus in ticks from Fennoscandia and in Culicoides biting midges worldwide.

Isolation and genetic properties of Bartonella in eastern bent-wing bats (Miniopterus fuliginosus) in Japan

The prevalence and genetic characteristics of Bartonella species in eastern bent-wing bats (Miniopterus fuliginosus) from Japan were investigated. Bartonella bacteria were isolated from 12/50 (24%) of bats examined. Analyses of sequence similarities of the citrate synthase gene (gltA) and RNA polymerase beta-subunit-encoding (rpoB) gene indicated that the isolates from M. fuliginosus were distinct from those present in known Bartonella species as the levels of similarity for both of the genes were lower than the cut-off values for species identification in Bartonella. A phylogenetic analysis of the gltA sequences revealed that the Miniopterus bat-associated strains fell into five genotypes (I to V). Though genotypes I to IV formed a clade with Bartonella from Miniopterus bats from Taiwan, genotype V made a monophyletic clade separate from other bat isolates. In a phylogenetic analysis with the concatenated sequences of the 16S rRNA, gltA, rpoB, cell division protein (ftsZ) gene, and riboflavin synthase gene (ribC), isolates belonging to genotypes I to IV clustered with Bartonella strains from Taiwanese Miniopterus bats, similar to the outcome of the phylogenetic analysis with gltA, whereas genotype V also made a monophyletic clade separate from other bat-associated Bartonella strains. The present study showed that M. fuliginosus in Japan harbor both genus Miniopterus-specific Bartonella suggesting to be specific to the bats in Japan.

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The prevalence of Bartonella in Miniopterus fuliginosus was 24%(12/50).

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M. fuliginosus in Japan harbored two novel Bartonella species in their blood.

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One Bartonella species was the genus Miniopterus-specific Bartonella.

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The other was distinct from other known bat-associated Bartonella.

Molecular detection of Bartonella species and haemoplasmas in wild African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) in Mozambique, Africa

The African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), a mammal species whose population is declining, can play a role as a reservoir or carrier of a wide number of arthropod-borne pathogens. Translocation procedures have been used as an alternative approach for species conservation. However, the veterinary aspects of this sort of procedures are extremely important to minimize the impact on animal health. In order to detectBartonellaand haemoplasmas, two important group of bacterial that have an impact in both human and animal health, EDTA whole-blood samples were screened for the presence of these bacterial pathogens by molecular techniques. As a result, a molecular occurrence of 4.1 and 15.4% forBartonellaspp. and haemoplasmas, respectively, was reported among 97 wild buffaloes sampled during a translocation procedure from Marromeu to Gorongosa Reserve, Mozambique. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses of the obtained sequences were conducted. At least, three bovine-associated pathogens, namelyB. bovis,M. wenyoniiand ‘CandidatusM. haemobos’, as well as a probably newBartonellagenotype/species were detected inS. caffer.Further studies are needed in order to determine whether these bacterial species may cause impact in buffaloes and other sympatric ruminant species living in the release site.

Taxonomic profiles in metagenomic analyses of free-living microbial communities in the Ofunato Bay

The Ofunato Bay in Iwate Prefecture, Japan is a deep coastal bay located at the center of the Sanriku Rias Coast and considered an economically and environmentally important asset. Here, we describe the first whole genome sequencing (WGS) study on the microbial community of the bay, where surface water samples were collected from three stations along its length to cover the entire bay; we preliminarily sequenced a 0.2 μm filter fraction among sequentially size-fractionated samples of 20.0, 5.0, 0.8 and 0.2 μm filters, targeting the free-living fraction only. From the 0.27-0.34 Gb WGS library, 0.9 × 10⁶-1.2 × 10⁶ reads from three sampling stations revealed 29 bacterial phyla (~80% of assigned reads), 3 archaeal phyla (~4%) and 59 eukaryotic phyla (~15%). Microbial diversity obtained from the WGS approach was compared with 16S rRNA gene results by mining WGS metagenomes, and we found similar estimates. The most frequently recovered bacterial sequences were Proteobacteria, predominantly comprised of 18.0-19.6% Planktomarina (Family Rhodobacteraceae) and 13.7-17.5% Candidatus Pelagibacter (Family Pelagibacterales). Other dominant bacterial genera, including Polaribacter (3.5-6.1%), Flavobacterium (1.8-2.6%), Sphingobacterium (1.4-1.6%) and Cellulophaga (1.4-2.0%), were members of Bacteroidetes and likely associated with the degradation and turnover of organic matter. The Marine Group I Archaea Nitrosopumilus was also detected. Remarkably, eukaryotic green alga Bathycoccus, Ostreococcus and Micromonas accounted for 8.8-15.2%, 3.6-4.9% and 2.1-3.1% of total read counts, respectively, highlighting their potential roles in the phytoplankton bloom after winter mixing.

Isolation and phylogenetic analysis of Bartonella species from Rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) in Thailand

The aim of the present study is to investigate the prevalence of Bartonella infection in deer in Thailand and to characterize the isolates by biochemical, morphological and genetic analysis. A total of 247 blood samples were collected from Rusa deer (Rusa timorensis) in a livestock breeding facility in Thailand. Bartonella bacteria were isolated in 3.6% of the blood samples. Three out of 110 (2.7%) males and 6 of 137 (4.4%) females were positive for Bartonella. A higher prevalence of Bartonella was observed in young deer under 4 years of age compared to adults over 4 years of age, but no Bartonella was isolated from deer over 8 years of age. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated sequences of seven loci of Bartonella indicated that all the isolates from Rusa deer in Thailand were identical and formed a distinct cluster from other known Bartonella species.

Evolutionary Dynamics of Pathoadaptation Revealed by Three Independent Acquisitions of the VirB/D4 Type IV Secretion System in Bartonella

The α-proteobacterial genus Bartonella comprises a group of ubiquitous mammalian pathogens that are studied as a model for the evolution of bacterial pathogenesis. Vast abundance of two particular phylogenetic lineages of Bartonella had been linked to enhanced host adaptability enabled by lineage-specific acquisition of a VirB/D4 type IV secretion system (T4SS) and parallel evolution of complex effector repertoires. However, the limited availability of genome sequences from one of those lineages as well as other, remote branches of Bartonella has so far hampered comprehensive understanding of how the VirB/D4 T4SS and its effectors called Beps have shaped Bartonella evolution. Here, we report the discovery of a third repertoire of Beps associated with the VirB/D4 T4SS of B. ancashensis, a novel human pathogen that lacks any signs of host adaptability and is only distantly related to the two species-rich lineages encoding a VirB/D4 T4SS. Furthermore, sequencing of ten new Bartonella isolates from under-sampled lineages enabled combined in silico analyses and wet lab experiments that suggest several parallel layers of functional diversification during evolution of the three Bep repertoires from a single ancestral effector. Our analyses show that the Beps of B. ancashensis share many features with the two other repertoires, but may represent a more ancestral state that has not yet unleashed the adaptive potential of such an effector set. We anticipate that the effectors of B. ancashensis will enable future studies to dissect the evolutionary history of Bartonella effectors and help unraveling the evolutionary forces underlying bacterial host adaptation.

Molecular detection of Bartonella spp. in deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) in Poland

Background

The bacteria of the genus Bartonella are obligate parasites of vertebrates. Their distribution range covers almost the entire world from America, Europe, Asia to Africa and Australia. Some species of Bartonella are pathogenic for humans. Their main vectors are blood-sucking arthropods such as fleas, ticks and blood-feeding flies. One such dipteran able to transfer vector-borne pathogens is the deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) of the family Hippoboscidae. This species acts as a transmitter of Bartonella spp. in cervid hosts in Europe.

Methods

In the present study, 217 specimens of deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) were collected from 26 red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted in January 2014. A short fragment (333 bp) of the rpoB gene was used as a marker to identify Bartonella spp. in deer ked tissue by PCR test. A longer fragment (850 bp) of the rpoB gene was amplified from 21 of the positive samples, sequenced and used for phylogenetic analysis.

