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Mongruel ACB, Medici EP, Canena ADC, Dias CM, Machado RZ, André MR. Molecular evidence of Bartonella spp. in wild lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris), the largest land mammals in Brazil. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2023; 101:102042. [PMID: 37660454 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2023.102042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
The genus Bartonella (Hyphomicrobiales: Bartonellaceae) encompasses facultative intracellular α-proteobacteria that parasite erythrocytes and endothelial cells from a wide range of vertebrate hosts and can cause disease in animals and humans. Considering the large diversity of vertebrate species that may act as reservoirs and arthropod species that may be associated with Bartonella transmission, the exposure of animals and humans to these microorganisms is likely underestimated. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Bartonella sp. in wild tapirs (Tapirus terrestris; Perissodactyla: Tapiridae) from two biomes in Brazil: Pantanal and Cerrado. Ninety-nine GPS-monitored wild tapirs were sampled in Pantanal (n = 61/99) and Cerrado (n = 38/99). A qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) assay targeting the nuoG gene was used for the screening for Bartonella spp. DNA. Positive samples were additionally subjected to conventional PCR assays targeting five molecular markers (ribC, gltA, rpoB, groEL, ITS). Eight (8/99; 08,08%) animals were positive in the qPCR assay for Bartonella spp.: 7 from Cerrado (7/8; 87.5%) and 1 from Pantanal (1/8; 12.5%). The 5 Bartonella ribC sequences obtained from tapirs' blood samples grouped together with Bartonella henselae obtained from cats, humans, wild felids and Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) fleas. To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first report of Bartonella sp. in Tapirus terrestris. This finding contributes to the understanding of the occurrence of B henselae in wild mammals from Brazil as well as expands the knowledge regarding the potential vector-borne pathogens that may affect wild tapis from Cerrado and Pantanal biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Claudia Baumel Mongruel
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única - Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Emília Patrícia Medici
- Iniciativa Nacional para a Conservação da Anta Brasileira (INCAB), Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Campo Grande 79046-150, MS, Brazil; Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade (ESCAS/IPÊ), Nazaré Paulista 12960-000, SP, Brazil; IUCN SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG), Campo Grande 79046-150, MS, Brazil
| | - Ariel da Costa Canena
- Iniciativa Nacional para a Conservação da Anta Brasileira (INCAB), Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPÊ), Campo Grande 79046-150, MS, Brazil
| | - Clara Morato Dias
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única - Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosangela Zacarias Machado
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única - Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única - Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil.
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Kloch A, Mierzejewska EJ, Welc-Falęciak R, Bajer A, Biedrzycka A. Cytokine gene polymorphism and parasite susceptibility in free-living rodents: Importance of non-coding variants. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0258009. [PMID: 36693052 PMCID: PMC9873194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Associations between genetic variants and susceptibility to infections have long been studied in free-living hosts so as to infer the contemporary evolutionary forces that shape the genetic polymorphisms of immunity genes. Despite extensive studies of proteins interacting with pathogen-derived ligands, such as MHC (major histocompatilbility complex) or TLR (Toll-like receptors), little is known about the efferent arm of the immune system. Cytokines are signalling molecules that trigger and modulate the immune response, acting as a crucial link between innate and adaptive immunity. In the present study we investigated how genetic variation in cytokines in bank voles Myodes glareolus affects their susceptibility to infection by parasites (nematodes: Aspiculuris tianjensis, Heligmosomum mixtum, Heligmosomoides glareoli) and microparasites (Cryptosporidium sp, Babesia microti, Bartonella sp.). We focused on three cytokines: tumour necrosis factor (TNF), lymphotoxin alpha (LTα), and interferon beta (IFNβ1). Overall, we identified four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with susceptibility to nematodes: two located in LTα and two in IFNβ1. One of those variants was synonymous, another located in an intron. Each SNP associated with parasite load was located in or next to a codon under selection, three codons displayed signatures of positive selection, and one of purifying selection. Our results indicate that cytokines are prone to parasite-driven selection and that non-coding variants, although commonly disregarded in studies of the genetic background of host-parasite co-evolution, may play a role in susceptibility to infections in wild systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Kloch
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Ewa J. Mierzejewska
- Wild Urban Evolution and Ecology Laboratory, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Renata Welc-Falęciak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Eco-epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, Poland
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Krügel M, Król N, Kempf VAJ, Pfeffer M, Obiegala A. Emerging rodent-associated Bartonella: a threat for human health? Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:113. [PMID: 35361285 PMCID: PMC8969336 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05162-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Species of the genus Bartonella are facultative intracellular alphaproteobacteria with zoonotic potential. Bartonella infections in humans range from mild with unspecific symptoms to life threatening, and can be transmitted via arthropod vectors or through direct contact with infected hosts, although the latter mode of transmission is rare. Among the small mammals that harbour Bartonella spp., rodents are the most speciose group and harbour the highest diversity of these parasites. Human–rodent interactions are not unlikely as many rodent species live in proximity to humans. However, a surprisingly low number of clinical cases of bartonellosis related to rodent-associated Bartonella spp. have thus far been recorded in humans. Methods The main purpose of this review is to determine explanatory factors for this unexpected finding, by taking a closer look at published clinical cases of bartonellosis connected with rodent-associated Bartonella species, some of which have been newly described in recent years. Thus, another focus of this review are these recently proposed species. Conclusions Worldwide, only 24 cases of bartonellosis caused by rodent-associated bartonellae have been reported in humans. Possible reasons for this low number of cases in comparison to the high prevalences of Bartonella in small mammal species are (i) a lack of awareness amongst physicians of Bartonella infections in humans in general, and especially those caused by rodent-associated bartonellae; and (ii) a frequent lack of the sophisticated equipment required for the confirmation of Bartonella infections in laboratories that undertake routine diagnostic testing. As regards recently described Bartonella spp., there are presently 14 rodent-associated Candidatus taxa. In contrast to species which have been taxonomically classified, there is no official process for the review of proposed Candidatus species and their names before they are published. This had led to the use of malformed names that are not based on the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Researchers are thus encouraged to propose Candidatus names to the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes for approval before publishing them, and only to propose new species of Bartonella when the relevant datasets allow them to be clearly differentiated from known species and subspecies. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05162-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Krügel
