Detection of Potential Zoonotic Bartonella Species in African Giant Rats (Cricetomys gambianus) and Fleas from an Urban Area in Senegal.

Oleg Mediannikov,Florence Fenollar,Christelle Pasqualini,Laurie Laugier,Bernard Davoust,Hacene Medkour,Meriem Louni,Jean-Paul Demoncheaux

doi:10.3390/microorganisms10030489

Abstract

Bartonellae are bacteria associated with mammals and their ectoparasites. Rodents often host different species of Bartonella. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Bartonella spp. in African giant pouched rats (Cricetomys gambianus) and their ectoparasites in Dakar, Senegal. In 2012, 20 rats were caught, and their fleas were identified. DNA was extracted from 170 selected fleas and qPCR was carried out to detect Bartonella spp. Subsequently, a Bartonella culture was performed from the rat blood samples and the isolated strains (16S rRNA, rpoB, ftsZ and ITS3) were genotyped. A total of 1117 fleas were collected from 19 rats and identified as Xenopsylla cheopis, the tropical rat flea. Bartonella DNA was detected in 148 of 170 selected fleas (87.1%). In addition, Bartonella strains were isolated from the blood of 17 rats (85%). According to Bartonella gene-sequence-based criteria for species definition, the isolated strains were identified as B. massiliensis (four strains) and two potential new species related to the zoonotic B. elizabethae. In this paper, these potentially new species are provisionally called Candidatus Bartonella militaris (11 strains) and Candidatus Bartonella affinis (two strains) until their description has been completed. Cricetomys gambianus and its fleas could constitute a public health risk in Dakar due to the high prevalence of Bartonella infection reported.

Highlights

Introduction iationsBartonella is the only genus of bacteria belonging to the family Bartonellaceae
This study reports the isolation, molecular detection and genetic characterisation of Bartonella species in wild commensal rodents and their fleas from Senegal, West Africa
This is the first time that Bartonella strains have been found in African giant rats (Cricetomys gambianus) and in tropical rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) in this country

Summary

Introduction

Bartonella is the only genus of bacteria belonging to the family Bartonellaceae. These microorganisms are Gram-negative and facultative intracellular bacteria. More than 40 Bartonella species have been described. Many of them can infect a large range of different mammal species, often rodents, which are regarded as the main reservoir hosts of many species of these bacteria. At least 20 species of Bartonella are rodent-associated [1]. More than ten species are zoonotic and cause human diseases [2]. The most common pathogens responsible for human bartonellosis are Bartonella bacilliformis, Bartonella quintana and Bartonella henselae; these species are not associated with Rodentia. Many small rodent-associated bartonellae have been reported to cause human diseases

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