Molecular detection and identification of Bartonella species in Xenopsylla cheopis fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) collected from Rattus norvegicus rats in Los Angeles, California

Sarah A Billeter; Vijay A K B Gundi; Michael P Rood; Michael Y Kosoy

doi:10.1128/AEM.06012-11

Molecular detection and identification of Bartonella species in Xenopsylla cheopis fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) collected from Rattus norvegicus rats in Los Angeles, California

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011 Nov;77(21):7850-2. doi: 10.1128/AEM.06012-11. Epub 2011 Sep 9.

Authors

Sarah A Billeter¹, Vijay A K B Gundi, Michael P Rood, Michael Y Kosoy

Affiliation

¹ Bacterial Disease Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3150 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA. SBilleter@cdc.gov

Abstract

Of 200 individual Xenopsylla cheopis fleas removed from Rattus norvegicus rats trapped in downtown Los Angeles, CA, 190 (95%) were positive for the presence of Bartonella DNA. Ninety-one amplicons were sequenced: Bartonella rochalimae-like DNA was detected in 66 examined fleas, and Bartonella tribocorum-like DNA was identified in 25 fleas. The data obtained from this study demonstrate an extremely high prevalence of Bartonella DNA in rat-associated fleas.

MeSH terms

Animals
Bacterial Proteins / genetics
Bartonella / classification*
Bartonella / genetics
Bartonella / isolation & purification*
Citrate (si)-Synthase / genetics
Cluster Analysis
DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
DNA, Bacterial / genetics
Genotype
Los Angeles
Molecular Sequence Data
Phylogeny
Rats / parasitology
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Xenopsylla / microbiology*

Substances

Bacterial Proteins
DNA, Bacterial
Citrate (si)-Synthase

Associated data

GENBANK/JF522364
GENBANK/JF522365
GENBANK/JF522366
GENBANK/JF522367
GENBANK/JF522368
GENBANK/JF522369
GENBANK/JF522370
GENBANK/JF522371