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,National Consiliary Laboratory for Bartonella, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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Diversity and dynamics of zoonotic pathogens within a local community of small mammals. Biologia (Bratisl) 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00797-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Aleksandravičienė A, Paulauskas A, Stanko M, Fričová J, Radzijevskaja J. New Records of Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. in Lice Collected from Small Rodents. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:342-350. [PMID: 33728990 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lice are blood-sucking insects that are of medical and veterinary significance as parasites and vectors for various infectious agents. More than half of described blood-sucking lice species are found on rodents. Rodents are important hosts of several Bartonella and Rickettsia species, and some of these bacteria are characterized as human pathogens in Europe. Rodent ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks, are important vectors of Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp., but knowledge about the presence of these bacteria in lice is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Bartonella and Rickettsia bacteria in lice collected from rodents in Slovakia. The ectoparasites were collected from small rodents captured from 2010 to 2015 at four different sites in eastern Slovakia. The presence of Bartonella and Rickettsia species in lice samples was screened by real-time PCR, targeting ssrA and gltA genes, respectively. The molecular characterization of the Bartonella strains was based on sequence analysis of partial rpoB and intergenic spacer (ITS) genes, and of the Rickettsia species on sequence analysis of the gltA gene. A total of 1074 lice of seven species were collected from six rodent species. Bartonella DNA was detected in Hoplopleura affinis (collected from Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis, and Myodes glareolus), Polyplax serrata (from A. agrarius), and Hoplopleura sp. (from A. flavicollis). Sequence analysis revealed that the Bartonella strains belonged to the Bartonella coopersplainsensis, Bartonella tribocorum, and Bartonella taylorii genogroups. Rickettsia DNA was detected in H. affinis and P. serrata collected from A. agrarius. Sequence analysis revealed two Rickettsia species: Rickettsia helvetica and Rickettsia sp. The results of the study confirm the presence of Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. in lice collected from rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michal Stanko
- Department of Vector-Borne Diseases, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak Republic
| | - Jana Fričová
- Department of Vector-Borne Diseases, Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovak Republic
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Zając Z, Bartosik K, Woźniak A. Monitoring Dermacentor reticulatus Host-Seeking Activity in Natural Conditions. INSECTS 2020; 11:E264. [PMID: 32344927 PMCID: PMC7290311 DOI: 10.3390/insects11050264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites of humans and animals. These arthropods employ different strategies in their host-seeking activity; most often, it is the "nest"- and "pasture-questing" behaviour. Some species, e.g., Dermacentor reticulatus, exhibit both types of activity depending on their developmental stage. The aim of the present study was to investigate the host-seeking activity of adult D. reticulatus ticks in the eastern part of Poland. To this end, ticks were collected with the flagging method during their seasonal activity in three different types of habitat. Active specimens were marked with a permanent marker and then released. This was repeated consistently at 7-day intervals using a different colour of the marker each time, which allowed tracking the questing activity of the specimens. Most frequently, repetitive tick activity (repeated up to seven times) was noted in a locality surrounded by urban developments. In an agriculturally unused open meadow habitat, 69.9% of D. reticulatus ticks were found to undertake questing activity only once. D. reticulatus females proved to be more aggressive and determined to find a host than the males of this species. Adult D. reticulatus ticks are able to stay in the habitat for a long time and undertake multiple host-seeking activities. The greatest threat of attacks on animals, including domestic animals, and sporadically humans, by these ticks occurs in meadow habitats, which are preferred by this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zbigniew Zając
- Chair and Department of Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwillowska 11 St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland
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Mardosaitė-Busaitienė D, Radzijevskaja J, Balčiauskas L, Bratchikov M, Jurgelevičius V, Paulauskas A. Prevalence and diversity of Bartonella species in small rodents from coastal and continental areas. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12349. [PMID: 31451710 PMCID: PMC6710269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48715-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, Bartonella infections are known to inflict a wide range of mammals and, within rodents alone, more than 20 Bartonella species have been detected. There is, however, a lack of studies on the presence of Bartonella spp. in rodents in the Baltic region. We analysed 580 individuals belonging to eight small rodent species trapped in coastal and continental areas of Lithuania during 2015-2016. The presence of Bartonella DNA was examined by real-time PCR targeting the ssrA gene. The molecular characterization of the bacteria strains was based on sequence analysis of two housekeeping genes (rpoB, groEL) and the intergenic spacer region (ITS). For the rodents overall, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. was 54.8%, while the prevalence figures for each of the individual species were 8.3% in M. musculus, 15.8% in A. agrarius, 33.3% in M. arvalis, 42.4% in M. glareolus, 53.4% in M. oeconomus, 57.5% in M. minutus, 79.6% in A. flavicollis to 80% in M. agrestis. Sequence analysis revealed that the Bartonella strains belonged to the B. grahamii, B. taylorii, B. rochalimae, B. tribocorum, B. coopersplainsensis and B. doshiae genogroups. The highest Bartonella infection rates and the highest species diversity were both detected in rodents captured in the coastal area. To our knowledge, these are the first reports of the presence of B. coopersplainsensis, B. doshiae and B. tribocorum in Lithuania.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jana Radzijevskaja
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT- 44404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Linas Balčiauskas
- Laboratory of Mammalian Ecology, Nature Research Centre, Akademijos st. 2, LT-08412, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Maksim Bratchikov
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT- 44404, Kaunas, Lithuania.,Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M.K. Čiurlionio g. 21/27, LT-03101, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vaclovas Jurgelevičius
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT- 44404, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Algimantas Paulauskas
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT- 44404, Kaunas, Lithuania.
