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Rodríguez-Pastor R, Hasik AZ, Knossow N, Bar-Shira E, Shahar N, Gutiérrez R, Zaman L, Harrus S, Lenski RE, Barrick JE, Hawlena H. Bartonella infections are prevalent in rodents despite efficient immune responses. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:315. [PMID: 37667323 PMCID: PMC10478473 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05918-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pathogens face strong selection from host immune responses, yet many host populations support pervasive pathogen populations. We investigated this puzzle in a model system of Bartonella and rodents from Israel's northwestern Negev Desert. We chose to study this system because, in this region, 75-100% of rodents are infected with Bartonella at any given time, despite an efficient immunological response. In this region, Bartonella species circulate in three rodent species, and we tested the hypothesis that at least one of these hosts exhibits a waning immune response to Bartonella, which allows reinfections. METHODS We inoculated captive animals of all three rodent species with the same Bartonella strain, and we quantified the bacterial dynamics and Bartonella-specific immunoglobulin G antibody kinetics over a period of 139 days after the primary inoculation, and then for 60 days following reinoculation with the same strain. RESULTS Contrary to our hypothesis, we found a strong, long-lasting immunoglobulin G antibody response, with protective immunological memory in all three rodent species. That response prevented reinfection upon exposure of the rodents to the same Bartonella strain. CONCLUSIONS This study constitutes an initial step toward understanding how the interplay between traits of Bartonella and their hosts influences the epidemiological dynamics of these pathogens in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Rodríguez-Pastor
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Adam Z Hasik
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Nadav Knossow
- The Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 849900, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Enav Bar-Shira
- Section of Immunology, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Naama Shahar
- The Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 849900, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Ricardo Gutiérrez
- National Reference Center for Bacteriology, Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA), Cartago, Costa Rica
| | - Luis Zaman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Center for the Study of Complex Systems (CSCS), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Richard E Lenski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jeffrey E Barrick
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- The Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 849900, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
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2
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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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3
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Ecology of Ixodes pacificus Ticks and Associated Pathogens in the Western United States. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11010089. [PMID: 35056037 PMCID: PMC8780575 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most important vector-borne disease in the United States and is increasing in incidence and geographic range. In the Pacific west, the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, 1943 is an important vector of the causative agent of Lyme disease, the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. Ixodes pacificus life cycle is expected to be more than a year long, and all three stages (larva, nymph, and adult) overlap in spring. The optimal habitat consists of forest cover, cooler temperatures, and annual precipitation in the range of 200–500 mm. Therefore, the coastal areas of California, Oregon, and Washington are well suited for these ticks. Immature stages commonly parasitize Western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) and gray squirrels (Sciurus griseus), while adults often feed on deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus h. columbianus). Ixodes pacificus carry several pathogens of human significance, such as Borrelia burgdorferi, Bartonella, and Rickettsiales. These pathogens are maintained in the environment by many hosts, including small mammals, birds, livestock, and domestic animals. Although a great deal of work has been carried out on Ixodes ticks and the pathogens they transmit, understanding I. pacificus ecology outside California still lags. Additionally, the dynamic vector–host–pathogen system means that new factors will continue to arise and shift the epidemiological patterns within specific areas. Here, we review the ecology of I. pacificus and the pathogens this tick is known to carry to identify gaps in our knowledge.
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4
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PARASITES OF AN ENDANGERED HARVEST MOUSE (REITHRODONTOMYS RAVIVENTRIS HALICOETES) IN A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MARSH. J Wildl Dis 2021; 58:122-136. [PMID: 34814173 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-21-00059] [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] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Disease may limit recovery of endangered species. We surveyed parasites in the federally endangered salt marsh harvest mouse (SMHM; Reithrodontomys raviventris halicoetes) and sympatric rodents in Suisun Marsh (Solano County, California, USA) from April 2018 through March 2019. We investigated individual SMHM risk factors (age, sex, reproductive status, and body condition) for infection and relationships among the estimated parasite prevalence and season and habitat management (natural tidal habitats versus diked, nontidal habitats). We captured 625 individual rodents, including 439 SMHM, and tested these for infection with Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Francisella tularensis, Leptospira spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., and Toxoplasma gondii by PCR. Over one-third (34.6%, confidence interval [CI], 30.2%-39.3%) of SMHM tested positive for at least one parasite. Four percent (CI, 2.8%-6.3%) of SMHM were infected with F. tularensis holarctica, a virulent bacterium that causes mortality in rodents shortly after infection. Additionally, we detected three species of Bartonella (B. henselae, B. rochalimae, B. vinsonii arupensis), Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Ballum, Cryptosporidium sp. (deer mouse [Peromyscus maniculatus] genotype), Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia intestinalis, and an unidentified Borrelia sp. The only parasite that was associated with habitat management was Bartonella spp., which was more prevalent in diked than tidal areas. Male SMHM were more likely to be parasitized than females, and individuals in modestly poor body condition were most likely to be infected with Bartonella spp. The estimated sample prevalence of multiple parasites varied by season and by host species. This is the first major parasite assessment in a long-endangered species, and these results will assist managers to incorporate parasitic disease into recovery planning and provide a critical baseline for future investigations, including how climatically induced habitat and species composition changes could alter disease dynamics.
