First Detection of Bartonella spp. in Small Mammals from Rice Storage and Processing Facilities in Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Inga Böge,Siriwardana Rampalage Sarathchandra,Vincent Sluydts,Martin Pfeffer,Anna Obiegala,Anna P Piscitelli,Nyo M Htwe,Pyai P Maw,Jens Jacob

doi:10.3390/microorganisms9030658

Inga Böge, Siriwardana Rampalage Sarathchandra + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9030658

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Abstract

(1) Background: Bartonella spp. are zoonotic bacteria with small mammals as main reservoirs. Bartonella spp. prevalence in small mammals from Myanmar and Sri Lanka are yet unknown. (2) Methods: Small mammals were snap trapped in Sri Lanka and Myanmar in urban surroundings. Spleens-derived DNA was screened for Bartonella spp. using conventional PCR based on three target genes. Positive samples were sequenced. (3) Results: 994 small mammals were collected comprising 6 species: Bandicota bengalensis, Bandicota indica, Rattus exulans, Rattus rattus, Mus booduga, and Suncus murinus. In Myanmar, the Bartonella prevalence in Bandicoot rats (68.47%) was higher than in Rattus rattus (41.67%), Rattus exulans (21.33%), and Suncus murinus (3.64%). Furthermore the prevalence in Myanmar (34%, n = 495) was twice as high as in Sri Lanka (16%, n = 499). In Sri Lanka, Bartonella spp. occurred almost exclusively in R. rattus. In Myanmar, Bartonella kosoyi was mainly detected (56%), followed by Bartonella sp. KM2529 (15%), Bartonella sp. SE-Bart D (12%) and Bartonella henselae (1%). In Sri Lanka, B. phoceensis (60%) and Bartonella sp. KM2581 (33%) were predominant. (4) Conclusions: Bartonella spp. were detected in all investigated small mammal species from Myanmar and Sri Lanka for the first time. Bartonella kosoyi and B. henselae are zoonotic. As these small mammals originated from urban settlements, human bartonellosis seems likely to occur.

Highlights

The genus Bartonella includes over 40 species and subspecies [1] of gram-negative, hemotropic, facultative intracellular bacteria that infect endothelial cells and erythrocytes of mammalian hosts
Rodents are known to be the main reservoir of different Bartonella spp. with fleas the main vector within and between rodent populations [2,3]
Captured Small Mammal Species In Myanmar, 495 small mammals were trapped belonging to five species: Bandicota bengalensis (n2018 = 94; n2019 = 61); B. indica (n2018 = 6; n2019 = 2); Rattus exulans (n2018 = 59; n2019 = 91); R. rattus (n2018 = 51; n2019 = 21); Suncus murinus (n2018 = 36; n2019 = 74) (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

The genus Bartonella includes over 40 species and subspecies [1] of gram-negative, hemotropic, facultative intracellular bacteria that infect endothelial cells and erythrocytes of mammalian hosts. Bartonella spp. are vector-borne and commonly transmitted via bloodsucking arthropods. Rodents are known to be the main reservoir of different Bartonella spp. with fleas the main vector within and between rodent populations [2,3]. Arupensis are described in association with rodent reservoirs [2,4,5]. Bartonella spp. infections are associated with various human diseases such as catscratch disease (Bartonella henselae), trench fever (Bartonella quintana), and Oroya fever 4.0/). Cases of bartonellosis associated with rodents are described from all over the world with clinical symptoms such as fever, muscle and joint pain, neuroretinitis, and endocarditis [6,7].

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