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Dwużnik D, Mierzejewska EJ, Drabik P, Kloch A, Alsarraf M, Behnke JM, Bajer A. The role of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks as vectors of microorganisms and the problem of 'meal contamination'. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2019; 78:181-202. [PMID: 31119415 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-019-00380-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks inhabit nests and burrows of their rodent hosts and cannot be collected from vegetation. To detect vertical transmission of Babesia canis in D. reticulatus, we studied larvae and nymphs collected from rodents. However, the molecular techniques used for detection of pathogen DNA are sensitive enough to detect not only pathogens vectored by ticks but also those taken up with current or previous blood meals ('meal contamination') or just present in the environment and on the tick or host surface ('environmental contaminations'). Thus, an additional aim of our study was to evaluate the extent of such contamination while studying feeding ticks collected from rodents. Juvenile D. reticulatus were collected from 140 rodents: 91 bank voles trapped in two forest sites in the Mazury Lake District and 49 rodents (Apodemus and Microtus spp.) from an open habitat near the town of Białobrzegi in Central Poland. Altogether 504 D. reticulatus ticks, comprising 266 individually evaluated nymphs and 238 larvae assigned to 50 larval pools, were studied for the presence of Babesia, Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. DNA. Statistical analyses were conducted to (1) evaluate the effect of rodent host factors (species, sex and age) on prevalence of infection in ticks, and (2) to compare the frequency of positive samples between groups of pathogen-positive and pathogen-negative rodent hosts. To complete the last aim, blood samples obtained from 49 rodents from Białobrzegi were studied for the presence of Babesia and Bartonella DNA. Infestation of rodent hosts with juvenile ticks ranged between 46 and 78%, with a mean abundance of 3.6 ticks/rodent for D. reticulatus and 4.8 ticks/rodent for Ixodes ricinus. The highest prevalence of PCR-positive D. reticulatus samples was obtained for Rickettsia spp. (28%) and R. raoultii was identified in 22 sequenced PCR products. Babesia DNA was detected in 20 (7.5%), including B. microti in 18 (6.8%) and B. canis in two (0.8%) of 266 D. reticulatus nymphs that were analyzed. Babesia microti DNA was also detected in four pools of D. reticulatus larvae (4/50 pools = 8%). The detection success of B. microti in D. reticulatus was associated with the species of the rodent hosts of the ticks (much higher for typical B. microti-host-species such as Microtus spp. than for Apodemus spp.) and host age (3 × higher in ticks collected from adult hosts in comparison to juvenile ones). Moreover, the DNA of B. microti was detected in 68% of D. reticulatus nymphs collected from B. microti-positive rodents in comparison to only 1.6% of nymphs collected from B. microti-negative rodents. Bartonella DNA was detected in 18% of D. reticulatus tick samples (38% of larval pools, 14% of nymphs). Again, host factors played important roles for 'tick positivity'-the highest prevalence of positive ticks was on Apodemus spp., which are regarded as Bartonella reservoirs. Bartonella DNA was detected in 42% of nymphs and 57% of larval pools collected from Bartonella-positive rodents in comparison to 28% of nymphs and 11% of larvae collected from Bartonella-negative rodents. Vertical transmission of B. canis in D. reticulatus ticks was confirmed in the field. Additionally, we demonstrated that 'meal contamination' generates a confounding signal in molecular detection of pathogen DNA extracted from ticks collected from infected hosts and must be taken into account in evaluating the competence of tick species as vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Dwużnik
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewa J Mierzejewska
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Drabik
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kloch
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mohammed Alsarraf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jerzy M Behnke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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Galfsky D, Król N, Pfeffer M, Obiegala A. Long-term trends of tick-borne pathogens in regard to small mammal and tick populations from Saxony, Germany. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:131. [PMID: 30909955 PMCID: PMC6434846 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3382-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodents are important in the life-cycle of ticks as hosts for immature developmental stages. Both rodents and ticks are of public health interest as they are reservoirs and vectors for different tick-borne pathogens (TBP). The aim of this study was to reassess the prevalence of TBP in previously studied areas of the city of Leipzig (Saxony, Germany). METHODS In the years 2015-2017 rodents and ticks were collected in parks and forest areas in Saxony. DNA was extracted from the rodents, attached and questing ticks. Samples were screened for the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.), "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" (CNM), Bartonella spp., Hepatozoon spp. and Rickettsia spp. using PCR methods. Rodent, attached nymph and questing tick (nymph and adult) samples were tested individually, while attached larvae were further processed in pools. RESULTS A total of 165 rodents (Apodemus agrarius, n = 1; A. flavicollis, n = 59; Arvicola terrestris, n = 1; Myodes glareolus, n = 104), 1256 attached ticks (Ixodes ricinus, n = 1164; Dermacentor reticulatus, n = 92) and 577 questing ticks (I. ricinus, n = 547; D. reticulatus, n = 30) were collected. The prevalence levels in rodents were 78.2% for Bartonella spp., 58.2% for CNM, 49.1% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) 29.1% for Rickettsia spp. and 24.2% for Hepatozoon spp. The minimal infection rates (MIR) in attached larvae ticks were 39.8% for Rickettsia spp., 32.7% for Bartonella spp., 7.1% for CNM and 8.8% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and the prevalence rates in attached nymphs were 33.7% for Bartonella spp., 52.9% for Rickettsia spp., 13.5% for CNM and 11.3% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) Both rodents and attached ticks were negative for Babesia spp. The prevalence in questing ticks was 18.2% for Rickettsia spp., 7.3% for CNM, 6.4% for B. burgdorferi (s.l.) and 1.4% for Babesia spp. All tested samples were Anaplasma-negative. Sequencing revealed the occurrence of 14 identified species. CONCLUSIONS This research is the first evaluation of the prevalence for Hepatozoon spp. in rodents from Germany. In comparison to earlier studies, detected pathogens species remained the same; however, the prevalence for particular pathogens differed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Galfsky
