Domestic dogs are mammalian reservoirs for the emerging zoonosis flea-borne spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia felis

Abstract

Rickettsia felis is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is being increasingly recognized as an etiological agent of human rickettsial disease globally. The agent is transmitted through the bite of an infected vector, the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, however there is to date, no consensus on the pathogen’s vertebrate reservoir, required for the maintenance of this agent in nature. This study for the first time, demonstrates the role of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) as a vertebrate reservoir of R. felis. The ability of dogs to sustain prolonged periods of rickettsemia, ability to remain asymptomatically infected with normal haematological parameters and ability to act as biological vehicles for the horizontal transmission of R. felis between infected and uninfected fleas provides indication of their status as a mammalian reservoir of this emerging zoonosis.

A Host-Specific Blocking Primer Combined with Optimal DNA Extraction Improves the Detection Capability of a Metabarcoding Protocol for Canine Vector-Borne Bacteria

“…Exploration and surveillance of CVBD is not only important from a veterinary perspective but also a public health standpoint, as several bacterial CVBD agents are zoonotic. For example, Rickettsia felis and Rickettsia conorii, when transmitted to humans, are the causative agents of flea-borne spotted fever and Mediterranean/Indian/Israeli tick typhus, respectively, with both having dogs as reservoir hosts [12,13]. In addition, dogs are considered sentinel hosts for the zoonotic pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, which causes Lyme disease and Anaplasma phagocytophilum responsible for the potentially lethal human granulocytic anaplasmosis [14][15][16][17].…”

Molecular detection of pathogens in ticks and fleas collected from companion dogs and cats in East and Southeast Asia

“…The detection of R. asembonensis only from eas collected on dogs (mainly C. orientis but in one case in C. felis) may suggest that dogs could act as amplifying hosts of this rickettsia, as they do for R. felis [68]. Rickettsia asembonensis is the most well-characterized genotype of RFLOs [69].…”

“…the book louse Liposcelis bostrychophila) [66], the widespread of this rickettsia is highly a liated with the distribution of C. felis [59]. Ctenocephalides felis is the most well-recognized vector of this rickettsia which transmits the pathogen transovarially and transstadially [67] with dogs as proven mammalian reservoir hosts [68]. The high occurrence of R. felis in C. felis along with the high relative frequency of occurrence of this ea species in host populations (65.1% in dogs and 98.7% in cats) [10] emphasizes the risk of R. felis infection in animals and humans.…”

Molecular Detection of Pathogens in Ticks and Fleas Collected from Companion Dogs and Cats in East and Southeast Asia

“…In this study, R. felis was mostly detected in C. felis, whereas C. orientis mainly harbored R. asembonensis (Fisher's exact test, P < 0.001). The detection of R. asembonensis only from eas collected on dogs (mainly C. orientis but in one case in C. felis) may suggest that dogs could act as amplifying hosts of this rickettsia, as they do for R. felis [68]. Rickettsia asembonensis is the most well-characterized genotype of RFLOs [69].…”

“…Although R. felis was found in many arthropods, including non-hematophagous insect (i.e., the booklouse Liposcelis bostrychophila) [66], the widespread of this rickettsia is highly a liated to the distribution of C. felis [59]. Ctenocephalides felis is the most well-recognized vector of this rickettsia which transmits the pathogen transovarially and transstadially [67] with dogs as proven mammalian reservoir hosts [68]. The high occurrence of R. felis in C. felis along with the high relative frequency of occurrence of this ea species in host populations (65.1% in dogs and 98.7% in cats) [10] emphasizes the risk of R. felis infection in animals and humans.…”