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5
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Szewczyk T, Werszko J, Slivinska K, Laskowski Z, Karbowiak G. Molecular Detection of Bartonella spp. in Rodents in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine. Acta Parasitol 2021; 66:222-227. [PMID: 32948932 PMCID: PMC7985104 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-020-00276-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are obligate parasites of vertebrates. Their distribution range covers almost the entire world, from the Americas to Europe and Asia. Many Bartonella species use rodents as reservoirs, and while much is known about Bartonella infection of rodents in central Europe, its extent is poorly understood in Eastern Europe. METHODS The present study examines five rodent species (Apodemus flavicollis, Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis, Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus sylvaticus) in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine. Total of 36 small mammals were captured in September 2017. RESULTS The overall prevalence of Bartonella spp. was 38.9% (14/36) in rodents. Obtained four sequences from Apodemus flavicollis, were identical to Bartonella grahamii and B. taylorii. CONCLUSION This is the first report to confirm the presence of Bartonella spp. in rodents in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine by molecular methods. The sequences show similarity to Bartonella strains occurring in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Szewczyk
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Werszko
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Kateryna Slivinska
- I. I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Vul. B. Khmelnytskogo, 15, Kiev, 01030 Ukraine
| | - Zdzisław Laskowski
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Karbowiak
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland
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6
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Himsworth CG, Byers KA, Fernando C, Speerin L, Lee MJ, Hill JE. When the Sum of the Parts Tells You More Than the Whole: The Advantage of Using Metagenomics to Characterize Bartonella spp. Infections in Norway Rats ( Rattus norvegicus) and Their Fleas. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:584724. [PMID: 33195611 PMCID: PMC7658385 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.584724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are a reservoir for Bartonella spp. - a genus of zoonotic bacteria transmitted by hematophagous vectors, particularly fleas. Rats and fleas may be infected with more than one Bartonella species; however, mixed infections may be difficult to detect using culture and/or mono-locus PCR. We set out to characterize Bartonella spp. using gltA PCR and Sanger sequencing on blood (n = 480) and Nosopsyllus fasciatus flea pools (n = 200) obtained from a population of urban Norways rats from Vancouver, Canada. However, when contamination of a subset of flea pools necessitated the use of a second target (ssrA) and the results of gltA and ssrA were discordant, a metagenomic approach was used to better characterize the Bartonella spp. present in these samples and our objective transitioned to comparing data obtained via metagenomics to those from PCR/sequencing. Among the Bartonella spp.-positive rats (n = 95), 52 (55.3%), and 41 (43.6%) had Sanger sequences consistent with Bartonella tribocorum and Bartonella vinsonii, respectively. One rat had a mixed infection. All sequences from Bartonella spp.-positive flea pools (n = 85), were consistent with B. tribocorum, and re-analysis of 34 bloods of varying Bartonella spp. infection status (based gltA PCR and sequencing) using ssrA PCR showed that the assay was capable of identifying B. tribocorum but not B. vinsonii. Metagenomics analysis of a subset of PCR-positive blood samples (n = 70) and flea pools (n = 24) revealed that both B. tribocorum and B. vinsonii were circulating widely in the study population with 31/70 (44.3%) rats and 5/24 (2.1%) flea pools infected with both species. B. vinsonii, however, made up a smaller relative proportion of the reads for samples with mixed infections, which may be why it was generally not detected by genus-specific PCR and Sanger sequencing. Further analysis of 16S−23S ITS sequences amplified from a subset of samples identified the B. vinsonii strain as B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii type II. This demonstrates the value of a metagenomic approach for better characterizing the ecology and health risks associated with this bacterium, particularly given that the less dominant species, B. vinsonii is associated with greater pathogenicity in people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea G Himsworth
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative-British Columbia, Abbotsford, BC, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Animal Health Center, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Kaylee A Byers
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative-British Columbia, Abbotsford, BC, Canada.,Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Biodiversity Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Champika Fernando
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Laura Speerin
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Michael J Lee
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative-British Columbia, Abbotsford, BC, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Janet E Hill
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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7
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Brinkerhoff RJ, Rinsland HS, Sato S, Maruyama S, Ray C. Vector-Borne Pathogens in Ectoparasites Collected from High-Elevation Pika Populations. ECOHEALTH 2020; 17:333-344. [PMID: 33200238 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-020-01495-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The American pika, Ochotona princeps, is projected to decline throughout North America as climate change reduces its range, and pikas have already disappeared from several locations. In addition to climate, disease spillover from lower elevation mammalian species might affect pikas. We sampled pika fleas in Colorado and Montana across elevations ranging from 2896 to 3612 m and screened them for the presence of DNA from rodent-associated bacterial pathogens (Bartonella species and Yersinia pestis) to test the hypothesis that flea exchange between pikas and rodents may lead to occurrence of rodent-associated pathogens in pika ectoparasites. We collected 275 fleas from 74 individual pikas at 5 sites in Colorado and one site in Montana. We found that 5.5% of 275 pika fleas in this study tested positive for rodent-associated Bartonella DNA but that variation in Bartonella infection prevalence in fleas among sites was not driven by elevation. Specifically, we detected DNA sequences from two loci (gltA and rpoB) that are most similar to Bartonella grahamii isolates collected from rodents in Canada. We did not detect Y. pestis DNA in our survey. Our results demonstrate evidence of rodent-associated flea-borne bacteria in pika fleas. These findings are also consistent with the hypothesis that rodent-associated pathogens could be acquired by pikas. Flea-borne pathogen spillover from rodents to pikas has the potential to exacerbate the more direct effects of climate that have been suggested to drive pika declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Jory Brinkerhoff
- Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA, USA.
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
| | | | - Shingo Sato
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Soichi Maruyama
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Chris Ray
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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8
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Goodrich I, McKee C, Kosoy M. Longitudinal Study of Bacterial Infectious Agents in a Community of Small Mammals in New Mexico. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2020; 20:496-508. [PMID: 32159462 PMCID: PMC9536245 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2019.2550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Vector-borne bacterial diseases represent a substantial public health burden and rodents have been recognized as important reservoir hosts for many zoonotic pathogens. This study investigates bacterial pathogens in a small mammal community of the southwestern United States of America. Methods: A total of 473 samples from 13 wild rodent and 1 lagomorph species were tested for pathogens of public health significance: Bartonella, Brucella, Yersinia, Borrelia, Rickettsia spp., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Results: Three animals were positive for Yersinia pestis, and one Sylvilagus audubonii had a novel Borrelia sp. of the relapsing fever group. No Brucella, Rickettsia, or A. phagocytophilum infections were detected. Bartonella prevalence ranged between 0% and 87.5% by animal species, with 74.3% in the predominant Neotoma micropus and 78% in the second most abundant N. albigula. The mean duration of Bartonella bacteremia in mark-recaptured N. micropus and N. albigula was 4.4 months, ranging from <1 to 18 months, and differed among Bartonella genogroups. Phylogenetic analysis of the Bartonella citrate synthase gene (gltA) revealed 9 genogroups and 13 subgroups. Seven genogroups clustered with known or previously reported Bartonella species and strains while two were distant enough to represent new Bartonella species. We report, for the first time, the detection of Bartonella alsatica in North America in Sylvilagus audubonii and expand the known host range of Bartonella washoensis to include Otospermophilus variegatus. Interpretation and Conclusion: This work broadens our knowledge of the hosts and geographic range of bacterial pathogens that could guide future surveillance efforts and improves our understanding of the dynamics of Bartonella infection in wild small mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Goodrich
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Clifton McKee
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Michael Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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9
