Identification of Bartonella infections in febrile human patients from Thailand and their potential animal reservoirs.
To determine the role of Bartonella species as causes of acute febrile illness in humans from Thailand, we used a novel strategy of co-cultivation of blood with eukaryotic cells and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of Bartonella-specific DNA products. Bartonella species were identified in 14 blood clots from febrile patients. Sequence analysis showed that more than one-half of the genotypes identified in human patients were similar or identical to homologous sequences identified in rodents from Asia and were closely related to B. elizabethae, B. rattimassiliensis, and B. tribocorum. The remaining genotypes belonged to B. henselae, B. vinsonii, and B. tamiae. Among the positive febrile patients, animal exposure was common: 36% reported owning either dogs or cats and 71% reported rat exposure during the 2 weeks before illness onset. The findings suggest that rodents are likely reservoirs for a substantial portion of cases of human Bartonella infections in Thailand.
Kosoy
Michael
M
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA. mkosoy@cdc.gov
Bai
Ying
Y
Sheff
Kelly
K
Morway
Christina
C
Baggett
Henry
H
Maloney
Susan A
SA
Boonmar
Sumalee
S
Bhengsri
Saithip
S
Dowell
Scott F
SF
Sitdhirasdr
Anussorn
A
Lerdthusnee
Kriangkrai
K
Richardson
Jason
J
Peruski
Leonard F
LF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001473:Bartonella / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010802:Phylogeny; D051381:Rats; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer