Molecular detection of Bartonella in fleas (Hexapoda, Siphonaptera) collected from wild rodents (Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) from Argentina

DE SALVO, M.N.; LARESCHI, M.; SÁNCHEZ, JULIANA P.; CICUTTIN, G.L.; CAÑON, C

MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019 vol. 33 p. 541 - 545

0269-283X

Bartonella are facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacteria, transmittedmainly by hematophagous arthropods, and the rodents act as a natural reservoir. Differentspecies of Bartonella associated with rodents have been implicated as causing humandisease. Studies from Argentina are scarce and no Bartonella from fleas have beenreported previously. The present study investigated the presence of Bartonella spp. infleas associated with sigmodontine rodents in four localities of the Santa Cruz Province,Argentina. In total, 51 fleas (four species) were analysed of which 41.2% were foundto be positive for the gltA gene fragment via a nested polymerase chain reaction.All positive fleas were of the species Neotyphloceras crackensis from three differentlocalities. Eight of the 21 amplified samples were sequenced, and the presence of threedifferent genotypes was detected with an identity of 95.5?98.8% amongst themselves.Bartonella genotypes from American rodents and rodent fleas were recovered in amonophyletic group. Similarly, most of the Peruvian and all Argentinean variantsconstitute a natural group sister of the American remaining. The importance of theBartonella spp. with respect to public health is unknown, although future studiescould provide evidence of the possible involvement of N. crackensis in the Bartonellatransmission cycles.