-
European Journal of Clinical... Apr 2024Fever of intermediate duration (FID) is defined as a fever in the community without a specific origin or focus, with a duration between 7 and 28 days. FID is often...
PURPOSE
Fever of intermediate duration (FID) is defined as a fever in the community without a specific origin or focus, with a duration between 7 and 28 days. FID is often caused by pathogens associated with animal contact or their arthropods parasites, such as ticks, fleas, or lice. The purpose of this work is to design a collection of molecular tools to promptly and accurately detect common bacterial pathogens causing FID, including bacteria belonging to genera Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia, as well as Coxiella burnetii.
METHODS
Reference DNA sequences from a collection of Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia species were used to design genus-specific primers and FRET probes targeted to conserved genomic regions. For C. burnetii, primers previously described were used, in combination with a newly designed specific probe. Real-time PCR assays were optimized using reference bacterial genomic DNA in a background of human genomic DNA.
RESULTS
The four real-time PCR assays can detect as few as ten copies of target DNA from those five genera of FDI-causing bacteria in a background of 300 ng of human genomic DNA, mimicking the low microbial load generally found in patient's blood.
CONCLUSION
These assays constitute a fast and convenient "toolbox" that can be easily implemented in diagnostic laboratories to provide timely and accurate detection of bacterial pathogens that are typical etiological causes of febrile syndromes such as FID in humans.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Rickettsia; Bartonella; Ehrlichia; Coxiella burnetii; Anaplasma; DNA
PubMed: 38270806
DOI: 10.1007/s10096-024-04760-8 -
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/oncology Apr 2024Patients undergoing therapy for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia are at risk of infections during their treatment course. Cat scratch disease caused by Bartonella...
Patients undergoing therapy for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia are at risk of infections during their treatment course. Cat scratch disease caused by Bartonella hensalae can masquerade as leukemic relapse and cause systemic infection. Obtaining a thorough exposure history may aid clinicians in making the diagnosis.
Topics: Humans; Cat-Scratch Disease; Bartonella henselae; Lymphadenopathy; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; T-Lymphocytes
PubMed: 38447104
DOI: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000002844 -
MSystems Mar 2024A novel -like symbiont (BLS) of was characterized. BLS formed a separate cluster from the clade together with an ant symbiont. BLS was present in mite bodies (103 16S...
A novel -like symbiont (BLS) of was characterized. BLS formed a separate cluster from the clade together with an ant symbiont. BLS was present in mite bodies (103 16S DNA copies/mite) and feces but was absent in eggs. This indicated the presence of the BLS in mite guts. The BLS showed a reduction in genome size (1.6 Mb) and indicates gene loss compared to . The BLS can be interacted with its host by using host metabolic pathways (e.g., the histidine and arginine metabolic pathways) as well as by providing its own metabolic pathways (pantothenate and lipoic acid) to the host, suggesting the existence of a mutualistic association. Our experimental data further confirmed these potential mutualistic nutritional associations, as cultures of with low BLS abundance showed the strongest response after the addition of vitamins. Despite developing an arguably tight dependency on its host, the BLS has probably retained flagellar mobility, as evidenced by the 32 proteins enriched in KEGG pathways associated with flagellar assembly or chemotaxis (e.g., fliC, flgE, and flgK, as highly expressed genes). Some of these proteins probably also facilitate adhesion to host gut cells. The microcin C transporter was identified in the BLS, suggesting that microcin C may be used in competition with other gut bacteria. The 16S DNA sequence comparison indicated a mite clade of BLSs with a broad host range, including house dust and stored-product mites. Our phylogenomic analyses identified a unique lineage of arachnid specific BLSs in mites and scorpions.IMPORTANCEA -like symbiont was found in an astigmatid mite of allergenic importance. We assembled the genome of the bacterium from metagenomes of different stored-product mite () cultures. The bacterium provides pantothenate and lipoic acid to the mite host. The vitamin supply explains the changes in the relative abundance of BLSs in as the microbiome response to nutritional or pesticide stress, as observed previously. The phylogenomic analyses of available 16S DNA sequences originating from mite, scorpion, and insect samples identified a unique lineage of arachnid specific forming large clade. BLSs associated with mites and a scorpion. The clade included the previously described . Tokpelaia symbionts of ants.