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Gutiérrez R, Shalit T, Markus B, Yuan C, Nachum-Biala Y, Elad D, Harrus S. Bartonella kosoyi sp. nov. and Bartonella krasnovii sp. nov., two novel species closely related to the zoonotic Bartonella elizabethae, isolated from black rats and wild desert rodent-fleas. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2020; 70:1656-1665. [PMID: 32100689 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.003952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Bartonella (Family: Bartonellaceae; Order: Rhizobiales; Class: Alphaproteobacteria) comprises facultative intracellular Gram-negative, haemotropic, slow-growing, vector-borne bacteria. Wild rodents and their fleas harbor a great diversity of species and strains of the genus Bartonella, including several zoonotic ones. This genetic diversity coupled with a fastidious nature of the organism results in a taxonomic challenge that has led to a massive collection of uncharacterized strains. Here, we report the genomic and phenotypic characterization of two strains, members of the genus Bartonella (namely Tel Aviv and OE 1-1), isolated from Rattus rattus rats and Synosternus cleopatrae fleas, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed rod-shaped bacteria with polar pili, lengths ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 µm and widths ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 µm. OE 1-1 and Tel Aviv strains contained one single chromosome of 2.16 and 2.23 Mbp and one plasmid of 29.0 and 41.5 Kbp, with average DNA G+C contents of 38.16 and 38.47 mol%, respectively. These strains presented an average nucleotide identity (ANI) of 89.9 %. Bartonella elizabethae was found to be the closest phylogenetic relative of both strains (ANI=90.9-93.6 %). The major fatty acids identified in both strains were C18:1ω7c, C18 : 0 and C16 : 0. They differ from B. elizabethae in their C17 : 0 and C15 : 0 compositions. Both strains are strictly capnophilic and their biochemical profiles resembled those of species of the genus Bartonella with validly published names, whereas differences in arylamidase activities partially assisted in their speciation. Genomic and phenotypic differences demonstrate that OE 1-1 and Tel Aviv strains represent novel individual species, closely related to B. elizabethae, for which we propose the names Bartonella kosoyi sp. nov. and Bartonella krasnovii sp. nov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gutiérrez
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Tali Shalit
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Barak Markus
- The Nancy and Stephen Grand Israel National Center for Personalized Medicine, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Congli Yuan
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yaarit Nachum-Biala
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
| | - Daniel Elad
- The Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, 7610000, Israel
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10
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Chochlakis D, Cutler S, Giadinis N, Psaroulaki A. Bartonella vinsonii subsp. arupensis infection in animals of veterinary importance, ticks and biopsy samples. New Microbes New Infect 2020; 34:100652. [PMID: 32071727 PMCID: PMC7013009 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2020.100652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Testing for vector-borne pathogens in livestock is largely reliant upon blood and tissue. The role of biopsy samples remains poorly explored for detecting tick-borne bacteria in animals. In a 2-year survey, animals of veterinary importance from farms throughout the northern part of Greece were routinely checked for the presence of biopsy samples. Where detected, either a portion or a biopsy was collected together with whole blood samples and any ticks at the site of the biopsy sample. Molecular testing was carried out by real-time PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer gene of Bartonella species. A total of 68 samples (28 blood samples, 28 biopsy samples and 12 ticks (nine Rhipicephalus bursa and three Rhipicephalus turanicus)) were collected from goats (64 samples) and cattle (four samples). Eight (11.8%) of the 68 samples were positive for Bartonella species. Of the biopsy and whole blood samples, four (14.3%) of each type were positive for Bartonella species. None of the ticks tested positive for Bartonella species. All pairs of positive biopsy samples/whole blood samples originated from the same animals. Positive samples were identified as Bartonella vinsonii subsp. arupensis. Although many more samples from a much wider spectrum of animal species is required before concluding upon the merit of biopsy samples in the study of tick-borne diseases, the significance of our finding warrants further study, both for clinical consequences in small ruminants and for those humans who are farming infected animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Chochlakis
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes – Staurakia, 71110, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - S. Cutler
- School of Health, Sports & Bioscience, University of East London, London, UK
| | - N.D. Giadinis
- Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - A. Psaroulaki
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Voutes – Staurakia, 71110, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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11
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Beckmann S, Engelbrecht M, Chavez F, Rojas G. Prevalence of zoonotic Bartonella among prairie rodents in Illinois. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Bartonella is a genus of gram-negative bacteria that includes a variety of human and veterinary pathogens. These pathogens are transmitted from reservoirs to secondary hosts through the bite of arthropod vectors including lice and fleas. Once in the secondary host, the bacteria cause a variety of pathologies including cat-scratch disease, endocarditis, and myocarditis. Reservoirs of these bacteria are numerous and include several species of large mammals, mesocarnivores, and small mammals. Research on reservoirs of these bacteria has focused on western North America, Europe, and Asia, with little focus on the eastern and central United States. We assessed the prevalence of zoonotic Bartonella species among prairie-dwelling rodent species in the midwestern United States. Tissue samples (n = 700) were collected between 2015 and 2017 from five rodent species and screened for the presence of Bartonella DNA via PCR and sequencing of two loci using Bartonella-specific primers. Bartonella were prevalent among all five species, with 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) serving as a likely reservoir of the pathogen B. washoensis, and other rodents serving as reservoirs of the pathogens B. grahamii and B. vinsonii subsp. arupensis. These results demonstrate the value of studies of disease ecology in grassland systems, particularly in the context of habitat restoration and human–vector interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Beckmann
- Department of Biology, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, USA
| | - Malcolm Engelbrecht
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Rockford University, Rockford, IL, USA
| | - Fernanda Chavez
- Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Rockford University, Rockford, IL, USA
| | - Gissel Rojas
- Department of Biology, Stetson University, DeLand, FL, USA
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Gutiérrez R, Cohen C, Flatau R, Marcos-Hadad E, Garrido M, Halle S, Nachum-Biala Y, Covo S, Hawlena H, Harrus S. Untangling the knots: Co-infection and diversity ofBartonellafrom wild gerbils and their associated fleas. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:4787-4807. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gutiérrez
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Carmit Cohen
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology; Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Midreshet Ben-Gurion Israel
| | - Ron Flatau
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology; Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Midreshet Ben-Gurion Israel
| | - Evgeniya Marcos-Hadad
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology; Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Mario Garrido
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology; Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Midreshet Ben-Gurion Israel
| | - Snir Halle
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology; Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Midreshet Ben-Gurion Israel
| | - Yaarit Nachum-Biala
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Shay Covo
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology; Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture; The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Rehovot Israel
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology; 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; Rehovot Israel
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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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EVALUATING THE IMPACTS OF COINFECTION ON IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTION OF THE DEER MOUSE ( PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS) USING SIN NOMBRE VIRUS AND BARTONELLA AS MODEL PATHOGEN SYSTEMS. J Wildl Dis 2017; 54:66-75. [PMID: 28977767 DOI: 10.7589/2017-01-015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
: Simultaneous infections with multiple pathogens can alter the function of the host's immune system, often resulting in additive or synergistic morbidity. We examined how coinfection with the common pathogens Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and Bartonella sp. affected aspects of the adaptive and innate immune responses of wild deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus). Adaptive immunity was assessed by measuring SNV antibody production; innate immunity was determined by measuring levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood and the complement activity of plasma. Coinfected mice had reduced plasma complement activity and higher levels of CRP compared to mice infected with either SNV or Bartonella. However, antibody titers of deer mice infected with SNV were more than double those of coinfected mice. Plasma complement activity and CRP levels did not differ between uninfected deer mice and those infected with only Bartonella, suggesting that comorbid SNV and Bartonella infections act synergistically, altering the innate immune response. Collectively, our results indicated that the immune response of deer mice coinfected with both SNV and Bartonella differed substantially from individuals infected with only one of these pathogens. Results of our study provided unique, albeit preliminary, insight into the impacts of coinfection on immune system function in wild animal hosts and underscore the complexity of the immune pathways that exist in coinfected hosts.