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Tołkacz K, Alsarraf M, Kowalec M, Dwużnik D, Grzybek M, Behnke JM, Bajer A. Bartonella infections in three species of Microtus: prevalence and genetic diversity, vertical transmission and the effect of concurrent Babesia microti infection on its success. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:491. [PMID: 30165879 PMCID: PMC6117881 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3047-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bartonella spp. cause persistent bacterial infections in mammals. Although these bacteria are transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods, there is also evidence for vertical transmission in their mammalian hosts. We aimed to determine: (i) the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella spp. in a Microtus spp. community; (ii) whether vertical transmission occurs from infected female voles to their offspring; (iii) the effect of concurrent Babesia microti infection on the success of vertical transmission of Bartonella; and (iv) the impact of congenital infection on pup survival. RESULTS We sampled 124 Microtus arvalis, 76 Microtus oeconomus and 17 Microtus agrestis. In total, 115 embryos were isolated from 21 pregnant females. In the following year 11 pregnant females were kept until they had given birth and weaned their pups (n = 62). Blood smears and PCR targeting the Bartonella-specific rpoB gene fragment (333bp) were used for the detection of Bartonella. Bartonella DNA was detected in 66.8% (145/217) of the wild-caught voles. Bartonella infection was detected in 81.8% (36/44) of pregnant female voles. Bartonella-positive individuals were identified among the embryos (47.1%; 40/85) and in 54.8% (34/62) of pups. Congenitally acquired Bartonella infections and co-infection with B. microti had no impact on the survival of pups over a 3-week period post partum. Among 113 Bartonella sequences, four species were detected: Bartonella taylorii, Bartonella grahamii, Bartonella doshiae and a Bartonella rochalimae-like genotype. Bartonella taylorii clade B was the dominant species in wild-caught voles (49%), pregnant females (47%), their embryos (85%), dams (75%) and pups (95%). CONCLUSIONS High prevalence of Bartonella spp. infection maintained in Microtus spp. community is followed by a high rate of vertical transmission of several rodent species of Bartonella in three species of naturally infected voles, M. arvalis, M. oeconomus and M. agrestis. Congenitally acquired Bartonella infection does not affect the survival of pups. Co-infection with B. microti does not affect the effectiveness of the vertical transmission of Bartonella in voles. Bartonella taylorii clade B was found to be the dominant species in wild-caught voles, including pregnant females and dams, and in their offspring, and was also found to be the most successful in vertical transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Tołkacz
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mohammed Alsarraf
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Kowalec
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Dwużnik
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Grzybek
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine in Gdynia, Medical University of Gdansk, Powstania Styczniowego 9, 81-512, Gdynia, Poland
| | - Jerzy M Behnke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
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11
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Špitalská E, Minichová L, Kocianová E, Škultéty Ľ, Mahríková L, Hamšíková Z, Slovák M, Kazimírová M. Diversity and prevalence of Bartonella species in small mammals from Slovakia, Central Europe. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:3087-3095. [PMID: 28975409 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5620-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Wild-living rodents are important hosts for zoonotic pathogens. Bartonella infections are widespread in rodents; however, in Slovakia, knowledge on the prevalence of these bacteria in small mammals is limited. We investigated the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella species in the spleens of 640 rodents of six species (Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus sylvaticus, Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis, Microtus subterraneus, and Micromys minutus) and in the European mole (Talpa europaea) from three different habitat types in south-western and central Slovakia. Overall, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in rodents was 64.8%; a rate of 73.8% was found in natural habitat (deciduous forest), 56.0% in suburban forest park and 64.9% in rural habitat. Bartonella spp. were detected in 63.0% of A. flavicollis, 69% of My. glareolus and 61.1% of M. arvalis and in T. europaea. However, Bartonella were not found in the other examined rodents. Molecular analyses of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region revealed the presence of four different Bartonella spp. clusters. We identified B. taylorii, B. rochalimae, B. elizabethae, B. grahamii and Bartonella sp. wbs11 in A. flavicollis and My. glareolus. Bartonella genotypes ascribed to B. taylorii and B. rochalimae were found in M. arvalis. B. taylorii was identified in T. europaea. Questing Ixodes ricinus ticks that were collected at the study sites were not infected with Bartonella. This study improves our understanding of the ecoepidemiology of Bartonella spp. in Europe and underlines the necessity for further research on Bartonella-host-vector associations and their consequences on animal and human health in Slovakia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Špitalská
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Lenka Minichová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Elena Kocianová
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ľudovít Škultéty
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 05, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Lenka Mahríková
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Hamšíková
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Mirko Slovák
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Mária Kazimírová
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia
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12
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Zoonotic pathogens in Atlantic Forest wild rodents in Brazil: Bartonella and Coxiella infections. Acta Trop 2017; 168:64-73. [PMID: 28077317 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Revised: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic pathogens comprise a significant and increasing fraction of all emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that plague humans. Identifying host species is one of the keys to controlling emerging infectious diseases. From March 2007 until April 2012, we collected a total of 131 wild rodents in eight municipalities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We investigated these rodents for infection with Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. In total, 22.1% (29/131) of the rodents were infected by at least one pathogen; co-infection was detected in 1.5% (2/131) of rodents. Coxiella burnetii was detected in 4.6% (6/131) of the wild animals, 17.6% of the rodents harbored Bartonella spp. No cases of Rickettsia were identified. Bartonella doshiae and Bartonella vinsonii were the species found on the wild mammals. This report is the first to note C. burnetii, B. doshiae and B. vinsonii natural infections in Atlantic Forest wild rodents in Brazil. Our work highlights the potential risk of transmission to humans, since most of the infected specimens belong to generalist species that live near human dwellings.
