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Parasites & Vectors Oct 2022Bartonella are intracellular bacteria that are transmitted via animal scratches, bites and hematophagous arthropods. Rodents and their associated fleas play a key role...
Combining deep sequencing and conventional molecular approaches reveals broad diversity and distribution of fleas and Bartonella in rodents and shrews from Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems.
BACKGROUND
Bartonella are intracellular bacteria that are transmitted via animal scratches, bites and hematophagous arthropods. Rodents and their associated fleas play a key role in the maintenance of Bartonella worldwide, with > 22 species identified in rodent hosts. No studies have addressed the occurrence and diversity of Bartonella species and vectors for small mammals in Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems, which are increasingly impacted by invasive species and climate change.
METHODS
In this study, we characterized the diversity of rodent fleas using conventional PCR targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase II gene (COII) and Bartonella species in rodents and shrews (n = 505) from northern Canada using conventional PCR targeting the ITS (intergenic transcribed spacer) region and gltA (citrate synthase) gene. Metagenomic sequencing of a portion of the gltA gene was completed on a subset of 42 rodents and four rodent flea pools.
RESULTS
Year, total summer precipitation the year prior to sampling, average minimum spring temperature and small mammal species were significant factors in predicting Bartonella positivity. Occurrence based on the ITS region was more than double that of the gltA gene and was 34% (n = 349) in northern red-backed voles, 35% (n = 20) in meadow voles, 37% (n = 68) in deer mice and 31% (n = 59) in shrews. Six species of Bartonella were identified with the ITS region, including B. grahamii, B. elizabethae, B. washoensis, Candidatus B. rudakovii, B. doshiae, B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and subsp. arupensis. In addition, 47% (n = 49/105) of ITS amplicons had < 97% identity to sequences in GenBank, possibly due to a limited reference library or previously unreported species. An additional Bartonella species (B. heixiaziensis) was detected during metagenomic sequencing of the gltA gene in 6/11 rodents that had ITS sequences with < 97% identity in GenBank, highlighting that a limited reference library for the ITS marker likely accounted for low sequence similarity in our specimens. In addition, one flea pool from a northern red-backed vole contained multiple species (B. grahamii and B. heixiaziensis).
CONCLUSION
Our study calls attention to the usefulness of a combined approach to determine the occurrence and diversity of Bartonella communities in hosts and vectors.
Topics: Animals; Arvicolinae; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Citrate (si)-Synthase; DNA, Bacterial; DNA, Intergenic; Ecosystem; Flea Infestations; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Rodentia; Shrews; Siphonaptera
PubMed: 36229832
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05446-w -
Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in... Aug 2013Bartonella spp. and Brucella spp. are closely related α-proteobacterial pathogens that by distinct stealth-attack strategies cause chronic infections in mammals...
Bartonella spp. and Brucella spp. are closely related α-proteobacterial pathogens that by distinct stealth-attack strategies cause chronic infections in mammals including humans. Human infections manifest by a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms, ranging from mild to fatal disease. Both pathogens establish intracellular replication niches and subvert diverse pathways of the host's immune system. Several virulence factors allow them to adhere to, invade, proliferate, and persist within various host-cell types. In particular, type IV secretion systems (T4SS) represent essential virulence factors that transfer effector proteins tailored to recruit host components and modulate cellular processes to the benefit of the bacterial intruders. This article puts the remarkable features of these two pathogens into perspective, highlighting the mechanisms they use to hijack signaling and trafficking pathways of the host as the basis for their stealthy infection strategies.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Brucella; Brucellosis; Evidence-Based Medicine; Global Health; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Insect Vectors; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 23906880
DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a010231 -
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine Mar 2022Infection with Bartonella species is common in cats but reported effects of bacteremia on laboratory variables differ.
BACKGROUND
Infection with Bartonella species is common in cats but reported effects of bacteremia on laboratory variables differ.
OBJECTIVES
Evaluate for associations between Bartonella bacteremia and CBC and serum biochemical changes in sick and healthy cats throughout the United States.
ANIMALS
A total of 3964 client-owned cats.
METHODS
Retrospective cohort study using submissions to a commercial laboratory between 2011 and 2017. Serum biochemistry and CBC abnormalities (categorized as above or below reference intervals), age, and location (high- or low-risk state for Ctenocephalides felis) in presumed healthy and sick cats were evaluated for associations with presence of Bartonella spp. DNA, detected by PCR. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.