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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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Gutiérrez R, Vayssier-Taussat M, Buffet JP, Harrus S. Guidelines for the Isolation, Molecular Detection, and Characterization of Bartonella Species. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2017; 17:42-50. [PMID: 28055575 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonellae are fastidious, facultative, intracellular vector-borne bacteria distributed among mammalian reservoirs worldwide. The pathogenic potential of many Bartonella spp. has increased the interest in these bacteria and advanced their research. Isolation of Bartonella spp. is laborious using classical bacteriological methods and requires specific conditions and prolonged incubation periods. In contrast, molecular methods for detection of Bartonella DNA are considered as more practical and sensitive than the former. Among the molecular methods, the use of real-time PCR assays for primary screening of Bartonella spp., followed by several molecular confirmatory assays, using either conventional or real-time PCR, is recommended. Although primary isolation of Bartonella is a laborious task, we encourage its application to all PCR-positive samples as this is the most reliable proof for the presence of live bacteria. Moreover, a successful trial will enable a broader molecular characterization and speciation of isolated colonies. The present guideline gathers and summarizes recommendations, including advantages and limitations of isolation and molecular detection of Bartonella from mammalian and arthropod samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gutiérrez
- 1 Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Jean-Philippe Buffet
- 2 INRA , UMR BIPAR INRA, Anses, ENVA 14 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Shimon Harrus
- 1 Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Rehovot, Israel
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André A, Mouton A, Millien V, Michaux J. Liver microbiome of Peromyscus leucopus, a key reservoir host species for emerging infectious diseases in North America. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2017; 52:10-18. [PMID: 28412525 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 03/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Microbiome studies generally focus on the gut microbiome, which is composed of a large proportion of commensal bacteria. Here we propose a first analysis of the liver microbiome using next generation sequencing as a tool to detect potentially pathogenic strains. We used Peromyscus leucopus, the main reservoir host species of Lyme disease in eastern North America, as a model and sequenced V5-V6 regions of the 16S gene from 18 populations in southern Quebec (Canada). The Lactobacillus genus was found to dominate the liver microbiome. We also detected a large proportion of individuals infected by Bartonella vinsonii arupensis, a human pathogenic bacteria responsible for endocarditis, as well as Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen responsible for Lyme disease in North America. We then compared the microbiomes among two P. leucopus genetic clusters occurring on either side of the St. Lawrence River, and did not detect any effect of the host genotype on their liver microbiome assemblage. Finally, we report, for the first time, the presence of B. burgdorferi in a small mammal host from the northern side of the St. Lawrence River, in support of models that have predicted the northern spread of Lyme disease in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- A André
- Conservation Genetics Laboratory, University of Liège, Boulevard du Rectorat 26, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Redpath Museum, McGill University, 859 Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC H3A OC4, Canada.
| | - A Mouton
- Conservation Genetics Laboratory, University of Liège, Boulevard du Rectorat 26, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - V Millien
- Redpath Museum, McGill University, 859 Sherbrooke West, Montreal, QC H3A OC4, Canada
| | - J Michaux
- Conservation Genetics Laboratory, University of Liège, Boulevard du Rectorat 26, 4000 Liège, Belgium; CIRAD, UR AGIRs, F-34398 Montpellier, France
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Calisher CH. Following the Yellow Brick Road. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 62:1-13. [PMID: 28141963 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-031616-034951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Charles Calisher was fascinated by microorganisms from the time he was in high school. He attended Stuyvesant High School in New York City, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now University of the Sciences) (BS), then University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana (MS), and finally Georgetown University, in Washington, DC (PhD), the latter while employed at a commercial biological house. He was hired by the US Communicable Disease Center (now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in Atlanta, Georgia, was transferred to its Fort Collins laboratories in 1973, and retired from there in 1992. After traveling the world a bit, Calisher joined the faculty of Colorado State University in 1993, then semiretired as professor emeritus in 2010. During all those years, he developed from a would-be virologist to an arbovirologist-epidemiologist, identifying scores of newly recognized viruses from throughout the world and helping to investigate disease outbreaks and epidemics. His interests (always primarily arboviruses but now also rodent-borne viruses and bat-borne viruses) continue to expand, and he continues to be involved in various aspects of virology and to assist and annoy journal editors and others in regard to viral taxonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Calisher
- Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523;
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Bai Y, Urushadze L, Osikowicz L, McKee C, Kuzmin I, Kandaurov A, Babuadze G, Natradze I, Imnadze P, Kosoy M. Molecular Survey of Bacterial Zoonotic Agents in Bats from the Country of Georgia (Caucasus). PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171175. [PMID: 28129398 PMCID: PMC5271587 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are important reservoirs for many zoonotic pathogens. However, no surveys of bacterial pathogens in bats have been performed in the Caucasus region. To understand the occurrence and distribution of bacterial infections in these mammals, 218 bats belonging to eight species collected from four regions of Georgia were examined for Bartonella, Brucella, Leptospira, and Yersinia using molecular approaches. Bartonella DNA was detected in 77 (35%) bats from all eight species and was distributed in all four regions. The prevalence ranged 6–50% per bat species. The Bartonella DNA represented 25 unique genetic variants that clustered into 21 lineages. Brucella DNA was detected in two Miniopterus schreibersii bats and in two Myotis blythii bats, all of which were from Imereti (west-central region). Leptospira DNA was detected in 25 (13%) bats that included four M. schreibersii bats and 21 M. blythii bats collected from two regions. The Leptospira sequences represented five genetic variants with one of them being closely related to the zoonotic pathogen L. interrogans (98.6% genetic identity). No Yersinia DNA was detected in the bats. Mixed infections were observed in several cases. One M. blythii bat and one M. schreibersii bat were co-infected with Bartonella, Brucella, and Leptospira; one M. blythii bat and one M. schreibersii bat were co-infected with Bartonella and Brucella; 15 M. blythii bats and three M. schreibersii bats were co-infected with Bartonella and Leptospira. Our results suggest that bats in Georgia are exposed to multiple bacterial infections. Further studies are needed to evaluate pathogenicity of these agents to bats and their zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lela Urushadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Lynn Osikowicz
- Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Clifton McKee
- Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Ivan Kuzmin
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Andrei Kandaurov
- Institute of Zoology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Giorgi Babuadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Ioseb Natradze
- Institute of Zoology, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Paata Imnadze
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Michael Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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Barbour AG. Infection resistance and tolerance in Peromyscus spp., natural reservoirs of microbes that are virulent for humans. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 61:115-122. [PMID: 27381345 PMCID: PMC5205561 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The widely-distributed North American species Peromyscus leucopus and P. maniculatus of cricetine rodents are, between them, important natural reservoirs for several zoonotic diseases of humans: Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, babesiosis, erhlichiosis, hard tickborne relapsing fever, Powassan virus encephalitis, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and plague. While these infections are frequently disabling and sometimes fatal for humans, the peromyscines display little pathology and apparently suffer few consequences, even when prevalence of persistent infection in a population is high. While these Peromyscus spp. are unable to clear some of the infections, they appear to have partial resistance, which limits the burden of the pathogen. In addition, they display traits of infection tolerance, which reduces the damage of the infection. Research on these complementary resistance and tolerance phenomena in Peromyscus has relevance both for disease control measures targeting natural reservoirs and for understanding the mechanisms of the comparatively greater sickness of many humans with these and other infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan G Barbour
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, 843 Health Sciences Drive, Irvine, CA 92697-4028, USA.