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Martin-Alonso A, Houemenou G, Abreu-Yanes E, Valladares B, Feliu C, Foronda P. Bartonellaspp. in Small Mammals, Benin. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:229-37. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2015.1838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aarón Martin-Alonso
- University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Gualbert Houemenou
- Unité de Recherche en Zoogéographie, Universite de Liège, Sart Tilman, Belgium
| | - Estefanía Abreu-Yanes
- University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Basilio Valladares
- University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Carlos Feliu
- Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
| | - Pilar Foronda
- University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
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Tadin A, Tokarz R, Markotić A, Margaletić J, Turk N, Habuš J, Svoboda P, Vucelja M, Desai A, Jain K, Lipkin WI. Molecular Survey of Zoonotic Agents in Rodents and Other Small Mammals in Croatia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015; 94:466-73. [PMID: 26711522 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.15-0517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Croatia is a focus for many rodent-borne zoonosis. Here, we report a survey of 242 rodents and small mammals, including 43 Myodes glareolus, 131 Apodemus flavicollis, 53 Apodemus agrarius, three Apodemus sylvaticus, six Sorex araneus, four Microtus arvalis, one Microtus agrestis, and one Muscardinus avellanarius, collected at eight sites in Croatia over an 8-year period. Multiplex MassTag polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for detection of Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Francisella tularensis, and Coxiella burnetii. Individual PCR assays were used for detection of Leptospira, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopoxviruses, flaviviruses, hantaviruses, and Toxoplasma gondii. Of the rodents, 52 (21.5%) were infected with Leptospira, 9 (3.7%) with Borrelia miyamotoi, 5 (2%) with Borrelia afzelii, 29 (12.0%) with Bartonella, 8 (3.3%) with Babesia microti, 2 (0.8%) with Ehrlichia, 4 (1.7%) with Anaplasma, 2 (0.8%) with F. tularensis, 43 (17.8%) with hantaviruses, and 1 (0.4%) with an orthopoxvirus. Other agents were not detected. Multiple infections were found in 32 rodents (13.2%): dual infections in 26 rodents (10.7%), triple infections in four rodents (2.9%), and quadruple infections in two rodents (0.8%). Our findings indicate that rodents in Croatia harbor a wide range of bacteria and viruses that are pathogenic to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ante Tadin
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Rafal Tokarz
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Alemka Markotić
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Josip Margaletić
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nenad Turk
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Josipa Habuš
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Petra Svoboda
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marko Vucelja
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Aaloki Desai
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Komal Jain
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - W Ian Lipkin
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Zagreb, Croatia; Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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15
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Mierzejewska EJ, Pawełczyk A, Radkowski M, Welc-Falęciak R, Bajer A. Pathogens vectored by the tick, Dermacentor reticulatus, in endemic regions and zones of expansion in Poland. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:490. [PMID: 26403456 PMCID: PMC4581476 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1099-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dermacentor reticulatus plays an important role in the maintenance of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance in the environment. Currently two isolated populations of D. reticulatus are present in Poland –Western and Eastern. The range of the Eastern population covers endemic areas in eastern Poland but this population is expanding westwards creating an expansion zone in the centre of the country. The expansion zone in western Poland is occupied by the recently discovered Western population, spreading eastwards. Methods Questing adult ticks (n = 2585) were collected in 2012–2014 in endemic regions of north-eastern (Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship) and central Poland (Masovian Voivodeship) and in the expansion zones in central and western Poland, in the region between the Vistula River and the western border of the country. Amplification of Babesia, Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNAs was performed using specific starters. RNA of the TBE virus was detected using RT-PCR and representative PCR products were sequenced and compared with sequences deposited in GenBank. Results Of the total 2585 examined ticks, 1197 (46.3 %) were infected with at least one pathogen. Overall prevalence of pathogens was 4.18 % (108/2585) for Babesia spp., 44.10 % (1140/2585) for Rickettsia spp., 0.09 % (1/1107) for Borrelia afzelii and 7.6 % (7/92) for TBEV. Sequence analysis of DNA showed 99.86 % similarity to R. raoulti and 99.81 % to B. canis. One male from north-eastern Poland was infected with B. microti. Prevalence of R. raoulti was highest in the Western population (52.03 %) and lowest in the Eastern population in north-eastern Poland (34.18 %). Babesia canis was not detected in 592 ticks collected in the Western population, while in the Eastern population overall prevalence was 5.42 %. There were significant differences in the prevalence of B. canis between tick samples from northern (0.68 %), central (1.18 %) and southern (14.8 %) areas of the expansion zone in central Poland. Conclusions Our study found significant differences between the range and prevalence of vectored pathogens in D. reticulatus from the endemic areas and newly inhabited expansion zones. The differences were likely associated with the different time of settlement or ‘source’ of ticks populations, the Eastern and the Western one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa J Mierzejewska
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Pawełczyk
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3c Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marek Radkowski
- Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3c Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Renata Welc-Falęciak
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
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16
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Gutiérrez R, Krasnov B, Morick D, Gottlieb Y, Khokhlova IS, Harrus S. Bartonella infection in rodents and their flea ectoparasites: an overview. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2015; 15:27-39. [PMID: 25629778 PMCID: PMC4307031 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies worldwide have reported a high prevalence and a great diversity of Bartonella species, both in rodents and their flea parasites. The interaction among Bartonella, wild rodents, and fleas reflects a high degree of adaptation among these organisms. Vertical and horizontal efficient Bartonella transmission pathways within flea communities and from fleas to rodents have been documented in competence studies, suggesting that fleas are key players in the transmission of Bartonella to rodents. Exploration of the ecological traits of rodents and their fleas may shed light on the mechanisms used by bartonellae to become established in these organisms. The present review explores the interrelations within the Bartonella-rodent-flea system. The role of the latter two components is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gutiérrez
