Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome
The effect of <i>Bartonella henselae</i> on the microbiome of its vector, <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> (the cat flea) is largely unknown, as the majority of <i>C. felis</i> microbiome studies have utilized wild-caught pooled fleas. We surveyed the microbiome of la...
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/3/366 |
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| author | Charlotte Moore Erin Lashnits Pradeep Neupane Brian H. Herrin Michael Lappin Marcos Rogério André Edward B. Breitschwerdt |
| author_facet | Charlotte Moore Erin Lashnits Pradeep Neupane Brian H. Herrin Michael Lappin Marcos Rogério André Edward B. Breitschwerdt |
| author_sort | Charlotte Moore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The effect of <i>Bartonella henselae</i> on the microbiome of its vector, <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> (the cat flea) is largely unknown, as the majority of <i>C. felis</i> microbiome studies have utilized wild-caught pooled fleas. We surveyed the microbiome of laboratory-origin <i>C. felis</i> fed on <i>B. henselae</i>-infected cats for 24 h or 9 days to identify changes to microbiome diversity and microbe prevalence compared to unfed fleas, and fleas fed on uninfected cats. Utilizing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) on the Illumina platform, we documented an increase in microbial diversity in <i>C. felis</i> fed on <i>Bartonella</i>-infected cats for 24 h. These changes returned to baseline (unfed fleas or fleas fed on uninfected cats) after 9 days on the host. Increased diversity in the <i>C. felis</i> microbiome when fed on <i>B. henselae</i>-infected cats may be related to the mammalian, flea, or endosymbiont response. Poor <i>B. henselae</i> acquisition was documented with only one of four infected flea pools having <i>B. henselae</i> detected by NGS. We hypothesize this is due to the use of adult fleas, flea genetic variation, or lack of co-feeding with <i>B. henselae</i>-infected fleas. Future studies are necessary to fully characterize the effect of endosymbionts and <i>C. felis</i> diversity on <i>B. henselae</i> acquisition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:03:43Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:03:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-eac0b46ddf4d45ef9bb8c2861fd71d132023-11-17T13:08:58ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172023-02-0112336610.3390/pathogens12030366Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> MicrobiomeCharlotte Moore0Erin Lashnits1Pradeep Neupane2Brian H. Herrin3Michael Lappin4Marcos Rogério André5Edward B. Breitschwerdt6Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USAIntracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USAIntracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USADepartment of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USACenter for Companion Animal Studies, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USAVector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Department of Pathology, Reproduction and One Health, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Jaboticabal 14884-900, BrazilIntracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USAThe effect of <i>Bartonella henselae</i> on the microbiome of its vector, <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> (the cat flea) is largely unknown, as the majority of <i>C. felis</i> microbiome studies have utilized wild-caught pooled fleas. We surveyed the microbiome of laboratory-origin <i>C. felis</i> fed on <i>B. henselae</i>-infected cats for 24 h or 9 days to identify changes to microbiome diversity and microbe prevalence compared to unfed fleas, and fleas fed on uninfected cats. Utilizing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) on the Illumina platform, we documented an increase in microbial diversity in <i>C. felis</i> fed on <i>Bartonella</i>-infected cats for 24 h. These changes returned to baseline (unfed fleas or fleas fed on uninfected cats) after 9 days on the host. Increased diversity in the <i>C. felis</i> microbiome when fed on <i>B. henselae</i>-infected cats may be related to the mammalian, flea, or endosymbiont response. Poor <i>B. henselae</i> acquisition was documented with only one of four infected flea pools having <i>B. henselae</i> detected by NGS. We hypothesize this is due to the use of adult fleas, flea genetic variation, or lack of co-feeding with <i>B. henselae</i>-infected fleas. Future studies are necessary to fully characterize the effect of endosymbionts and <i>C. felis</i> diversity on <i>B. henselae</i> acquisition.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/3/366<i>Bartonella henselae</i><i>Ctenocephalides felis</i>fleamicrobiomewolbachiavector microbiome |
| spellingShingle | Charlotte Moore Erin Lashnits Pradeep Neupane Brian H. Herrin Michael Lappin Marcos Rogério André Edward B. Breitschwerdt Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome Pathogens <i>Bartonella henselae</i> <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> flea microbiome wolbachia vector microbiome |
| title | Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome |
| title_full | Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome |
| title_fullStr | Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome |
| title_short | Feeding on a <i>Bartonella henselae</i> Infected Host Triggers Temporary Changes in the <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> Microbiome |
| title_sort | feeding on a i bartonella henselae i infected host triggers temporary changes in the i ctenocephalides felis i microbiome |
| topic | <i>Bartonella henselae</i> <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> flea microbiome wolbachia vector microbiome |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/12/3/366 |
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