Abstract
It has been speculated that ticks may serve as vectors of Bartonella species. Circumstantial, clinical, epidemiological and serological evidence suggest that B. vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii (B. v. berkhoffii) might be transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether adult R. sanguineus ticks can be infected with a B. v. berkhoffii genotype II isolate via capillary tube feeding and whether the infection can then be transmitted from adult females to their eggs via trans-ovarial transmission. Furthermore, tick fecal material was also collected and screened as a possible source of infectious inoculum for canine infections. B. v. berkhoffii DNA was detected in 50% (7 of 14) of females that did not oviposit and in 14.3% (2 of 14) of female ticks that laid eggs, but not detected in egg clutches (100 eggs/female). DNA was also detected in tick feces collected on days 2 through 6 post-capillary tube feeding, however, dogs ( n= 3) did not become bacteremic or seroconvert when inoculated with tick fecal material. Therefore, trans-ovarial transmission of B. v. berkhoffii by R. sanguineus is unlikely, but further studies are needed to determine if tick fecal material can serve as a source of infection to canines.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 9-15 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2012 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Artificial infection
- Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii
- Rhipicephalus sanguineus
- Transmission
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Immunology and Allergy
- veterinary(all)
Cite this
Experimental infection by capillary tube feeding of Rhipicephalus sanguineus with Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii. / Billeter, Sarah A.; Kasten, Rick W.; Killmaster, Lindsay F.; Breitschwerdt, Edward B.; Levin, Michael L.; Levy, Michael G.; Kosoy, Michael Y.; Chomel, Bruno B.
In: Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Vol. 35, No. 1, 01.2012, p. 9-15.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental infection by capillary tube feeding of Rhipicephalus sanguineus with Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii
AU - Billeter, Sarah A.
AU - Kasten, Rick W.
AU - Killmaster, Lindsay F.
AU - Breitschwerdt, Edward B.
AU - Levin, Michael L.
AU - Levy, Michael G.
AU - Kosoy, Michael Y.
AU - Chomel, Bruno B
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - It has been speculated that ticks may serve as vectors of Bartonella species. Circumstantial, clinical, epidemiological and serological evidence suggest that B. vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii (B. v. berkhoffii) might be transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether adult R. sanguineus ticks can be infected with a B. v. berkhoffii genotype II isolate via capillary tube feeding and whether the infection can then be transmitted from adult females to their eggs via trans-ovarial transmission. Furthermore, tick fecal material was also collected and screened as a possible source of infectious inoculum for canine infections. B. v. berkhoffii DNA was detected in 50% (7 of 14) of females that did not oviposit and in 14.3% (2 of 14) of female ticks that laid eggs, but not detected in egg clutches (100 eggs/female). DNA was also detected in tick feces collected on days 2 through 6 post-capillary tube feeding, however, dogs ( n= 3) did not become bacteremic or seroconvert when inoculated with tick fecal material. Therefore, trans-ovarial transmission of B. v. berkhoffii by R. sanguineus is unlikely, but further studies are needed to determine if tick fecal material can serve as a source of infection to canines.
AB - It has been speculated that ticks may serve as vectors of Bartonella species. Circumstantial, clinical, epidemiological and serological evidence suggest that B. vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii (B. v. berkhoffii) might be transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether adult R. sanguineus ticks can be infected with a B. v. berkhoffii genotype II isolate via capillary tube feeding and whether the infection can then be transmitted from adult females to their eggs via trans-ovarial transmission. Furthermore, tick fecal material was also collected and screened as a possible source of infectious inoculum for canine infections. B. v. berkhoffii DNA was detected in 50% (7 of 14) of females that did not oviposit and in 14.3% (2 of 14) of female ticks that laid eggs, but not detected in egg clutches (100 eggs/female). DNA was also detected in tick feces collected on days 2 through 6 post-capillary tube feeding, however, dogs ( n= 3) did not become bacteremic or seroconvert when inoculated with tick fecal material. Therefore, trans-ovarial transmission of B. v. berkhoffii by R. sanguineus is unlikely, but further studies are needed to determine if tick fecal material can serve as a source of infection to canines.
KW - Artificial infection
KW - Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii
KW - Rhipicephalus sanguineus
KW - Transmission
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84855458666&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84855458666&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.09.004
DO - 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.09.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 22062313
AN - SCOPUS:84855458666
VL - 35
SP - 9
EP - 15
JO - Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
JF - Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
SN - 0147-9571
IS - 1
ER -