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Boris Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Danny Morick
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Irina S. Khokhlova
- Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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17
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Bajer A, Welc-Falęciak R, Bednarska M, Alsarraf M, Behnke-Borowczyk J, Siński E, Behnke JM. Long-term spatiotemporal stability and dynamic changes in the haemoparasite community of bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in NE Poland. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2014; 68:196-211. [PMID: 24604428 PMCID: PMC4103999 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-014-0390-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Long-term field studies on parasite communities are rare but provide a powerful insight into the ecological and evolutionary processes shaping host-parasite interactions. The aim of our study was to identify the principal factors regulating long-term trends in the haemoparasite communities of bank voles, and to this end, we sampled three semi-isolated populations of bank voles (n = 880) in 1999, 2002, 2006 and 2010 in the Mazury lake district region of NE Poland. Overall, 90.8 % of the bank voles harboured at least one of the species of haemoparasites studied. Whilst overall prevalence (all species combined) did not vary significantly between the surveys, different temporal changes were detected among voles in each of the three sites. In voles from Urwitałt, prevalence increased consistently with successive surveys, whereas in Tałty, the peak years were 2002 and 2006, and in Pilchy, prevalence oscillated without a clear pattern. Across the study, bank voles harboured a mean of 1.75 ± 0.034 haemoparasite species, and species richness remained stable with no significant between-year fluctuations or trends. However, each of the five constituent species/genera showed a different pattern of spatio-temporal changes. The overall prevalence of Babesia microti was 4.9 %, but this varied significantly between years peaking in 2006 and declining again by 2010. For Bartonella spp., overall prevalence was 38.7 %, and this varied with year of study, but the temporal pattern of changes differed among the three sites. The overall prevalence of Haemobartonella (Mycoplasma) was 68.3 % with an increase in prevalence with year of study in all three sites. Hepatozoon erhardovae had an overall prevalence of 46.8 % but showed a marked reduction with each successive year of the study, and this was consistent in all three sites. The overall prevalence of Trypanosoma evotomys was 15.4 % varying significantly between sites, but showing temporal stability. While overall prevalence of all haemoparasites combined and species richness remained stable over the period of study, among the five haemoparasites, the pattern of spatiotemporal changes in prevalence and abundance of infections differed depending on parasite species. For some genera, host age was shown to play an important role, but a significant effect of host sex was found only for Haemobartonella spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bajer
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, 1 Miecznikowa Street, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland,
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18
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Ko S, Kang JG, Kim HC, Klein TA, Choi KS, Song JW, Youn HY, Chae JS. Prevalence, Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Bartonella Species in Republic of Korea. Transbound Emerg Dis 2014; 63:56-67. [PMID: 24661833 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
To determine the prevalence of Bartonella species and identify which species of Bartonella naturally infects the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) in the Republic of Korea (ROK), spleens from 200 mice were assayed by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) targeting the RNA polymerase subunit beta (rpoB) gene and the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region for members of the genus Bartonella. Utilizing PCR techniques, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. ranged from 31.5% (63/200) to 62.0% (124/200) for the rpoB and ITS gene fragments, respectively. The most prevalent species, Bartonella grahamii, was assigned to 17 genotypes and closely related to the zoonotic pathogens, B. taylorii, B. tribocorum, B. phoceensis and B. henselae, which also were detected. Two Bartonella isolates (KRBG28 and KRBG32) were recovered from blood of A. agrarius captured in Gyeonggi Province, ROK. Comparison of the 16S rRNA, hemin-binding protein E (hbpE), glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (gdh1), invasion-associated protein B (ialB), cell division protein (ftsZ), citrate synthase (gltA), 60 kDa heat shock protein (groEL), rpoB gene fragments and the ITS region sequences from the isolates with GenBank was confirmed as B. grahamii. Phylogenetic analysis based on the alignment of concatenated sequences (4933 bp) of KRBG28 and KRBG32 clustered with B. grahamii, forming an independent clade between Asian and American/European B. grahamii genogroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ko
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu Seoul, Korea
| | - J-G Kang
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu Seoul, Korea
| | - H-C Kim
- 5th Medical Detachment, 168th Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 65th Medical Brigade, APO AP, USA
| | - T A Klein
- Public Health Command Region-Pacific, Camp Zama Japan; 65th Medical Brigade, APO AP, USA
| | - K-S Choi
- School of Animal Science and Biotechnology, College of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Korea
| | - J-W Song
- Department of Microbiology, Institute for Viral Diseases and Bank for Pathogenic Viruses, College of Medicine, Korea University, Anam-Dong Sungbuk-Gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - H-Y Youn
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu Seoul, Korea
| | - J-S Chae
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu Seoul, Korea
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PCR characterization suggests that an unusual range of Bartonella species infect the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) in Central Europe. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:5082-4. [PMID: 23747696 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01013-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood samples from Apodemus agrarius from Poland yielded PCR amplicons of Bartonella species. These included B. grahamii, B. taylorii, and B. birtlesii, as is typical of European Apodemus, as well as B. elizabethae-like forms and a recombinant strain of B. taylorii, most closely related to an American isolate from Tamiasciurus hudsonicus.
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20
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Cat scratch disease caused by Bartonella grahamii in an immunocompromised patient. J Clin Microbiol 2013; 51:2781-4. [PMID: 23740723 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.00910-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella grahamii colonizes rodents worldwide and has been detected in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. Here, the first human B. grahamii infection confirmed by multilocus sequence typing is reported. The route of transmission and clinical picture of the patient are similar to those seen in patients with cat scratch disease, which is typically diagnosed as a Bartonella henselae infection.