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Association of Bartonella Species with Wild and Synanthropic Rodents in Different Brazilian Biomes. Appl Environ Microbiol 2016; 82:7154-7164. [PMID: 27736785 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02447-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella spp. comprise an ecologically successful group of microorganisms that infect erythrocytes and have adapted to different hosts, which include a wide range of mammals, besides humans. Rodents are reservoirs of about two-thirds of Bartonella spp. described to date; and some of them have been implicated as causative agents of human diseases. In our study, we performed molecular and phylogenetic analyses of Bartonella spp. infecting wild rodents from five different Brazilian biomes. In order to characterize the genetic diversity of Bartonella spp., we performed a robust analysis based on three target genes, followed by sequencing, Bayesian inference, and maximum likelihood analysis. Bartonella spp. were detected in 25.6% (117/457) of rodent spleen samples analyzed, and this occurrence varied among different biomes. The diversity analysis of gltA sequences showed the presence of 15 different haplotypes. Analysis of the phylogenetic relationship of gltA sequences performed by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood showed that the Bartonella species detected in rodents from Brazil was closely related to the phylogenetic group A detected in other cricetid rodents from North America, probably constituting only one species. Last, the Bartonella species genogroup identified in the present study formed a monophyletic group that included Bartonella samples from seven different rodent species distributed in three distinct biomes. In conclusion, our study showed that the occurrence of Bartonella bacteria in rodents is much more frequent and widespread than previously recognized. IMPORTANCE In the present study, we reported the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in some sites in Brazil. The identification and understanding of the distribution of this important group of bacteria may allow the Brazilian authorities to recognize potential regions with the risk of transmission of these pathogens among wild and domestic animals and humans. In addition, our study accessed important gaps in the biology of this group of bacteria in Brazil, such as its low host specificity, high genetic diversity, and relationship with other Bartonella spp. detected in rodents trapped in America. Considering the diversity of newly discovered Bartonella species and the great ecological plasticity of these bacteria, new studies with the aim of revealing the biological aspects unknown until now are needed and must be performed around the world. In this context, the impact of Bartonella spp. associated with rodents in human health should be assessed in future studies.
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Schulte Fischedick FB, Stuckey MJ, Aguilar-Setién A, Moreno-Sandoval H, Galvez-Romero G, Salas-Rojas M, Arechiga-Ceballos N, Overgaauw PAM, Kasten RW, Chomel BB. Identification ofBartonellaSpecies Isolated from Rodents from Yucatan, Mexico, and Isolation ofBartonella vinsoniisubsp.yucatanensissubsp. nov. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2016; 16:636-42. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frederique B. Schulte Fischedick
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew J. Stuckey
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Alvaro Aguilar-Setién
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunología, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Hayde Moreno-Sandoval
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunología, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Guillermo Galvez-Romero
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunología, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mónica Salas-Rojas
- Unidad de Investigación Médica en Inmunología, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Paul A. M. Overgaauw
- Division of Veterinary Public Health, School of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rickie W. Kasten
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Bruno B. Chomel
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California
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Malania L, Bai Y, Osikowicz LM, Tsertsvadze N, Katsitadze G, Imnadze P, Kosoy M. Prevalence and Diversity of Bartonella Species in Rodents from Georgia (Caucasus). Am J Trop Med Hyg 2016; 95:466-471. [PMID: 27162268 PMCID: PMC4973202 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella infections are widespread and highly prevalent in rodents. Several rodent-associated Bartonella species have been related to human diseases. Recently, Bartonella species was reported as the etiology of a human case in the country of Georgia (Caucasus). However, information on Bartonella in rodents in Georgia is absent. Rodent hearts were collected from Georgia to investigate the presence and diversity of Bartonella species. Bartonella bacteria were cultured from 37.2% (16/43) of rodents examined, while Bartonella DNA was detected in 41.2% (28/68) of rodents by polymerase chain reaction targeting citrate synthase (gltA) gene. Sequences of gltA showed that rodents in this region harbored multiple Bartonella strains, including Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella tribocorum, Bartonella grahamii, and an unknown genogroup. The first three Bartonella species, known to be rat-associated and human cases linked, were commonly observed in wood mice (Apodemus [Sylvaemus] uralensis) (5/8 positive with B. elizabethae and B. tribocorum) and social voles (Microtus socialis) (4/6 positive with B. grahamii and B. elizabethae) in this study. The frequent distribution of these Bartonella species suggests that they may contribute to unidentified clinical infections. The unknown genogroup was observed in 24 Bartonella isolates and/or DNA extracts from heart tissues, all of which were obtained from Libyan jirds (Meriones libycus). Further characterization of the bacterial cultures based on sequence analysis of four additional genes (ftsZ, nuoG, rpoB, and ssrA) supported that the jird-associated Bartonella strains comprise a distinct monophyletic clade. The impact of this bacterium on wildlife and human health needs to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lile Malania
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Ying Bai
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Lynn M Osikowicz
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Nikoloz Tsertsvadze
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Guram Katsitadze
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Paata Imnadze
- General Bacteriology Laboratory, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
| | - Michael Kosoy
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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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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Molecular epidemiology ofBartonellaspecies isolated from ground squirrels and other rodents in northern California. Epidemiol Infect 2016; 144:1837-44. [DOI: 10.1017/s0950268816000108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYBartonellaspp. are endemic in wild rodents in many parts of the world. A study conducted in two northern California counties (Sonoma and Yolo) sampling California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) and four other rodent species (Peromyscus maniculatus, P. boylii, P. trueiandNeotoma fuscipes) led to the isolation of small Gram-negative bacilli which were identified asBartonellaspp. based on colony morphology, polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) and partial gene sequencing. Overall,Bartonellaspp. were isolated from the blood of 71% (32/45) of the ground squirrels and one third (22/66) of the other rodents. PCR–RFLP analysis of thegltA and 16S rRNA genes yielded seven unique profiles, four for the ground squirrels and three for the other rodents. Isolates from each PCR–RFLP profiles were submitted for partial sequencing. Ground squirrel isolates were most closely related toB. washoensis, whereas the other rodent isolates were closest toB. vinsoniisubsp.vinsoniiandB. vinsoniisubsp.arupensis. Two of these three species or subspecies are known zoonotic agents.