Results

The overall prevalence of Lipoptena cervi infection with Bartonella spp. was 75.12% (163/217); 86.67% (104/120) of females and 60.82% (59/97) of males collected from red deer hunted in the Strzałowo Forest District in Poland (53°45′57.03″N, 21°25′17.79″E) were infected. The nucleotide sequences from 14 isolates (Bartonella sp. 1) showed close similarity to Bartonella schoenbuchensis isolated from moose blood from Sweden (GenBank: KB915628) and human blood from France (GenBank: HG977196); Bartonella sp. 2 (5 isolates) and Bartonella sp. 3 (one isolate) were similar to Bartonella sp. from Japanese sika deer (GenBank: AB703149), and Bartonella sp. 4 (one isolate) was almost identical to Bartonella sp. isolated from Japanese sika deer from Japan (GenBank: AB703146).

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to confirm the presence of Bartonella spp. in deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) in Poland by molecular methods. Bartonella sp. 1 isolates were most closely related to B. schoenbuchensis isolated from moose from Sweden and human blood from France. The rest of our isolates (Bartonella spp. 2–4) were similar to Bartonella spp. isolated from Japanese sika deer from Japan.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2413-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Detection of a Potential New Bartonella Species "Candidatus Bartonella rondoniensis" in Human Biting Kissing Bugs (Reduviidae; Triatominae)

BACKGROUND

Among the Reduviidae family, triatomines are giant blood-sucking bugs. They are well known in Central and South America where they transmit Trypanosoma cruzi to mammals, including humans, through their feces. This parasitic protozoan is the causative agent of Chagas disease, a major public health issue in endemic areas. Because of the medical and economic impact of Chagas disease, the presence of other arthropod-borne pathogens in triatomines was rarely investigated.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

In this study, seven triatomines species involved in the transmission of T. cruzi were molecularly screened for the presence of known pathogens generally associated with arthropods, such as Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia species and Coxiella burnetii. Of all included triatomine species, only Eratyrus mucronatus specimens tested positive for Bartonella species for 56% of tested samples. A new genotype of Bartonella spp. was detected in 13/23 Eratyrus mucronatus specimens, an important vector of T. cruzi to humans. This bacterium was further characterized by sequencing fragments of the ftsZ, gltA and rpoB genes. Depending on the targeted gene, this agent shares 84% to 91% of identity with B. bacilliformis, the agent of Carrion's disease, a deadly sandfly-borne infectious disease endemic in South America. It is also closely related to animal pathogens such as B. bovis and B. chomelii.

CONCLUSIONS

As E. mucronatus is an invasive species that occasionally feeds on humans, the presence of potentially pathogenic Bartonella-infected bugs could present another risk for human health, along with the T. cruzi issue.

Molecular Survey of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia of Red Deer and Sika Deer in Gansu, China in 2013

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are important emerging tick-borne pathogens in both humans and animals. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Gansu, China to assess the prevalence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. in red deer and sika deer based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and sequencing of 16S rRNA or msp genes. PCR revealed that the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma platys of the Qilian Mountain samples was 32%, 9% and 9%, respectively; the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma platys was 20%, 15% and 15% among the Long Mountain samples, respectively. Of the Long Mountain samples, two (5%) of the 40 samples were positive for Ehrlichia canis, but all 44 of the Qilian Mountain samples were negative for E. canis, and no other Anaplasma or Ehrlichia spp. were found in the samples. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. could be classified as belonging to four clades, including an A. bovis cluster, A. ovis cluster, A. platys cluster and E. canis cluster. In addition, Bartonella schoenbuchensis was firstly identified in blood samples from red deer in Gansu, China. Our results provide important data to increase the understanding of the epidemiology of anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis of red deer and sika deer and will assist with the implementation of measures to control anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis transmission to red deer, sika deer and other animals in Gansu, China.