Molecular Survey and Genetic Diversity of Bartonella spp. in Small Indian Mongooses (Urva auropunctata) and Their Fleas on Saint Kitts, West Indies

Home range overlap between small Indian mongooses and free roaming domestic dogs in Puerto Rico: implications for rabies management

The small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) is the primary terrestrial wildlife rabies reservoir on at least four Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, mongooses represent a risk to public health, based on direct human exposure and indirectly through the transmission of rabies virus to domestic animals. To date, the fundamental ecological relationships of space use among mongooses and between mongooses and domestic animals remain poorly understood. This study is the first to report mongoose home range estimates based on GPS telemetry, as well as concurrent space use among mongooses and free roaming domestic dogs (FRDD; Canis lupus familiaris). Mean (± SE) home range estimates from 19 mongooses in this study (145 ± 21 ha and 60 ± 14 ha for males and females, respectively) were greater than those reported in prior radiotelemetry studies in Puerto Rico. At the scale of their home range, mongooses preferentially used dry forest and shrubland areas, but tended to avoid brackish water vegetation, salt marshes, barren lands and developed areas. Home ranges from five FRDDs were highly variable in size (range 13-285 ha) and may be influenced by availability of reliable anthropogenic resources. Mongooses displayed high home range overlap (general overlap index, GOI = 82%). Home range overlap among mongooses and FRDDs was intermediate (GOI = 50%) and greater than home range overlap by FRDDs (GOI = 10%). Our results provide evidence that space use by both species presents opportunities for interspecific interaction and contact and suggests that human provisioning of dogs may play a role in limiting interactions between stray dogs and mongooses.

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

Introduction

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

Methods

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

Results

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

Discussion

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

Molecular evidence of Bartonella spp. in wild lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris), the largest land mammals in Brazil

The genus Bartonella (Hyphomicrobiales: Bartonellaceae) encompasses facultative intracellular α-proteobacteria that parasite erythrocytes and endothelial cells from a wide range of vertebrate hosts and can cause disease in animals and humans. Considering the large diversity of vertebrate species that may act as reservoirs and arthropod species that may be associated with Bartonella transmission, the exposure of animals and humans to these microorganisms is likely underestimated. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence of Bartonella sp. in wild tapirs (Tapirus terrestris; Perissodactyla: Tapiridae) from two biomes in Brazil: Pantanal and Cerrado. Ninety-nine GPS-monitored wild tapirs were sampled in Pantanal (n = 61/99) and Cerrado (n = 38/99). A qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) assay targeting the nuoG gene was used for the screening for Bartonella spp. DNA. Positive samples were additionally subjected to conventional PCR assays targeting five molecular markers (ribC, gltA, rpoB, groEL, ITS). Eight (8/99; 08,08%) animals were positive in the qPCR assay for Bartonella spp.: 7 from Cerrado (7/8; 87.5%) and 1 from Pantanal (1/8; 12.5%). The 5 Bartonella ribC sequences obtained from tapirs' blood samples grouped together with Bartonella henselae obtained from cats, humans, wild felids and Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) fleas. To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first report of Bartonella sp. in Tapirus terrestris. This finding contributes to the understanding of the occurrence of B henselae in wild mammals from Brazil as well as expands the knowledge regarding the potential vector-borne pathogens that may affect wild tapis from Cerrado and Pantanal biomes.

Emerging rodent-associated Bartonella: a threat for human health?

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.