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Favacho ARDM, Andrade MN, de Oliveira RC, Bonvicino CR, D'Andrea PS, de Lemos ERS. Zoonotic Bartonella species in wild rodents in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Microbes Infect 2015; 17:889-92. [PMID: 26344604 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2015.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Several rodent-associated Bartonella species cause disease in humans but little is known about their epidemiology in Brazil. The presence of Bartonella spp. in wild rodents captured in two municipalities of the Mato Grosso do Sul state was assessed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fragments of heart tissue from 42 wild rodents were tested using primers targeting the Bartonella 16S-23S intergenic transcribed spacer (ITS) region and citrate synthase gltA gene. The wild rodents were identified based on external and cranial morphology and confirmed at species level by mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome B) sequencing and karyotype. Overall, 42.9% (18/42) of the wild rodents were PCR positive for Bartonella spp.: Callomys callosus (04), Cerradomys maracajuensis (04), Hylaeamus megacephalus (01), Necromys lasiurus (06), Nectomys squamipes (01), Oecomys catherinae (01) and Oxymycterus delator (01). Bartonella vinsonii subsp. arupensis was detected in N. lasiurus (46%) and C. callosus (21%) captured in the two study sites. We reported the first molecular detection of B. vinsonii subsp. arupensis in different species of wild rodents collected in the Brazilian territory. Further studies are needed to examine the role of these mammals in the eco-epidemiology of bartonellosis in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcelle Novaes Andrade
- Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - Renata Carvalho de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - Cibele Rodrigues Bonvicino
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil; Instituto Nacional do Câncer (INCA), Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sergio D'Andrea
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
| | - Elba Regina Sampaio de Lemos
- Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Brazil
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27
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Cohen C, Einav M, Hawlena H. Path analyses of cross-sectional and longitudinal data suggest that variability in natural communities of blood-associated parasites is derived from host characteristics and not interspecific interactions. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:429. [PMID: 26286391 PMCID: PMC4545369 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1029-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The parasite composition of wild host individuals often impacts their behavior and physiology, and the transmission dynamics of pathogenic species thereby determines disease risk in natural communities. Yet, the determinants of parasite composition in natural communities are still obscure. In particular, three fundamental questions remain open: (1) what are the relative roles of host and environmental characteristics compared with direct interactions between parasites in determining the community composition of parasites? (2) do these determinants affect parasites belonging to the same guild and those belonging to different guilds in similar manners? and (3) can cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses work interchangeably in detecting community determinants? Our study was designed to answer these three questions in a natural community of rodents and their fleas, ticks, and two vector-borne bacteria. METHODS We sampled a natural population of Gerbillus andersoni rodents and their blood-associated parasites on two occasions. By combining path analysis and model selection approaches, we then explored multiple direct and indirect paths that connect (i) the environmental and host-related characteristics to the infection probability of a host by each of the four parasite species, and (ii) the infection probabilities of the four species by each other. RESULTS Our results suggest that the majority of paths shaping the blood-associated communities are indirect, mostly determined by host characteristics and not by interspecific interactions or environmental conditions. The exact effects of host characteristics on infection probability by a given parasite depend on its life history and on the method of sampling, in which the cross-sectional and longitudinal methods are complementary. CONCLUSIONS Despite the awareness of the need of ecological investigations into natural host-vector-parasite communities in light of the emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne diseases, we lack sampling methods that are both practical and reliable. Here we illustrated how comprehensive patterns can be revealed from observational data by applying path analysis and model selection approaches and combining cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. By employing this combined approach on blood-associated parasites, we were able to distinguish between direct and indirect effects and to predict the causal relationships between host-related characteristics and the parasite composition over time and space. We concluded that direct interactions within the community play only a minor role in determining community composition relative to host characteristics and the life history of the community members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmit Cohen
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel.
| | - Monica Einav
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel.
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel.
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
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28
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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: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [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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29
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Rubio AV, Ávila-Flores R, Osikowicz LM, Bai Y, Suzán G, Kosoy MY. Prevalence and Genetic Diversity ofBartonellaStrains in Rodents from Northwestern Mexico. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2014; 14:838-45. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- André V. Rubio
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Rafael Ávila-Flores
- División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Tabasco, México
| | - Lynn M. Osikowicz
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Gerardo Suzán
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, México
| | - Michael Y. Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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30
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Buffet JP, Kosoy M, Vayssier-Taussat M. Natural history of Bartonella-infecting rodents in light of new knowledge on genomics, diversity and evolution. Future Microbiol 2013; 8:1117-28. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb.13.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the 33 confirmed Bartonella species to date, more than half are hosted by rodent species, and at least five of them have been involved in human illness causing diverse symptoms including fever, myocarditis, endocarditis, lymphadenitis and hepatitis. In almost all countries, wild rodents are infected by extremely diverse Bartonella strains with a high prevalence. In the present paper, in light of new knowledge on rodent-adapted Bartonella species genomics, we bring together knowledge gained in recent years to have an overview of the impact of rodent-adapted Bartonella infection on humans and to determine how diversity of Bartonella helps to understand their mechanisms of adaptation to rodents and the consequences on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Buffet
- USC Bipar, Bartonella et Tiques, INRA, Anses, 23 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94 700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Michael Kosoy
- Centers for Diseases Control & Prevention, Division of Vector Borne Infections, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Muriel Vayssier-Taussat
- USC Bipar, Bartonella et Tiques, INRA, Anses, 23 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94 700 Maisons-Alfort, France
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31