RESULTS
Bartonella spp. DNA was amplified from 127 (3.2%) of 3964 cats; 126 (99.2%) of 127 were from high flea risk states and 121 (95.3%) of 127 were presumed sick. Fever of unknown origin was the most common PCR panel requested. In the multivariable analysis, neutrophilia, decreased ALP activity, clinical status (presumed sick), and young age (≤2 years) each were positively associated whereas neutropenia and hyperproteinemia both were negatively associated with Bartonella spp. bacteremia. Presence of Bartonella spp. DNA had no association with test results for other infectious disease agents.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
In both healthy and sick cats, active Bartonella infections had minimal association with clinically relevant laboratory abnormalities. However, based on these results, in areas considered high risk for C. felis, active infection with Bartonella spp. is a reasonable differential diagnosis for cats presented with unexplained fever and neutrophilia, particularly if the cat is young.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Blood Cell Count; Cat Diseases; Cats; DNA; Humans; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35132685
DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16376 -
PloS One 2013Bartonella bovis is commonly detected in cattle. One B. bovis strain was recently isolated from a cow with endocarditis in the USA, suggesting its role as an animal...
Bartonella bovis is commonly detected in cattle. One B. bovis strain was recently isolated from a cow with endocarditis in the USA, suggesting its role as an animal pathogen. In the present study, we investigated bartonella infections in 893 cattle from five countries (Kenya, Thailand, Japan, Georgia, and Guatemala) and 103 water buffaloes from Thailand to compare the prevalence of the infection among different regions and different bovid hosts. We developed a multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) scheme based on nine loci (16S rRNA, gltA, ftsZ, groEL, nuoG, ribC, rpoB, ssrA, and ITS) to compare genetic divergence of B. bovis strains, including 26 representatives from the present study and two previously described reference strains (one from French cows and another from a cow with endocarditis in the USA). Bartonella bacteria were cultured in 6.8% (7/103) of water buffaloes from Thailand; all were B. bovis. The prevalence of bartonella infections in cattle varied tremendously across the investigated regions. In Japan, Kenya, and the Mestia district of Georgia, cattle were free from the infection; in Thailand, Guatemala, and the Dusheti and Marneuli districts of Georgia, cattle were infected with prevalences of 10-90%. The Bartonella isolates from cattle belonged to three species: B. bovis (n=165), B. chomelii (n=9), and B. schoenbuchensis (n=1), with the latter two species found in Georgia only. MLST analysis suggested genetic variations among the 28 analyzed B. bovis strains, which fall into 3 lineages (I, II, and III). Lineages I and II were found in cattle while lineage III was restricted to water buffaloes. The majority of strains (17/28), together with the strain causing endocarditis in a cow in the USA, belonged to lineage I. Further investigations are needed to determine whether B. bovis causes disease in bovids.
Topics: Alleles; Animals; Animals, Domestic; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Cattle; Geography; Host Specificity; Internationality; Molecular Sequence Data; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Phylogeny; Prevalence
PubMed: 24278342
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080894 -
Journal of Vector Ecology : Journal of... Dec 2015Cats and their fleas collected in Guatemala were investigated for the presence of Bartonella infections. Bartonella bacteria were cultured from 8.2% (13/159) of cats,...