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Welc-Falęciak R, Werszko J, Cydzik K, Bajer A, Michalik J, Behnke JM. Co-infection and genetic diversity of tick-borne pathogens in roe deer from Poland. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 13:277-88. [PMID: 23473225 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild species are essential hosts for maintaining Ixodes ticks and the tick-borne diseases. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence, the rate of co-infection with Babesia, Bartonella, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and the molecular diversity of tick-borne pathogens in roe deer in Poland. Almost half of the tested samples provided evidence of infection with at least 1 species. A. phagocytophilum (37.3%) was the most common and Bartonella (13.4%) the rarest infection. A total of 18.3% of all positive samples from roe deer were infected with at least 2 pathogens, and one-third of those were co-infected with A. phagocytophilum, Bartonella, and Babesia species. On the basis of multilocus molecular studies we conclude that: (1) Two different genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum, zoonotic and nonzoonotic, are widely distributed in Polish roe deer population; (2) the roe deer is the host for zoonotic Babesia (Bab. venatorum, Bab. divergens), closely related or identical with strains/species found in humans; (3) our Bab. capreoli and Bab. divergens isolates differed from reported genotypes at 2 conserved base positions, i.e., positions 631 and 663; and (4) this is the first description of Bart. schoenbuchensis infections in roe deer in Poland. We present 1 of the first complex epidemiological studies on the prevalence of Babesia, Bartonella, and A. phagocytophilum in naturally infected populations of roe deer. These game animals clearly have an important role as reservoir hosts of tick-borne pathogens, but the pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of the parasite genotypes hosted by roe deer requires further detailed investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Welc-Falęciak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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Meheretu Y, Leirs H, Welegerima K, Breno M, Tomas Z, Kidane D, Girmay K, de Bellocq JG. Bartonella prevalence and genetic diversity in small mammals from Ethiopia. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 13:164-75. [PMID: 23421888 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 500 small mammals were trapped at 3 localities in northern Ethiopia to investigate Bartonella infection prevalence and the genetic diversity of the Bartonella spp. We extracted total DNA from liver samples and performed PCR using the primers 1400F and 2300R targeting 852 bp of the Bartonella RNA polymerase beta subunit (rpoB) gene. We used a generalized linear mixed model to relate the probability of Bartonella infection to species, season, locality, habitat, sex, sexual condition, weight, and ectoparasite infestation. Overall, Bartonella infection prevalence among the small mammals was 34.0%. The probability of Bartonella infection varied significantly with species, sex, sexual condition, and some locality, but not with season, elevation, habitat type, animal weight, and ectoparasite infestation. In total, we found 18 unique Bartonella genotypes clustered into 5 clades, 1 clade exclusively Ethiopian, 2 clades clustered with genotypes from central and eastern Africa, and the remaining 2 clades clustered with genotypes and species from Africa and Asia. The close relatedness of several of our Bartonella genotypes obtained from the 3 dominant rodent species in Tigray with the pathogenic Bartonella elizabethae from Rattus spp. in Asia indicates a potential public health threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonas Meheretu
- University of Antwerp, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Belgium.
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Gundi VAKB, Kosoy MY, Makundi RH, Laudisoit A. Identification of diverse Bartonella genotypes among small mammals from Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2012; 87:319-26. [PMID: 22855765 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Small mammals from the Democratic Republic (DR) of the Congo and Tanzania were tested to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species. The presence of Bartonella DNA was assessed in spleen samples of the animals by rpoB- and gltA-polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). By rpoB-PCR, Bartonella was detected in 8 of 59 animals of DR Congo and in 16 of 39 Tanzanian animals. By gltA-PCR, Bartonella was detected in 5 and 15 animals of DR Congo and Tanzania, respectively. The gene sequences from Arvicanthis neumanni were closely related to Bartonella elizabethae. The genotypes from Lophuromys spp. and from Praomys delectorum were close to Bartonella tribocorum. Five genogroups were not genetically related to any known Bartonella species. These results suggest the need to conduct further studies to establish the zoonotic risks linked with those Bartonella species and, in particular, to verify whether these agents might be responsible for human cases of febrile illness of unknown etiology in Africa.
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The first cases of Bartonella bovis infection in cattle from Central Europe. Vet Microbiol 2012; 162:954-956. [PMID: 23063105 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2012.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Revised: 09/18/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Bartonella bovis was recently identified as a cause of bovine endocarditis, although Bartonella infections in natural hosts are usually asymptomatic. The disease is often misdiagnosed and is only discovered during the slaughtering process. In Europe B. bovis infections in cattle were reported only in France and Italy, nothing is known about the occurrence of B. bovis in cattle for the northern and eastern parts of Europe. The aim of our study was to search for Bartonella DNA in cattle in Central Europe (Poland) using three different loci (rpoB, ITS 16-23S rRNA, gltA). Our study resulted in the first detection of the asymptomatic B. bovis infection in 6.8% (12/177) of cattle in Central Europe. The potential role of B. bovis as a zoonotic agent for domestic animals and human diseases creates the need for further studies of these bacteria in natural and accidental hosts.
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Paziewska A, Siński E, Harris PD. Recombination, diversity and allele sharing of infectivity proteins between Bartonella species from rodents. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2012; 64:525-536. [PMID: 22419104 PMCID: PMC3391547 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-012-0033-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2011] [Accepted: 02/23/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The alpha-Proteobacterium Bartonella is a common parasite of voles and mice, giving rise to short-lived (4 weeks to 2 months) infections. Here, we report high sequence diversity in genes of the VirB/VirD type IV secretion system (T4SS), amongst Bartonella from natural rodent populations in NE Poland. The VirB5 protein is predicted to consist of three conserved alpha helices separated by loops of variable length which include numerous indels. The C-terminal domain includes repeat stretches of KEK residues, reflecting underlying homopolymeric stretches of adenine residues. A total of 16 variants of VirB5, associated with host identity, but not bacterial taxon, were identified from 22 Bartonella isolates. One was clearly a recombinant from two others, another included an insertion of two KEK repeats. The virB5 gene appears to evolve via both mutation and recombination, as well as slippage mediated insertion/deletion events. The recombinational units are thought to be relatively short, as there was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium between virB5 and the bepA locus only 5.5 kb distant. The diversity of virB5 is assumed to be related to immunological role of this protein in Bartonella infections; diversity of virB5 may assist persistence of Bartonella in the rodent population, despite the relatively short (3-4 weeks) duration of individual infections. It is clear from the distribution of virB5 and bepA alleles that recombination within and between clades is widespread, and frequently crosses the boundaries of conventionally recognised Bartonella species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Paziewska
- National Centre for Biosystematics, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172, Blindern, Oslo, Norway.