Topics: Animals; Acaridae; Symbiosis; Thioctic Acid; Mites; Bacteria; Allergens; Bartonella
PubMed: 38380907
DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00829-23 -
Veterinary Medicine and Science May 2024Hippoboscid flies are bloodsucking arthropods that can transmit pathogenic microorganisms and are therefore potential vectors for pathogens such as Bartonella spp. These...
Detection of Bartonella schoenbuchensis (sub)species DNA in different louse fly species in Saxony, Germany: The proof of multiple PCR analysis necessity in case of ruminant-associated bartonellae determination.
BACKGROUND
Hippoboscid flies are bloodsucking arthropods that can transmit pathogenic microorganisms and are therefore potential vectors for pathogens such as Bartonella spp. These Gram-negative bacteria can cause mild-to-severe clinical signs in humans and animals; therefore, monitoring Bartonella spp. prevalence in louse fly populations appears to be a useful prerequisite for zoonotic risk assessment.
METHODS
Using convenience sampling, we collected 103 adult louse flies from four ked species (Lipoptena cervi, n = 22; Lipoptena fortisetosa, n = 61; Melophagus ovinus, n = 12; Hippobosca equina, n = 8) and the pupae of M. ovinus (n = 10) in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. All the samples were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Bartonella spp. DNA, targeting the citrate synthase gene (gltA). Subsequently, PCRs targeting five more genes (16S, ftsZ, nuoG, ribC and rpoB) were performed for representatives of revealed gltA genotypes, and all the PCR products were sequenced to identify the Bartonella (sub)species accurately.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
The overall detection rates for Bartonella spp. were 100.0%, 59.1%, 24.6% and 75.0% in M. ovinus, L. cervi, L. fortisetosa and H. equina, respectively. All the identified bartonellae belong to the Bartonella schoenbuchensis complex. Our data support the proposed reclassification of the (sub)species status of this group, and thus we conclude that several genotypes of B. schoenbuchensis were detected, including Bartonella schoenbuchensis subsp. melophagi and Bartonella schoenbuchensis subsp. schoenbuchensis, both of which have previously validated zoonotic potential. The extensive PCR analysis revealed the necessity of multiple PCR approach for proper identification of the ruminant-associated bartonellae.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Diptera; Phthiraptera; DNA, Bacterial; Bartonella; Ruminants; DNA; Germany; Polymerase Chain Reaction
PubMed: 38516829
DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1417 -
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology... Apr 2024Climate change is causing many vectors of infectious diseases to expand their geographic distribution as well as the pathogens they transmit are also conditioned by...
Climate change is causing many vectors of infectious diseases to expand their geographic distribution as well as the pathogens they transmit are also conditioned by temperature for their multiplication. Within this context, it is worth highlighting the significant role that fleas can play as vectors of important pathogenic bacteria. For this purpose, our efforts focused on detecting and identifying a total of 9 bacterial genera (Rickettsia sp.; Bartonella sp.; Yersinia sp.; Wolbachia sp., Mycobacterium sp., Leishmania sp., Borrelia sp., Francisella sp. and Coxiella sp.) within fleas isolated from domestic and peridomestic animals in the southwestern region of Spain (Andalusia). Over a 19-months period, we obtained flea samples from dogs, cats and hedgehogs. A total of 812 fleas was collected for this study. Five different species were morphologically identified, including C. felis, C. canis, S. cuniculi, P. irritans, and A. erinacei. Wolbachia sp. was detected in all five species identified in our study which a total prevalence of 86%. Within Rickettsia genus, two different species, R. felis and R. asembonensis were mainly identified in C. felis and A. erinacei, respectively. On the other hand, our results revealed a total of 131 fleas testing positive for the presence of Bartonella sp., representing a prevalence rate of 16% for this genus identifying two species B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae. Lastly, both Y. pestis and L. infantum were detected in DNA of P. irritans and C. felis, respectively isolated from dogs. With these data we update the list of bacterial zoonotic agents found in fleas in Spain, emphasizing the need to continue conducting future experimental studies to assess and confirm the potential vectorial role of certain synanthropic fleas.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Siphonaptera; Spain; Ctenocephalides; Rickettsia felis; Flea Infestations; Bartonella; Rickettsia; Felis
PubMed: 38460359
DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2024.102153 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Bartonella quintana, the causative agent of trench fever, is an intracellular bacterium that infects human erythrocytes and vascular endothelial cells. For many years,... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Bartonella quintana, the causative agent of trench fever, is an intracellular bacterium that infects human erythrocytes and vascular endothelial cells. For many years, humans were considered the only natural hosts for B. quintana; however, it was recently discovered that wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) also serve as hosts for B. quintana. To elucidate the genetic characteristics of the B. quintana strain MF1-1 isolated from a Japanese macaque, we determined the complete genome sequence of the strain and compared it with those of strain Toulouse from a human and strain RM-11 from a rhesus macaque. General genomic features and orthologous gene cluster profiles are similar among the three strains, and strain MF1-1 is genetically closer to strain RM-11 than strain Toulouse based on the average nucleotide identity values; however, a significant inversion of approximately 0.68 Mb was detected in the chromosome of strain MF1-1. Moreover, the Japanese macaque strains lacked the bepA gene, which is responsible for anti-apoptotic function, and the trwL2, trwL4, and trwL6 genes, which may be involved in adhesion to erythrocytes of rhesus macaque and human. These features likely represent the genomic traits acquired by Japanese macaque strains in their host-associated evolution.
