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International Journal of Systematic and... Mar 2020The genus (Family: ; Order: Class: Alphaproteobacteria) comprises facultative intracellular Gram-negative, haemotropic, slow-growing, vector-borne bacteria. Wild...
The genus (Family: ; Order: 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 , 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 (namely Tel Aviv and OE 1-1), isolated from rats and 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 %. 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 Cω7, C and C. They differ from in their C and C compositions. Both strains are strictly capnophilic and their biochemical profiles resembled those of species of the genus 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 , for which we propose the names sp. nov. and sp. nov.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bartonella; Base Composition; DNA, Bacterial; Fatty Acids; Israel; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Rats; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Siphonaptera
PubMed: 32100689
DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.003952 -
Journal of Medical Entomology Aug 2018Few studies have been able to provide experimental evidence of the ability of fleas to maintain rodent-associated Bartonella infections and excrete these bacteria. These...
Acquisition of Bartonella elizabethae by Experimentally Exposed Oriental Rat Fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis; Siphonaptera, Pulicidae) and Excretion of Bartonella DNA in Flea Feces.
Few studies have been able to provide experimental evidence of the ability of fleas to maintain rodent-associated Bartonella infections and excrete these bacteria. These data are important for understanding the transmission cycles and prevalence of these bacteria in hosts and vectors. We used an artificial feeding approach to expose groups of the oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis Rothschild; Siphonaptera, Pulicidae) to rat blood inoculated with varying concentrations of Bartonella elizabethae Daly (Bartonellaceae: Rhizobiales). Flea populations were maintained by membrane feeding on pathogen-free bloodmeals for up to 13 d post infection. Individual fleas and pools of flea feces were tested for the presence of Bartonella DNA using molecular methods (quantitative and conventional polymerase chain reaction [PCR]). The threshold number of Bartonellae required in the infectious bloodmeal for fleas to be detected as positive was 106 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml). Individual fleas were capable of harboring infections for at least 13 d post infection and continuously excreted Bartonella DNA in their feces over the same period. This experiment demonstrated that X. cheopis are capable of acquiring and excreting B. elizabethae over several days. These results will guide future work to model and understand the role of X. cheopis in the natural transmission cycle of rodent-borne Bartonella species. Future experiments using this artificial feeding approach will be useful for examining the horizontal transmission of B. elizabethae or other rodent-associated Bartonella species to naïve hosts and for determining the viability of excreted bacteria.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; DNA, Bacterial; Feces; Insect Vectors; Xenopsylla
PubMed: 29860325
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjy085 -
Journal of Clinical Microbiology Dec 2002Bartonella henselae or Bartonella elizabethae DNA from EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples obtained from four dogs was amplified and sequenced. The results showed that B....
Bartonella henselae or Bartonella elizabethae DNA from EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples obtained from four dogs was amplified and sequenced. The results showed that B. elizabethae should be added to the list of Bartonella species (i.e., B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, B. henselae, and B. clarridgeiae) that are currently recognized as infectious agents in dogs. Furthermore, these results may have potential zoonotic implications, particularly if dogs can serve as a previously unrecognized reservoir for B. henselae. Although the clinical relevance of these observations remains to be determined, it is possible that molecular diagnostic techniques such as PCR may help to implicate a spectrum of Bartonella spp. as a cause of or a cofactor in chronic canine and human diseases of poorly defined causation.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Bartonella henselae; Blood Specimen Collection; DNA, Bacterial; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Edetic Acid; Female; Male; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 12454170
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.12.4670-4674.2002 -
Microbiology and Immunology May 2023Bartonella elizabethae is a rat-borne zoonotic bacterium that causes human infectious endocarditis or neuroretinitis. Recently, a case of bacillary angiomatosis (BA)...
Bartonella elizabethae is a rat-borne zoonotic bacterium that causes human infectious endocarditis or neuroretinitis. Recently, a case of bacillary angiomatosis (BA) resulting from this organism was reported, leading to speculation that B. elizabethae may also trigger vasoproliferation. However, there are no reports of B. elizabethae promoting human vascular endothelial cell (EC) proliferation or angiogenesis, and to date, the effects of this bacterium on ECs are unknown. We recently identified a proangiogenic autotransporter, BafA, secreted from B. henselae and B. quintana, which are recognized as Bartonella spp. responsible for BA in humans. Here, we hypothesized that B. elizabethae also harbored a functional bafA gene and examined the proangiogenic activity of recombinant B. elizabethae-derived BafA. The bafA gene of B. elizabethae, which was found to share a 51.1% amino acid sequence identity with BafA of B. henselae and 52.5% with that of B. quintana in the passenger domain, was located in a syntenic region of the genome. The recombinant protein of the N-terminal passenger domain of B. elizabethae-BafA facilitated EC proliferation and capillary structure formation. Furthermore, it upregulated the receptor signaling pathway of vascular endothelial growth factor, as observed in B. henselae-BafA. Taken together, B. elizabethae-derived BafA stimulates human EC proliferation and may contribute to the proangiogenic potential of this bacterium. So far, functional bafA genes have been found in all BA-causing Bartonella spp., supporting the key role BafA may play in BA pathogenesis.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Rats; Type V Secretion Systems; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Bartonella; Angiomatosis, Bacillary
PubMed: 36810719
DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.13057 -
Infection, Genetics and Evolution :... Jul 2012The application of new molecular approaches has permitted the differentiation of numerous strains belonging to the genus Bartonella and identification of new Bartonella... (Review)
Review
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).
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Biological Evolution; Ecosystem; Genetic Variation; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Phylogeny
PubMed: 22449771
DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.03.005 -
The American Journal of Dermatopathology Oct 2019We present the case of an HIV-positive patient who developed polymorphous lesions in which the evidence in the skin biopsy corresponds to the diagnosis of bacillary...
