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

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

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, transmitted mainly by hematophagous arthropods, and the rodents act as a natural reservoir. Different species of Bartonella associated with rodents have been implicated as causing human disease. Studies from Argentina are scarce and no Bartonella from fleas have been previously reported.  In this study, we investigate the presence of Bartonella spp. in fleas associated with sigmodontine rodents in four localities of the Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. We analyzed 51 fleas (four species) of which 41.2% were positive by nested PCR for the gltA gene fragment. All positive fleas were of the species Neotyphloceras crackensis from 3 different localities. Eight of the 21 amplified ones were sequenced, detecting the presence of three different genotypes with an identity of 95.5-98.8% among themselves. Bartonella genotypes from American rodents and rodent´ fleas were recovered in a monophyletic group. Similarly, most of Peruvian and all Argentinean variants constitute a natural group sister of the American remaining. The importance for the public health of Bartonella spp. found here is unknown, but future studies could provide evidence of the possible involvement of N. crackensis in the Bartonella transmission cycles.