Topics: Animals; Macaca mulatta; Humans; Genome, Bacterial; Macaca fuscata; Bartonella quintana; Phylogeny; Genomics; Trench Fever
PubMed: 38740807
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61782-0 -
International Journal of Infectious... Jan 2024Cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis (cBA) is a vascular proliferative disorder due to Bartonella henselae or Bartonella quintana that has been mostly described in people...
Cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis (cBA) is a vascular proliferative disorder due to Bartonella henselae or Bartonella quintana that has been mostly described in people living with HIV. Since cBA is considered to be rare in hosts not affected by major immunosuppression, it could be underdiagnosed in this population. Moreover, antimicrobial treatment of cBA has been poorly validated, thus reporting experiences on this clinical entity is important. We reported a challenging and well-characterized case of an Italian 67-year-old gentleman without a history of major immunocompromizing conditions, although he was affected by conditions that can be associated with impaired immune function. The patient reported herein was diagnosed after a long time since the initiation of symptoms and was successfully treated with combined antibiotic therapy including macrolides and quinolones under the guidance of molecular test results. Physicians should consider cBA as a possible manifestation of Bartonella spp. Infection in patients not suffering from major immunocompromizing conditions. Until evidence-based guidelines are available, molecular tests together with severity and extension of the disease can be useful to personalize the type of treatment and its duration.
Topics: Male; Humans; Aged; Angiomatosis, Bacillary; Bartonella quintana; Skin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Immunosuppression Therapy; Bartonella henselae
PubMed: 37967716
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.11.016 -
Retinal Cases & Brief Reports Nov 2023The purpose of this report was to describe the use of multimodal imaging to establish the diagnosis of Bartonella henselae -associated optic neuropathy in a patient who...
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The purpose of this report was to describe the use of multimodal imaging to establish the diagnosis of Bartonella henselae -associated optic neuropathy in a patient who presented with a central scotoma without overt evidence of optic nerve involvement.
METHODS
This was a case report. Main outcome measures included clinical, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography findings.
OBSERVATIONS
A 72-year-old woman presented with a 3-day history of central scotoma in the left eye. Her examination was remarkable for faint exudation in the nasal macula of the left eye but was otherwise normal for her age. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography of the macula revealed mild thickening of the papillomacular bundle with scattered small cystoid spaces and several intraretinal exudates, none of which were visible clinically. Fluorescein angiography revealed localized leakage of the inferotemporal optic disc. When prompted, the patient recalled being scratched multiple times by her two pet kittens. Serial testing showed rising anti- B. henselae ( B. henselae ) immunoglobulin G antibody titers to 1:1,280, confirming the suspected diagnosis of B. henselae -associated optic neuropathy.
CONCLUSION
Bartonella -associated optic nerve involvement can occur without overt evidence of optic disc swelling. Multimodal imaging can be used to suggest the diagnosis and support appropriate serologic testing.
Topics: Humans; Female; Animals; Cats; Aged; Bartonella henselae; Papilledema; Scotoma; Optic Nerve Diseases; Optic Disk; Fluorescein Angiography; Multimodal Imaging; Tomography, Optical Coherence
PubMed: 35446822
DOI: 10.1097/ICB.0000000000001287