We present the case of an HIV-positive patient who developed polymorphous lesions in which the evidence in the skin biopsy corresponds to the diagnosis of bacillary angiomatosis, and further tests proved the pathological agent involved in this case is not the usual Bartonella species, B. henselae and B. quintana, but B. elizabethae. As far as we know, this is the first case of bacillary angiomatosis secondary to this etiological agent.
Topics: Adult; Angiomatosis, Bacillary; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; HIV Infections; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Male
PubMed: 31094718
DOI: 10.1097/DAD.0000000000001439 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Apr 2023In this study, we investigated infection and its genetic diversity in rodents in Beitun, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Small mammals were captured using snap...
In this study, we investigated infection and its genetic diversity in rodents in Beitun, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Small mammals were captured using snap traps at four sampling sites in 2018. Spleen and liver tissues were collected and cultured to isolate strains. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on the strains identified as by gene PCR, and the average nucleotide identity (ANI) of the genomes was calculated by using FastANI v1.33. Phylogenetic trees were constructed for the samples positive for spp. by the PCR assay based on 1,290-bp genes, 2,903-bp genes, and core-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Among 66 rodents, 11 were positive for , with an infection rate of 16.67%. The rodent infection rates in different tissues (χ = 2.133; = 0.242), species (χ = 9.631; = 0.141), and habitats (χ = 4.309; = 0.312) did not show statistical differences. spp. isolated from the rodents were phylogenetically divided into six clades (two different species were detected in two rodents). By comparing phylogenetic trees based on genes, genes, and SNPs, we found that the topological structures of several evolutionary trees are different. However, the strains isolated in this study were clustered into six clusters in different phylogenetic trees. Broad distributions and high genetic diversity of strains were observed among rodents in Beitun, Xinjiang. Rodent-borne species have been associated with zoonotic diseases. species such as Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella grahamii, and Bartonella tribocorum can cause disease in humans. Humans can be infected by blood-sucking arthropods through the scratches and bites of an infected reservoir host or via contact with infectious rodents. Xinjiang is one of the provinces with the most abundant species of in China, but there are few reports about the prevalence of in the Beitun area. This research aims to investigate the occurrence and prevalence of infection in rodents at these sampling sites and provide a basis for the prevention and control of rodent species in Beitun and the surrounding areas of Xinjiang.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Rodentia; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; China
PubMed: 36951592
DOI: 10.1128/aem.01964-22 -
The American Journal of Tropical... Jul 2009Ten Bartonella isolates were cultured from blood drawn from black rats (Rattus rattus) captured in the Tel Aviv area. Genetic characterization included amplification and...
Ten Bartonella isolates were cultured from blood drawn from black rats (Rattus rattus) captured in the Tel Aviv area. Genetic characterization included amplification and sequencing of five gene fragments including the ribC, rpoB, 16S, groEL, and gltA and the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region. Sequence comparisons showed that all 10 isolates were identical in all genes studied comprising a total of 3,873 bp analyzed. The sequences of each of the partial genes analyzed indicated a high sequence similarity (97-99.8%) to B. tribocorum or B. elizabethae. The gltA sequence was 100% homologous to a genotype identified in R. rattus in Dhaka, Bangladesh, suggesting the existence of a widespread Asian Bartonella strain infecting the black rats (R. rattus). The detection of a Bartonella genotype closely related to B. elizabethae in the biggest metropolitan center in Israel warrants further study of its zoonotic potential and pathogenic characteristics.
Topics: Amino Acids; Animals; Bartonella; Israel; Phylogeny; Rats; Zoonoses
PubMed: 19556567
DOI: No ID Found -
Microbial Ecology Jan 2018Bartonella genus is comprised of several species of zoonotic relevance and rodents are reservoirs for some of these Bartonella species. As there were no data about the...
Bartonella genus is comprised of several species of zoonotic relevance and rodents are reservoirs for some of these Bartonella species. As there were no data about the range of Bartonella species circulating among rodents in the Canary Islands, our main aim was to overcome this lack of knowledge by targeting both the citrate synthase (gltA) and the RNA polymerase beta subunit (rpoB) genes. A total of 181 small mammals and 154 ectoparasites were obtained in three of the Canary Islands, namely Tenerife, La Palma, and Lanzarote. The overall prevalence of Bartonella DNA in rodents was 18.8%, whereas the prevalence in ectoparasites was 13.6%. Bartonella sequences closely related to the zoonotic species Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella tribocorum, and Bartonella rochalimae were identified in rodents, whereas two different gltA haplotypes similar to B. elizabethae were also detected in fleas. Furthermore, Bartonella queenslandensis DNA was also identified in rodents. A strong host specificity was observed, since B. elizabethae DNA was only found in Mus musculus domesticus, whereas gltA and rpoB sequences closely related to the rest of Bartonella species were only identified in Rattus rattus, which is probably due to the host specificity of the arthropod species that act as vectors in these islands. Our results indicate that humans may contract Bartonella infection by contact with rodents in the Canary Islands.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Proteins; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Disease Reservoirs; Disease Vectors; Host Specificity; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Islands; Mice; Phylogeny; Rats; Rodentia; Siphonaptera; Spain; Zoonoses
PubMed: 28660292
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-017-1022-y -
The American Journal of Tropical... Aug 2016Bartonella infections are widespread and highly prevalent in rodents. Several rodent-associated Bartonella species have been related to human diseases. Recently,...
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.
Topics: Animals; Arvicolinae; Bacterial Proteins; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Biodiversity; Citrate (si)-Synthase; DNA, Bacterial; Female; Gene Expression; Georgia (Republic); Gerbillinae; Humans; Male; Murinae; Myocardium; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Rats; Rodent Diseases
PubMed: 27162268
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0041