First detection of Rickettsia felis and Bartonella clarridgeiae in fleas from Laos

Rickettsia and Bartonella Species in Fleas from Reunion Island

“…Subsequently, DNA samples were screened using Bartonella genus-specific qPCR with a Taqman probe targeting the 16S/23S rRNA gene intergenic spacer (ITS). 10 Bacterial DNA was detected in 10.73% (22 of 205) of the fleas by qPCR, including X. cheopis (12%, 16 of 134) and X. brasiliensis fleas (10.5%, 6 of 57) collected from 15 R. rattus of 59 infested small mammals (25%). Rickettsia felis was detected in 5 of 205 (2.44%) flea specimens, including four X. cheopis and one X. brasiliensis collected from three different R. rattus individuals.…”

Bartonella clarridgeiae,B. henselaeandRickettsia felisin fleas from Morocco

“…Positive samples were further tested by realtime semi-quantitative PCR using primers and probes that targeted the R. felis bioB gene (Berrelha et al, 2009). Each sample of DNA was screened for the Bartonella genus using qPCR with a Taqman probe that targeted the 16S/23S RNA intergenic spacer (ITS) (Varagnol et al, 2009). In each test, we included a negative control of DNA extracted from uninfected laboratory ticks and a positive control of DNA from R. felis and B. elizabethae (ITS PCR) (one positive control for every 20 samples).…”

Acquisition ofRickettsia felisby Cat Fleas During Feeding

“…Since the first description as the ELB (Elward Lab) agent in a commercial cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) colony in 1990 (Adams et al 1990), R. felis has been associated with at least 22 arthropod species worldwide (Berrelha et al 2009, Blair et al 2004, Maioli et al 2009, Reif and Macaluso 2009, Varagnol et al 2009). Utilization of molecular assays, traditional and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), has increased the known flea hosts associated with R. felis; however, only C. felis is currently recognized as a biological vector.…”