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Fernández-González AM, Herrera-Mares A, Ramírez-Corona F, Acosta R, Suzán G. Bartonella rochalimae in a flea collected from a Mephitis macroura in Sonora Mexico. Acta Parasitol 2024:10.1007/s11686-024-00912-0. [PMID: 39212903 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-024-00912-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE At least thirty species of wild carnivores have been recorded harboring Bartonella, and one of the most common pathogenic species infecting them is Bartonella rochalimae, which can cause endocarditis in humans and dogs. This bacterium can infect various mammals including wild carnivores, as well as ectoparasitic vectors such as fleas and ticks. Here we report the presence of B. rochalimae, in a Pulex simulans flea collected from a Mephitis macroura skunk in the municipality of Santa Cruz in Sonora, Mexico. METHODS Fleas were collected from a M. macroura in Sonora, Mexico, in October 2019. They were identified to species level and subsequently tested for the presence of Bartonella using molecular tools including conventional PCR, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS A total of 10 P. simulans fleas (one male, nine females) were collected from the M. macroura skunk. The PCR and phylogenetic analysis indicated a prevalence of 10% (1/10) and a sequence clustered with the clade of B. rochalimae. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed the presence of B. rochalimae in a P. simulans flea collected from a M. macroura skunk in the area of Santa Cruz, Sonora, Mexico. Based on our results and previous studies in northern Mexico, which are consistent, it is necessary to continue monitoring Bartonella in M. macroura skunks and their fleas, since they could be important reservoirs of this bacterium in northern Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana M Fernández-González
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México
| | - Angel Herrera-Mares
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México
| | - Fabiola Ramírez-Corona
- Taller de Sistemática y Biogeografía, Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México
| | - Roxana Acosta
- Museo de Zoología Alfonso L. Herrera, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México
| | - Gerardo Suzán
- Departamento de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México.
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Backus LH, López-Pérez AM, Marcek J, Shultz L, Zazueta OE, Shooter S, Foley J. Rickettsial antibodies and Rickettsia bellii detection in lagomorphs and their ectoparasites in Northern Baja California, Mexico. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:1073-1080. [PMID: 37410023 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Lagomorphs-principally rabbits and hares-have been implicated as hosts for vectors and reservoirs for pathogens associated with multiple rickettsial diseases. Western North America is home to diverse rickettsial pathogens which circulate among multiple wild and domestic hosts and tick and flea vectors. The purpose of this study was to assess lagomorphs and their ectoparasites in 2 locations in northern Baja California, Mexico, for exposure to and infection with rickettsial organisms. In total, 55 desert cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus audubonii) (Baird) and 2 black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) (Gray) were captured. In Mexicali, ticks were collected from 44% (14/32) of individuals, and were exclusively Haemaphysalis leporispalustrisNeumann (Acari: Ixodidae); in Ensenada, ticks were collected from 70% (16/23) individuals, and 95% were Dermacentor parumapertus. Euhoplopsyllus glacialis affinisBaker (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) fleas were collected from 72% of rabbits and 1 jackrabbit from Mexicali, while the few fleas found on hosts in Ensenada were Echidnophaga gallinaceaWestwood (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and Cediopsylla inaequalis(Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Rickettsia bellii was the only rickettsial organism detected and was identified in 88% of D. parumapertus and 67% of H. leporispalustris ticks from Ensenada. A single tissue sample from a jackrabbit was positive for R. belli (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). Hosts in Ensenada had a significantly higher prevalence of rickettsial antibodies than hosts in Mexicali (52.3% vs. 21.4%). Although R. bellii is not regarded as pathogenic in humans or other mammals, it may contribute to immunity to other rickettsiae. The marked difference in distribution of ticks, fleas, and rickettsial exposure between the 2 locations suggests that disease transmission risk may vary markedly between communities within the same region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura H Backus
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Andrés M López-Pérez
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., 91073 Xalapa, México
| | - Jacob Marcek
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Laura Shultz
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Oscar E Zazueta
- Dirección de Enseñanza y Vinculación, Instituto de Servicios de Salud Pública del Estado de Baja California, Mexicali, México
| | - Savannah Shooter
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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Dario d'Ovidio, Domenico Santoro. Zoonotic Dermatoses of Exotic Companion Mammals. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2023; 26:511-523. [PMID: 36965883 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Integumentary disorders caused by zoonotic agents are very common in exotic companion mammals. This article provides an understanding of the main zoonotic dermatoses including parasitic, fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases to provide the most updated information on their epidemiology, diagnosis, reported clinical signs, and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Domenico Santoro