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Buffet JP, Pisanu B, Brisse S, Roussel S, Félix B, Halos L, Chapuis JL, Vayssier-Taussat M. Deciphering bartonella diversity, recombination, and host specificity in a rodent community. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68956. [PMID: 23894381 PMCID: PMC3722228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Host-specificity is an intrinsic feature of many bacterial pathogens, resulting from a long history of co-adaptation between bacteria and their hosts. Alpha-proteobacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella infect the erythrocytes of a wide range of mammal orders, including rodents. In this study, we performed genetic analysis of Bartonella colonizing a rodent community dominated by bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) in a French suburban forest to evaluate their diversity, their capacity to recombine and their level of host specificity. Following the analysis of 550 rodents, we detected 63 distinct genotypes related to B. taylorii, B. grahamii, B. doshiae and a new B. rochalimae-like species. Investigating the most highly represented species, we showed that B. taylorii strain diversity was markedly higher than that of B. grahamii, suggesting a possible severe bottleneck for the latter species. The majority of recovered genotypes presented a strong association with either bank voles or wood mice, with the exception of three B. taylorii genotypes which had a broader host range. Despite the physical barriers created by host specificity, we observed lateral gene transfer between Bartonella genotypes associated with wood mice and Bartonella adapted to bank voles, suggesting that those genotypes might co-habit during their life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benoît Pisanu
- UMR 7204 MNHN-CNRS-P6, Conservation des Espèces, Restauration et Suivi des Populations, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Brisse
- Genotyping of Pathogens and Public Health, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Roussel
- Laboratory for Food Safety, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Benjamin Félix
- Laboratory for Food Safety, Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail (ANSES), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Jean-Louis Chapuis
- UMR 7204 MNHN-CNRS-P6, Conservation des Espèces, Restauration et Suivi des Populations, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Vaumourin E, Gasqui P, Buffet JP, Chapuis JL, Pisanu B, Ferquel E, Vayssier-Taussat M, Vourc'h G. A probabilistic model in cross-sectional studies for identifying interactions between two persistent vector-borne pathogens in reservoir populations. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66167. [PMID: 23840418 PMCID: PMC3688727 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In natural populations, individuals are infected more often by several pathogens than by just one. In such a context, pathogens can interact. This interaction could modify the probability of infection by subsequent pathogens. Identifying when pathogen associations correspond to biological interactions is a challenge in cross-sectional studies where the sequence of infection cannot be demonstrated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here we modelled the probability of an individual being infected by one and then another pathogen, using a probabilistic model and maximum likelihood statistics. Our model was developed to apply to cross-sectional data, vector-borne and persistent pathogens, and to take into account confounding factors. Our modelling approach was more powerful than the commonly used Chi-square test of independence. Our model was applied to detect potential interaction between Borrelia afzelii and Bartonella spp. that infected a bank vole population at 11% and 57% respectively. No interaction was identified. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The modelling approach we proposed is powerful and can identify the direction of potential interaction. Such an approach can be adapted to other types of pathogens, such as non-persistents. The model can be used to identify when co-occurrence patterns correspond to pathogen interactions, which will contribute to understanding how organism communities are assembled and structured. In the long term, the model's capacity to better identify pathogen interactions will improve understanding of infectious risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Vaumourin
- INRA, UR346 Epidémiologie Animale, Saint Genès Champanelle, France.
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33
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Sherlock C, Xifara T, Telfer S, Begon M. A coupled hidden Markov model for disease interactions. J R Stat Soc Ser C Appl Stat 2013; 62:609-627. [PMID: 24223436 PMCID: PMC3813975 DOI: 10.1111/rssc.12015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To investigate interactions between parasite species in a host, a population of field voles was studied longitudinally, with presence or absence of six different parasites measured repeatedly. Although trapping sessions were regular, a different set of voles was caught at each session, leading to incomplete profiles for all subjects. We use a discrete time hidden Markov model for each disease with transition probabilities dependent on covariates via a set of logistic regressions. For each disease the hidden states for each of the other diseases at a given time point form part of the covariate set for the Markov transition probabilities from that time point. This allows us to gauge the influence of each parasite species on the transition probabilities for each of the other parasite species. Inference is performed via a Gibbs sampler, which cycles through each of the diseases, first using an adaptive Metropolis-Hastings step to sample from the conditional posterior of the covariate parameters for that particular disease given the hidden states for all other diseases and then sampling from the hidden states for that disease given the parameters. We find evidence for interactions between several pairs of parasites and of an acquired immune response for two of the parasites.
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34
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Breitschwerdt EB, Linder KL, Day MJ, Maggi RG, Chomel BB, Kempf VAJ. Koch's postulates and the pathogenesis of comparative infectious disease causation associated with Bartonella species. J Comp Pathol 2013; 148:115-25. [PMID: 23453733 PMCID: PMC7094375 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2012.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2012] [Revised: 11/26/2012] [Accepted: 01/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
In his homage to Lucretius (‘Georgica’), Vergil is credited with stating: ‘Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas’ (‘Fortunate is he who knows the causes of things’). Based on numerous commentaries and publications it is obvious that clinicians, diagnosticians and biomedical research scientists continue to struggle with disease causation, particularly in the assessment of the pathogenic role of ‘stealth pathogens’ that produce persistent infections in the host. Bartonella species, because of their evolutionary ability to induce persistent intravascular infections, present substantial challenges for researchers attempting to clarify the ability of these stealth bacteria to cause disease. By studying the comparative biological and pathological behaviour of microbes across mammalian genera, researchers might be able more rapidly to advance medical science and, subsequently, patient care by undertaking focused research efforts involving a single mammalian species or by attempting to recapitulate a complex disease in an rodent model. Therefore, in an effort to further assist in the establishment of disease causation by stealth pathogens, we use recent research observations involving the genus Bartonella to propose an additional postulate of comparative infectious disease causation to Koch's postulates.
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Affiliation(s)
- E B Breitschwerdt
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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35
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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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36
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Experimental infection of laboratory mice with two Bartonella tribocorum strains from wild Mus species: a homologous host-bacteria model system at the genus level. Parasitology 2012; 140:61-8. [PMID: 22938938 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182012001333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
To date no experimental infection studies have been conducted in laboratory mice using Mus spp. bartonella strains. Therefore we designed a study to evaluate the in vivo infection characteristics of 2 Bartonella tribocorum strains from wild Mus spp. in laboratory mice with the aim of developing a mouse model that reproduces characteristics of naturally acquired bartonella infections in rodents. Groups of outbred CD1 female mice were subcutaneously inoculated with low doses of 2 mouse bartonella strains (10, 100, and 1000 bacteria/mouse). Blood was collected weekly for 27 weeks to evaluate bacteraemia kinetics in infected mice. Mouse urine collected during weeks 3-6 post-inoculation was also tested for viable bacteria to determine whether urine might serve as a source of bacterial transmission. Mice were susceptible to infection with both strains. Bacteraemias in mice lasted up to 25 weeks, sometimes with abacteraemic intervals, and achieved levels up to 107 cfu/ml of blood. Temporal lags in bacteraemia onset of up to 19 weeks in length were noted at different inoculum doses. No viable bacteria were detected in mouse urine. Bacteraemic mice displayed characteristics of infection similar to those observed in natural rodent hosts during longitudinal field studies. This mouse model of persistent bacteraemia should be suitable for a variety of experimental uses.