Cats and their fleas collected in Guatemala were investigated for the presence of Bartonella infections. Bartonella bacteria were cultured from 8.2% (13/159) of cats, and all cultures were identified as B. henselae. Molecular analysis allowed detection of Bartonella DNA in 33.8% (48/142) of cats and in 22.4% (34/152) of cat fleas using gltA, nuoG, and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer targets. Two Bartonella species, B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae, were identified in cats and cat fleas by molecular analysis, with B. henselae being more common than B. clarridgeiae in the cats (68.1%; 32/47 vs 31.9%; 15/47). The nuoG was found to be less sensitive for detecting B. clarridgeiae compared with other molecular targets and could detect only two of the 15 B. clarridgeiae-infected cats. No significant differences were observed for prevalence between male and female cats and between different age groups. No evident association was observed between the presence of Bartonella species in cats and in their fleas.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Bartonella henselae; Cat Diseases; Cats; Ctenocephalides; Female; Flea Infestations; Guatemala; Male; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 26611968
DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12171 -
International Journal of Dermatology Aug 2002
Review
Topics: Angiomatosis, Bacillary; Bartonella Infections; Cat-Scratch Disease; Humans; Skin Diseases, Bacterial; Trench Fever
PubMed: 12207759
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.2002.01489.x -
The American Journal of Tropical... Aug 2017Although emerging nonviral pathogens remain relatively understudied in bat populations, there is an increasing focus on identifying bat-associated bartonellae around the... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Although emerging nonviral pathogens remain relatively understudied in bat populations, there is an increasing focus on identifying bat-associated bartonellae around the world. Many novel strains have been described from both bats and their arthropod ectoparasites, including , a zoonotic agent of human endocarditis. This cross-sectional study was designed to describe novel strains isolated from bats sampled in Mexico and evaluate factors potentially associated with infection. A total of 238 bats belonging to seven genera were captured in five states of Central Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula. Animals were screened by bacterial culture from whole blood and/or polymerase chain reaction of DNA extracted from heart tissue or blood. spp. were isolated or detected in 54 (22.7%) bats, consisting of 41 (38%) hematophagous, 10 (16.4%) insectivorous, and three (4.3%) phytophagous individuals. This study also identified as another possible bat reservoir of . Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models suggested that infection was positively associated with blood-feeding diet and ectoparasite burden. Phylogenetic analysis identified a number of genetic variants across hematophagous, phytophagous, and insectivorous bats that are unique from described bat-borne species. However, these strains were closely related to those bartonellae previously identified in bat species from Latin America.
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Chiroptera; Cross-Sectional Studies; Genetic Variation; Mexico; Phylogeny
PubMed: 28722567
DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0680 -
Parasites & Vectors Aug 2018Bats are among the most widely distributed mammals worldwide and can represent hosts or reservoirs for a number of different pathogens. Bartonella spp. are opportunistic... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Bats are among the most widely distributed mammals worldwide and can represent hosts or reservoirs for a number of different pathogens. Bartonella spp. are opportunistic bacterial pathogens, which are transmitted by a large variety of arthropods. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and host-associations of these Gram-negative bacteria in heart tissues of bats collected in four different countries from eastern and central Europe and to analyze their phylogenetic relationship with other bat-associated bartonellae.
RESULTS
The results of this study show for the first time the presence of Bartonella spp. DNA in heart tissues of bats from central and eastern Europe. The overall prevalence of the infection was 1.38%. Phylogenetic analysis identified four new Bartonella spp. sequences, which were closely related with other Bartonella previously isolated from bats in Europe and North America.
CONCLUSIONS
The gltA sequences of Bartonella spp. showed considerable heterogeneity in the phylogenetic analysis resulting in six different clades. Our study demonstrated the presence of Bartonella spp. only in heart tissues of bats from Romania, with two new bat species recorded as hosts (Myotis cf. alcathoe and Pipistrellus pipistrellus).
Topics: Animals; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Chiroptera; DNA, Bacterial; Disease Reservoirs; Europe; Europe, Eastern; Genetic Variation; Heart; Humans; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Prevalence; Romania
PubMed: 30157912
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3070-7 -
Parasites & Vectors Oct 2021Bartonella spp. are emerging pathogens transmitted by arthropod vectors, possibly including ticks. We have investigated signs of bartonellosis in Swedish patients with...
BACKGROUND
Bartonella spp. are emerging pathogens transmitted by arthropod vectors, possibly including ticks. We have investigated signs of bartonellosis in Swedish patients with presumed tick-bite exposure and symptom duration of at least 6 months.
METHODS
Serological testing for Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana was performed in 224 patients. Symptoms, tick exposure, evidence of co-infection and previous treatments were evaluated. Seropositive patients were compared to a matched group (twofold larger and negative serology) from the same study cohort.
RESULTS
Seroprevalence was 7% for B. henselae and 1% for B. quintana, with one patient testing positive to both agents. Tick bites were reported by 63% of the patients in the seropositive group and 88% in the seronegative group and presumed tick exposure was more common in the seronegative group. Animal contact was equally common in both groups, along with reported symptoms. The most common symptoms were fatigue, muscular symptoms, arthralgia and cognitive symptoms. Exposure to co-infections was evenly distributed in the seropositive and seronegative groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Antibodies to Bartonella were more common in this cohort of patients than in cohorts of healthy Swedish blood donors in previous studies but lower than those in blood donors from southern Europe. Positive Bartonella serology was not linked to any specific symptom, nor to (suspected) tick-bite exposure.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Bartonella; Bartonella Infections; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serologic Tests; Sweden; Tick Bites; Tick-Borne Diseases; Ticks; Young Adult
PubMed: 34641972
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05043-3 -
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