Abstract
Bartonellae are facultative intracellular alpha-proteobacteria often transmitted by arthropods. Ixodes ricinus is the most important vector for arthropod-borne pathogens in Europe. However, its vector competence for Bartonella spp. is still unclear. This study aimed to experimentally compare its vector competence for three Bartonella species: B. henselae, B. grahamii, and B. schoenbuchensis. A total of 1333 ticks (1021 nymphs and 312 adults) were separated into four groups, one for each pathogen and a negative control group. Ticks were fed artificially with bovine blood spiked with the respective Bartonella species. DNA was extracted from selected ticks to verify Bartonella-infection by PCR. DNA of Bartonella spp. was detected in 34% of nymphs and females after feeding. The best engorgement results were obtained by ticks fed with B. henselae-spiked blood (65.3%) and B. schoenbuchensis (61.6%). Significantly more nymphs fed on infected blood (37.3%) molted into adults compared to the control group (11.4%). Bartonella DNA was found in 22% of eggs laid by previously infected females and in 8.6% of adults molted from infected nymphs. The transovarial and transstadial transmission of bartonellae suggest that I. ricinus could be a potential vector for three bacteria.
Highlights
Bartonellae are Gram-negative α-proteobacteria that can cause mild to life-threatening symptoms in humans depending on the causing Bartonella species [1]
As the vector function of I. ricinus is still unknown for many Bartonella species, the aims of this study were: (i) to infect different stages of I. ricinus ticks by artificial feeding with three zoonotic Bartonella species (B. grahamii, B. henselae, and B. schoenbuchensis) (ii) to evaluate tick developmental proportions and engorgement weight following artificial infection with the respective Bartonella species; and (iii) to evaluate the potential vector competence of I. ricinus with regard to transovarial and transstadial transmission for these three Bartonella species
1333 I. ricinus ticks were used in this experiment, 1021 nymphs and 312 adults (156 females and 156 males) (Table 1)
Summary
Bartonellae are Gram-negative α-proteobacteria that can cause mild to life-threatening symptoms in humans depending on the causing Bartonella species [1]. Despite their virulence and worldwide distribution, bartonellae are among the bacterial pathogens that are considered neglected regarding diagnostic investigation and awareness of practitioners [2]. According to their phylogenetic relationship and their pathogenicity factors, bartonellae can be classified into four deep-branching lineages of eubartonellae and two additional ancestral Bartonella species, B. apis and B. tamiae [3]. Lineages 3 and 4 each contain a large number of different
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