Abstract
The prevalence and molecular characteristics of Bartonella infections in small rodents in the Zhongtiao Mountain, China have been explored. In this study, the liver, spleen and kidney tissues of captured rodents were used for Bartonella spp. detection and identification by combination of real-time PCR of transfer-mRNA (ssrA) gene and traditional PCR and sequencing of citrate synthase (gltA) gene. It was shown that 49.52% of the rodents (52/105) were positive for Bartonella spp.. The infection rate in different gender (χ2 = 0.079, P = 0.778) and tissues (χ2 = 0.233, P = 0.890) of small rodents did not have statistical difference, but that in different small rodents (Fisher’s exact test, P < 0.001) and habitats (χ2 = 5.483, P = 0.019) had statistical difference. And, the sequencing data suggests that Bartonella sequences (n = 31) were identified into three species, including 14 of B. grahamii, 3 of B. queenslandensis and 14 of unknown Bartonella species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that B. grahamii sequences were clustered with the isolates from South Korea and China, and B. queenslandensis sequences were mainly closely related to the isolates from China and Thailand. The genetic diversity analysis showed that B. grahamii and B. queenslandensis sequences exhibited noticeable intraspecies diversity. Taken together our data demonstrates the high prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella infections in small rodents in the Zhongtiao Mountain, especially a potential novel Bartonella specie was detected, which could benefit the prevention and control of rodent-Bartonella species in this area.
Highlights
Bartonella species are an emerging family of vector-borne, facultative, gram-negative, haemotrophic bacteria, known to infect mammalian erythrocytes and endothelial cells and might cause human Bartonellosis [1]
The animals were classified into six species (A. agrarius (26/32), E. inez (10/28), A. draco (5/19), M. musculus (1/14), N. confucianus (9/9), A. peninsulae (1/1)), and the difference of positive rate among these species was shown to be statistically significant (P < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test) (Table 1)
There were 17 small rodents from three species captured in villages, with a Bartonella infection rate of 23.53% (4/17). 88 small rodents from seven species were captured in the returning farmland to forests (RFF), with an infection rate of 54.55% (48/88)
Summary
Bartonella species are an emerging family of vector-borne, facultative, gram-negative, haemotrophic bacteria, known to infect mammalian erythrocytes and endothelial cells and might cause human Bartonellosis [1]. There are currently over 40 species of Bartonella identified, and 14 of them are known to be zoonotic [2]. They have a wide range of reservoirs, including. Genetic diversity of Bartonella species detected in small rodents in Zhongtiao Mountain, China. Education Institutions in Shanxi (2020L0376, 2020L0377), Undergraduate Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (20210584), Major Infectious Diseases Such as AIDS and Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Control Technology Major Projects (2018ZX10712001, 2017ZX10303404), Doctor research startup foundation of Changzhi Medical College (BS201912, BS201921). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript
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