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37
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Co-infection of Borrelia afzelii and Bartonella spp. in bank voles from a suburban forest. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2012; 35:583-9. [PMID: 22898354 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2012] [Revised: 07/19/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We report the molecular detection of Borrelia afzelii (11%) and Bartonella spp. (56%) in 447 bank voles trapped in a suburban forest in France. Adult voles were infected by significantly more Borrelia afzelii than juveniles (p<0.001), whereas no significant difference was detected in the prevalence of Bartonella spp. between young and adult individuals (p=0.914). Six percent of the animals were co-infected by both bacteria. Analysis of the bank vole carrier status for either pathogen indicated that co-infections occur randomly (p=0.94, CI(95)=[0.53; 1.47]). Sequence analysis revealed that bank voles were infected by a single genotype of Borrelia afzelii and by 32 different Bartonella spp. genotypes, related to three known species specific to rodents (B. taylorii, B. grahamii and B. doshiae) and also two as yet unidentified Bartonella species. Our findings confirm that rodents harbor high levels of potential human pathogens; therefore, widespread surveillance should be undertaken in areas where humans may encounter rodents.
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Colton L, Kabeya H, Kosoy M. Experimental infection of three laboratory mouse stocks with a shrew origin Bartonella elizabethae strain: an evaluation of bacterial host switching potential. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2012; 2:IEE-2-17132. [PMID: 22957127 PMCID: PMC3426323 DOI: 10.3402/iee.v2i0.17132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2012] [Revised: 06/04/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bartonella elizabethae has been reported as a causative agent of human illnesses and strains of this bacterium are commonly isolated from commensal small mammals in Asia. METHODS Since the zoonotic potential of a pathogen is often related to its host switching ability, we explored the capacity of a B. elizabethae strain to host switch by subcutaneously inoculating groups of Swiss Webster, BALB/c, and C57BL/6 mice with the bacteria at a range of doses. RESULTS A low number of mice in each of the three groups showed susceptibility to infection at high doses (10(5) and 10(6) bacteria), and developed bacteremias of 6-8 weeks duration. CONCLUSION The capacity of this B. elizabethae strain to switch hosts can have important public health consequences for humans in areas of Asia where many small mammal populations have high bartonellae infection prevalences and live as commensals with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Colton
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Kosoy M, Hayman DTS, Chan KS. Bartonella bacteria in nature: where does population variability end and a species start? INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2012; 12:894-904. [PMID: 22449771 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2011] [Revised: 03/05/2012] [Accepted: 03/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The application of new molecular approaches has permitted the differentiation of numerous strains belonging to the genus Bartonella and identification of new Bartonella species. However, the molecular typing of these organisms should be coupled with studies aimed at defining the biological properties of the newly described species. The long-history of co-adaptation between bartonella(1) bacteria and their mammalian hosts and possibly arthropod vectors provides a unique opportunity for applying this information for the sub-genus taxonomy. There can be a varying level of association between the bacteria and their hosts, ranging from animal species to animal genus to animal community. The commonality is that any level of association provides a certain degree of isolation for a given bartonella population that can mimic 'biological isolation'. Such an association defines a specific ecological niche and determines some specific characteristics, including sequence types that can be used as markers for demarcation of bacterial species. Usage of a combination of genetic markers and ecological information can delineate a number of species complexes that might combine several genospecies, named strains, and unique genotypes. The identification of such species complexes can be presented as (1) separate phylogenetic lineages distantly related to other species (e.g. Bartonella bacilliformis); (2) clusters of genetically similar strains associated with a specific mammalian group (e.g. Bartonella elizabethae species complex); and (3) clusters of genetically similar strains that combine a number of ecotypes (e.g. Bartonella vinsonii species complex).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA.
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Differences in the ecology of Bartonella infections of Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus in a boreal forest. Parasitology 2012; 139:881-93. [PMID: 22336264 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182012000170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The epidemiology of Bartonella species infecting Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus in a forest in Eastern Poland was followed for 2 years using mark-recapture. Infections could be acquired in any month, but prevalence, and probability of infection, peaked in the summer. There were significant differences in the pattern of infections between the two species. Both hosts were primarily infected as juveniles, but the probability of infection was highest for A. flavicollis, which, evidence suggests, experienced longer-lasting infections with a wider range of Bartonella genotypes. There was no evidence of increased host mortality associated with Bartonella, although the infection did affect the probability of recapture. Animals could become re-infected, generally by different Bartonella genotypes. Several longer lasting, poorly resolved infections of A. flavicollis involved more than 1 genotype, and may have resulted from sequential infections. Of 22 Bartonella gltA genotypes collected, only 2 (both B. grahamii) were shared between mice and voles; all others were specific either to A. flavicollis or to M. glareolus, and had their nearest relatives infecting Microtus species in neighbouring fields. This heterogeneity in the patterns of Bartonella infections in wild rodents emphasizes the need to consider variation between both, host species and Bartonella genotypes in ecological and epidemiological studies.
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Pulliainen AT, Dehio C. Persistence of Bartonella spp. stealth pathogens: from subclinical infections to vasoproliferative tumor formation. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2012; 36:563-99. [PMID: 22229763 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2012.00324.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella spp. are facultative intracellular bacteria that typically cause a long-lasting intraerythrocytic bacteremia in their mammalian reservoir hosts, thereby favoring transmission by blood-sucking arthropods. In most cases, natural reservoir host infections are subclinical and the relapsing intraerythrocytic bacteremia may last weeks, months, or even years. In this review, we will follow the infection cycle of Bartonella spp. in a reservoir host, which typically starts with an intradermal inoculation of bacteria that are superficially scratched into the skin from arthropod feces and terminates with the pathogen exit by the blood-sucking arthropod. The current knowledge of bacterial countermeasures against mammalian immune response will be presented for each critical step of the pathogenesis. The prevailing models of the still-enigmatic primary niche and the anatomical location where bacteria reside, persist, and are periodically seeded into the bloodstream to cause the typical relapsing Bartonella spp. bacteremia will also be critically discussed. The review will end up with a discussion of the ability of Bartonella spp., namely Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana, and Bartonella bacilliformis, to induce tumor-like vascular deformations in humans having compromised immune response such as in patients with AIDS.
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Experimental infection of Swiss webster mice with four rat bartonella strains: host specificity, bacteremia kinetics, dose dependent response, and histopathology. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 34:465-73. [PMID: 21908045 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2011] [Revised: 07/30/2011] [Accepted: 08/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Groups of Swiss Webster outbred mice were each inoculated with one of four bartonella strains originally isolated from Rattus spp. at doses ranging from 10(1) to 10(7) bacteria per mouse. One strain, Rn1691yn (Bartonella coopersplainensis-like), infected mice and produced bacteremias at levels up to 10(5)bacteria/ml of blood and from 3 to 8 weeks duration. A dose dependent response was also observed with differing proportions of mice bacteremic following inoculation at different doses. In addition weeks-to-months long lags in bacteremia manifestation occurred following lower dose exposures. The possibility of bacterial transmission from bacteremic mice to uninfected cagemates was assessed and no naïve mice became infected from contacts with infected mice. Finally, a subset of bacteremic mice inoculated with high doses of Rn1691yn were examined histopathologically and multifocal, granulomatous lesions were detected in both liver and kidneys. The host specificity and infectivity of the strains is discussed in relation to their potential for zoonotic transmission to incidental hosts.
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