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Paziewska A, Harris PD, Zwolińska L, Bajer A, Siński E. Recombination within and between species of the alpha proteobacterium Bartonella infecting rodents. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2011; 61:134-145. [PMID: 20740281 PMCID: PMC3011088 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-010-9735-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2010] [Accepted: 08/03/2010] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Bartonella infections from wild mice and voles (Apodemus flavicollis, Mi. oeconomus, Microtus arvalis and Myodes glareolus) were sampled from a forest and old-field habitats of eastern Poland; a complex network of Bartonella isolates, referrable to B. taylorii, B. grahamii, B. birtlesii and B. doshiae, was identified by the sequencing of a gltA fragment, comparable to previous studies of Bartonella diversity in rodents. Nested clade analysis showed that isolates could be assigned to zero- and one-step clades which correlated with host identity and were probably the result of clonal expansion; however, sequencing of other housekeeping genes (rpoB, ribC, ftsZ, groEl) and the 16S RNA gene revealed a more complex situation with clear evidence of numerous recombinant events in which one or both Bartonella parents could be identified. Recombination within gltA was found to have generated two distinct variant clades, one a hybrid between B. taylorii and B. doshiae, the other between B. taylorii and B. grahamii. These recombinant events characterised the differences between the two-step and higher clades within the total nested cladogram, involved all four species of Bartonella identified in this work and appear to have played a dominant role in the evolution of Bartonella diversity. It is clear, therefore, that housekeeping gene phylogenies are not robust indicators of Bartonella diversity, especially when only a single gene (gltA or 16S RNA) is used. Bartonella clades infecting Microtus were most frequently involved in recombination and were most frequently tip clades within the cladogram. The role of Microtus in influencing the frequency of Bartonella recombination remains unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Paziewska
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland.
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Prevalence and genetic diversity of bartonella species detected in different tissues of small mammals in Nepal. Appl Environ Microbiol 2010; 76:8247-54. [PMID: 21037303 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01180-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonellae were detected in a total of 152 (23.7%) of 642 tissues from 108 (48.4%) of 223 small mammals trapped in several urban areas of Nepal. Based on rpoB and gltA sequence analyses, genotypes belonging to seven known Bartonella species and five genotypes not belonging to previously known species were identified in these animals.
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Abstract
In order to study which Bartonella genotypes are circulating among small mammals in Spain, we analyzed the spleens of 395 animals from three different areas-247 animals from the Basque Country (northern Spain), 121 animals from Catalonia (northeastern Spain), and 27 animals from Madrid (central Spain)-by a triplex PCR combined with a reverse line blot previously described by our group. The prevalence of Bartonella was 26.8% (106/395), and in 4.8% (19/395) of the animals more than one Bartonella genotype was detected. The study of gltA and the intergenic transcribed spacer in the positive samples demonstrated a large diversity, allowing the assignation of them into 22 genotypes. The most prevalent genotypes were 2 and 3, which are closely related to Bartonella taylorii. In addition, nine genotypes were associated with specific mammal species. Genotypes close to the zoonotic Bartonella grahamii, Bartonella elizabethae, and Bartonella rochalimae were also detected. Ten genotypes showed a percentage of similarity with known Bartonella species lower than 96%, suggesting the presence of potential new species. Further studies of the impact of these pathogens on human health and especially in cases of febrile illness in Spain are strongly recommended. Furthermore, our method has been updated with 21 new probes in a final panel of 36, which represents a robust molecular tool for clinical and environmental Bartonella studies.
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Bartonella genotypes in fleas (insecta: siphonaptera) collected from rodents in the negev desert, Israel. Appl Environ Microbiol 2010; 76:6864-9. [PMID: 20802081 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00879-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fleas collected from rodents in the Negev Desert in southern Israel were molecularly screened for Bartonella species. A total of 1,148 fleas, collected from 122 rodents belonging to six species, were pooled in 245 pools based on flea species, sex, and rodent host species. Two Bartonella gene fragments, corresponding to RNA polymerase B (rpoB) and citrate synthase (gltA), were targeted, and 94 and 74 flea pools were found positive by PCR, respectively. The Bartonella 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was also targeted, and 66 flea pools were found to be positive by PCR. Sixteen different Bartonella gltA genotypes were detected in 94 positive flea pools collected from 5 different rodent species, indicating that fleas collected from each rodent species can harbor several Bartonella genotypes. Based on gltA analysis, identified Bartonella genotypes were highly similar or identical to strains previously detected in rodent species from different parts of the world. A gltA fragment 100% similar to Bartonella henselae was detected in one flea pool. Another 2 flea pools contained gltA fragments that were closely related to B. henselae (98% similarity). The high sequence similarities to the zoonotic pathogen B. henselae warrant further investigation.
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The ecology of Bartonella spp. infections in two rodent communities in the Mazury Lake District region of Poland. Parasitology 2010; 137:1069-77. [PMID: 20388232 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182009992058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Prevalence and abundance of Bartonella spp. infections were studied over a 3-year period in woodland and grassland rodents in North-Eastern Poland. Prevalence of bacterial infections was similar in the two rodent communities, with one leading host species in each habitat (46.3% in Apodemus flavicollis versus 29.1% in Myodes glareolus in forest, or 36.9% in Microtus arvalis versus 13.7% in Mi. oeconomus in grassland). Prevalence/abundance of infections varied markedly across the 3 years with 2006 being the year of highest prevalence and abundance. Infections were more common during autumn months in My. glareolus and A. flavicollis, and in juvenile and young adult (age classes 1 and 2) My. glareolus and Mi. oeconomus than in adults (age class 3). Higher prevalence and abundance of Bartonella infections were found in male A. flavicollis in comparison to females. These data are discussed in relation to the parasite genotypes identified in this region and with respect to the role of various ecological factors influencing Bartonella spp. infections in naturally infected host populations.
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Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A. Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health. Crit Rev Microbiol 2009; 35:221-70. [DOI: 10.1080/10408410902989837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 455] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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