Transovarial transmission of Yersinia pestis in its flea vector Xenopsylla cheopis

Abstract

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is endemic in certain regions due to a stable transmission cycle between rodents and their associated fleas. In addition, fleas are believed to serve as reservoirs that can occasionally cause enzootic plague cycles and explosive epizootic outbreaks that increase human exposure. However, transmission by fleas is inefficient and associated with a shortened lifespan of the flea and rodent hosts, indicating that there remain significant gaps in our understanding of the vector-animal cycle of Y. pestis. Here, we show that laboratory-reared, infected fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis) can transmit viable Y. pestis from adults to eggs, and the bacteria can be passed through all subsequent life stages of the flea. Thus, our data raise the possibility that transovarial transmission in fleas might contribute to the persistence of Y. pestis in the environment without detectable plague activity in mammals.