ArticleParasites & vectors2017
First molecular detection and characterization of zoonotic Bartonella species in fleas infesting domestic animals in Tunisia.
Article in Parasites & vectors, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 43 citations in OpenAlex.
- Feline-Human Zoonosis Transmission in North Africa: A Systematic Review.Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) · 2020Pooled it
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- Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey of Ectoparasites in Sheep from Central Tunisia: Does Low Prevalence Indicate Good Hygiene or Resistance to Ectoparasites?Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Development of a quadruplex PCR amplicon next generation sequencing assay for detection and differentiation ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2023Article
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- Molecular Evidence ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2021Article
- Molecular Detection of Microorganisms Associated with Small Mammals and Their Ectoparasites in Mali.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2020Article
- Molecular Evidence ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2020Article
- Isolation ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2020Article
- Flea surveillance on wild mammals in northern region of Xinjiang, northwestern China.International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2020Article
- Hepatosplenic abscesses in an immunocompetent child with cat-scratch disease from Peru.Annals of clinical microbiology and antimicrobials · 2019Article
- Fleas of black rats (PeerJ · 2019Article
- Bartonella DNA in heart tissues of bats in central and eastern Europe and a review of phylogenetic relations of bat-associated bartonellae.Parasites & vectors · 2018Review
- Detection of Bartonella henselae DNA in Triatoma sordida collected in peridomiciliary environments.The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases : an official publication of the Brazilian Society of Infectious DiseasesArticle
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBartonellosis is an emerging vector-borne disease caused by different intracellular bacteria of the genus Bartonella (Rhizobiales: Bartonellaceae) that is transmitted primarily by blood-sucking arthropods such as sandflies, ticks and fleas. In Tunisia, there are no data available identifying the vectors of Bartonella spp. In our research, we used molecular methods to detect and characterize Bartonella species circulating in fleas collected from domestic animals in several of the country's bioclimatic areas.
resultsA total of 2178 fleas were collected from 5 cats, 27 dogs, 34 sheep, and 41 goats at 22 sites located in Tunisia's five bioclimatic zones. The fleas were identified as: 1803 Ctenocephalides felis (83%) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae), 266 C. canis (12%) and 109 Pulex irritans (5%) (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Using conventional PCR, we screened the fleas for the presence of Bartonella spp., targeting the citrate synthase gene (gltA). Bartonella DNA was detected in 14% (121/866) of the tested flea pools [estimated infection rate (EIR) per 2 specimens: 0.072, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.060-0.086]. The Bartonella infection rate per pool was broken down as follows: 55% (65/118; EIR per 2 specimens: 0.329, 95% CI: 0.262-0.402) in C. canis; 23.5% (8/34; EIR per 2 specimens: 0.125, 95% CI: 0.055-0.233) in P. irritans and 6.7% (48/714; EIR per 2 specimens: 0.032, 95% CI: 0.025-0.045) in C. felis. Infection rates, which varied significantly by bioclimatic zone (P < 0.0001), were highest in the humid areas. By sequencing, targeting the gltA gene and the 16S-23S rRNA Intergenic Spacer Regions (ITS), we identified three Bartonella zoonotic species: B. elizabethae, B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, as well as uncharacterized Bartonella genotypes.
conclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that fleas in Tunisia have been shown to carry zoonotic species of Bartonella. The dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis, should be considered the main potential vector of Bartonella. Our study not only provides new information about this vector, but also offers a public health update: medical practitioners and farmers in Tunisia should be apprised of the presence of Bartonella in fleas and implement preventive measures.
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