Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA
Abstract Background The main vector and reservoir host of Rickettsia felis, an emerging human pathogen causing flea-borne spotted fever, is the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. While cats have not been found to be infected with the organism, significant percentages of dogs from Australia and Africa a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-11-01
|
| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-04464-w |
| _version_ | 1819294732143034368 |
|---|---|
| author | Md Monirul Hoque Subarna Barua Patrick John Kelly Kelly Chenoweth Bernhard Kaltenboeck Chengming Wang |
| author_facet | Md Monirul Hoque Subarna Barua Patrick John Kelly Kelly Chenoweth Bernhard Kaltenboeck Chengming Wang |
| author_sort | Md Monirul Hoque |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The main vector and reservoir host of Rickettsia felis, an emerging human pathogen causing flea-borne spotted fever, is the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. While cats have not been found to be infected with the organism, significant percentages of dogs from Australia and Africa are infected, indicating that they may be important mammalian reservoirs. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of R. felis DNA in the blood of domestic dogs and cats in the USA. Methods Three previously validated PCR assays for R. felis and DNA sequencing were performed on blood samples obtained from clinically ill domestic cats and dogs from 45 states (2008–2020) in the USA. The blood samples had been submitted for the diagnosis of various tick-borne diseases in dogs and feline infectious peritonitis virus, feline immunodeficiency virus, and Bartonella spp. in cats. Phylogenetic comparisons were performed on the gltA nucleotide sequences obtained in the study and those reported for R. felis and R. felis-like organisms. Results Low copy numbers of R. felis DNA (around 100 copies/ml whole blood) were found in four cats (4/752, 0.53%) and three dogs (3/777, 0.39%). The very low levels of infection in clinically ill animals is consistent with R. felis being an unlikely cause of disease in naturally infected dogs and cats. The low copy numbers we found emphasize the requirement for very sensitive PCRs in prevalence studies. Conclusions The low prevalence of naturally infected PCR-positive cats is further evidence that cats are unlikely to be important reservoirs of R. felis. Similarly, the low prevalence in dogs suggests they are not important reservoirs in the USA. Investigations should continue into the role other mammalian species may be playing in the epidemiology of R. felis infections. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:30:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a70020bbefa4fa7a017370fd2fd3c4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:30:59Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a70020bbefa4fa7a017370fd2fd3c4c2022-12-21T17:15:25ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052020-11-011311710.1186/s13071-020-04464-wIdentification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USAMd Monirul Hoque0Subarna Barua1Patrick John Kelly2Kelly Chenoweth3Bernhard Kaltenboeck4Chengming Wang5Department of Pathobiology, Auburn University College of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Pathobiology, Auburn University College of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Pathobiology, Auburn University College of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Pathobiology, Auburn University College of Veterinary MedicineDepartment of Pathobiology, Auburn University College of Veterinary MedicineAbstract Background The main vector and reservoir host of Rickettsia felis, an emerging human pathogen causing flea-borne spotted fever, is the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. While cats have not been found to be infected with the organism, significant percentages of dogs from Australia and Africa are infected, indicating that they may be important mammalian reservoirs. The objective of this study was to determine the presence of R. felis DNA in the blood of domestic dogs and cats in the USA. Methods Three previously validated PCR assays for R. felis and DNA sequencing were performed on blood samples obtained from clinically ill domestic cats and dogs from 45 states (2008–2020) in the USA. The blood samples had been submitted for the diagnosis of various tick-borne diseases in dogs and feline infectious peritonitis virus, feline immunodeficiency virus, and Bartonella spp. in cats. Phylogenetic comparisons were performed on the gltA nucleotide sequences obtained in the study and those reported for R. felis and R. felis-like organisms. Results Low copy numbers of R. felis DNA (around 100 copies/ml whole blood) were found in four cats (4/752, 0.53%) and three dogs (3/777, 0.39%). The very low levels of infection in clinically ill animals is consistent with R. felis being an unlikely cause of disease in naturally infected dogs and cats. The low copy numbers we found emphasize the requirement for very sensitive PCRs in prevalence studies. Conclusions The low prevalence of naturally infected PCR-positive cats is further evidence that cats are unlikely to be important reservoirs of R. felis. Similarly, the low prevalence in dogs suggests they are not important reservoirs in the USA. Investigations should continue into the role other mammalian species may be playing in the epidemiology of R. felis infections.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-04464-wRickettsia felisDomestic catDogWhole bloodUSA |
| spellingShingle | Md Monirul Hoque Subarna Barua Patrick John Kelly Kelly Chenoweth Bernhard Kaltenboeck Chengming Wang Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA Parasites & Vectors Rickettsia felis Domestic cat Dog Whole blood USA |
| title | Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA |
| title_full | Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA |
| title_fullStr | Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA |
| title_short | Identification of Rickettsia felis DNA in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the USA |
| title_sort | identification of rickettsia felis dna in the blood of domestic cats and dogs in the usa |
| topic | Rickettsia felis Domestic cat Dog Whole blood USA |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-04464-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mdmonirulhoque identificationofrickettsiafelisdnainthebloodofdomesticcatsanddogsintheusa AT subarnabarua identificationofrickettsiafelisdnainthebloodofdomesticcatsanddogsintheusa AT patrickjohnkelly identificationofrickettsiafelisdnainthebloodofdomesticcatsanddogsintheusa AT kellychenoweth identificationofrickettsiafelisdnainthebloodofdomesticcatsanddogsintheusa AT bernhardkaltenboeck identificationofrickettsiafelisdnainthebloodofdomesticcatsanddogsintheusa AT chengmingwang identificationofrickettsiafelisdnainthebloodofdomesticcatsanddogsintheusa |