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2015 Southwest 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Spreading of Pasteurella multocida Infection in a Pet Rabbit Breeding and Possible Implications on Healed Bunnies. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9060301. [PMID: 35737353 PMCID: PMC9229391 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9060301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits, and parrots has increased in European families. Social benefits to owners such as decreasing feelings of loneliness and anxiety are provided by pets which are also used in Animal-assisted Therapy (AAT). Nevertheless, human-animal interactions are also associated with health problems including allergies, asthma, and zoonosis. Rabbits may carry potential pathogens for humans. One of the most common bacteria that colonizes the oro-pharynx and the upper respiratory tract of rabbits is Pasteurella (P.) multocida. Transmission of the infection to humans results from scratches, licks, and bites but it also can occur from the inhalation of air particles containing the microorganism. Immunocompromised people or persons with pulmonary disorders are particularly susceptible to the infection. Infected rabbits may carry P. multocida with or without clinical signs. In this paper, the sensitivity to antibiotics and the invasiveness ability of P. multocida identified in a farm of pet rabbits affected by severe pasteurellosis were investigated. The strain was P. multocida belonging to capsular type A which is the type most often detected in humans. The identified strain was susceptible to the tested antibiotics, but it appeared equipped with several virulence genes which are responsible for fimbriae production, adhesion processes to host cells, enzyme production, and are involved in iron acquisition processes. These findings are of particular interest because rabbits recovered from pasteurellosis very often become carriers of the bacteria. Therefore, we suggest considering P. multocida screening in the routine medical checks of rabbits, especially if they are meant to be companion animals for children and elder people, given that the transmission of the pathogen cannot be excluded.
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González MG, González J, Valcárcel F, Sánchez M, Tercero JM, Barrios L, Olmeda AS. Seasonal Dynamics of Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae, Ceratophyllidae and Leptopsyllidae) on Oryctolagus cuniculus in a Meso-Mediterranean Area of Central Spain. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:1740-1749. [PMID: 33822180 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Flea infestations of wild rabbits were examined monthly in central Spain in a meso-Mediterranean area for 5 yr. A total of 1,180 wild rabbits were trapped and 7,022 fleas were collected from them. Overall, the prevalence was 74.1% with a mean flea index of 5.95 fleas per rabbit. Four flea species were identified: Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale, 1878) was the most abundant species (accounting for 74.3% of fleas collected) followed by Xenopsylla cunicularis (Smit, 1957), Odontopsyllus quirosi (Gil Collado, 1934), and Nosopsyllus fasciatus (Bosc, 1800) (18.9, 6.7, and 0.1%, respectively). The highest prevalence was observed in S. cuniculi (48.6%) followed by X. cunicularis, O. quirosi, and N. fasciatus (34.3, 20.0, and 0.6%, respectively). Odontopsyllus quirosi and S. cuniculi were mainly collected from autumn to spring with the peak of infestation in winter, while X. cunicularis was mainly found from spring to autumn with maximum levels of infestation during the summer months. The relevance of these findings is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G González
- Villamagna S.A., Finca 'La Garganta', 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, Madrid, Spain
| | - J González
- Villamagna S.A., Finca 'La Garganta', 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - F Valcárcel
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Sánchez
- Villamagna S.A., Finca 'La Garganta', 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, Madrid, Spain
| | - J M Tercero
- Villamagna S.A., Finca 'La Garganta', 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain
| | - L Barrios
- Statistics Department, Computing Center, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - A S Olmeda
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, UCM, Madrid, Spain
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Complete Genome Sequence of Bartonella alsatica Strain IBS 382 (CIP 105477). Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:9/34/e00769-20. [PMID: 32816983 PMCID: PMC7441241 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00769-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella alsatica causes bacteremia in rabbits and, rarely, human infections. Here, we announce the complete and closed genome of B. alsatica IBS 382 (CIP 105477), generated by long-read Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. The availability of this genome sequence allows future work on understanding the zoonotic potential of this pathogen. Bartonella alsatica causes bacteremia in rabbits and, rarely, human infections. Here, we announce the complete and closed genome of B. alsatica IBS 382 (CIP 105477), generated by long-read Pacific Biosciences single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing. The availability of this genome sequence allows future work on understanding the zoonotic potential of this pathogen.
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