Abstract
Bartonella spp. are Gram-negative zoonotic bacteria transmitted to humans via various blood-sucking arthropods. Rodents have been identified as reservoir hosts of several zoonotic pathogens, including Bartonella spp. In Thailand, studies of Bartonella spp. in rodents from urban areas are limited; thus, a study in this area is necessary. The objectives of this study were to detect Bartonella spp. in rodents in Thailand and to compare the species’ distribution across different areas. In total, 70 blood samples from rodents in urban and suburban areas were tested for Bartonella spp. using a conventional polymerase chain reaction that targeted the citrate synthase (gltA) gene. All Bartonella-positive sequences were analyzed using polymorphism in order to build a phylogenetic tree. Approximately 38% of the rodents studied contained Bartonella DNA. Both Rattus exulans (Pacific rat) and R. tanezumi (Asian house rat) contained Bartonella spp. Four species of Bartonella were detected in blood samples: B. tribocorum, B. phoceensis, B. grahamii, and B. rattimassiliensis. In addition, eight Pacific rats contained the B. kosoyi–B. tribocorum complex. Bartonella phoceensis and B. tribocorum–B. kosoyi complexes were found in a specific habitat (p < 0.05). Interestingly, only seven haplotypes were identified in the sequences analyzed, and only haplotype A was found in both rodent species. Finally, a monitoring program for zoonotic Bartonella infection, especially the B. kosoyi–B. tribocorum complex, B. phoceensis, B. grahamii, and B. rattimassiliensis should be established, especially in high-risk areas.
Highlights
Bartonella spp. are Gram-negative intraerythrocytic bacteria [1] that have been rearranged into the alpha-proteobacteria [2] and are transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods [3]
70 rodents were trapped in the two different environments: 30 Rattus exulans in urban (Bangkok) and 40 R. tanezumi in suburban (Nakhon Sawan)
27 (38.57%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 28.05–50.28%) had Bartonella DNA in their blood samples
Summary
Bartonella spp. are Gram-negative intraerythrocytic bacteria [1] that have been rearranged into the alpha-proteobacteria [2] and are transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods [3]. Several species of Bartonella have been confirmed as zoonotic pathogens, including. Around 6 of the 20 rodent-adapted Bartonella spp. are zoonotic pathogens [6] that are important in medical and veterinary medicine [7]. Several types of animals are confirmed as hosts transmitting Bartonella spp., including cats [4,8], dogs [1,4], cattle [9,10], and rodents [11,12]. Bartonella spp. have been detected in rodents in several continents, including
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