title: Molecular evidence for the presence of Rickettsia Felis in the feces of wild-living African apes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rickettsia felis is a common emerging pathogen detected in mosquitoes in sub-Saharan Africa. We hypothesized that, as with malaria, great apes may be exposed to the infectious bite of infected mosquitoes and release R. felis DNA in their feces.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a study of 17 forest sites in Central Africa, testing 1,028 fecal samples from 313 chimpanzees, 430 gorillas and 285 bonobos. The presence of rickettsial DNA was investigated by specific quantitative real-time PCR. Positive results were confirmed by a second PCR using primers and a probe targeting a specific gene for R. felis. All positive samples were sequenced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 113 samples (11%) were positive for the Rickettsia-specific gltA gene, including 25 (22%) that were positive for R. felis. The citrate synthase (gltA) sequence and outer membrane protein A (ompA) sequence analysis indicated 99% identity at the nucleotide level to R. felis. The 88 other samples (78%) were negative using R. felis-specific qPCR and were compatible with R. felis-like organisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the first time, we detected R. felis in wild-living ape feces. This non invasive detection of human pathogens in endangered species opens up new possibilities in the molecular epidemiology and evolutionary analysis of infectious diseases, beside HIV and malaria.
authors: Aix-Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE) UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, Marseille, France.
authors: Alpha Kabinet
authors: AK
authors: Keita
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Socolovschi
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Ahuka-Mundeke
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Ratmanov
authors: Christelle
authors: C
authors: Butel
authors: Ahidjo
authors: A
authors: Ayouba
authors: Bila-Isia
authors: BI
authors: Inogwabini
authors: Jean-Jacques
authors: JJ
authors: Muyembe-Tamfum
authors: Eitel
authors: E
authors: Mpoudi-Ngole
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Delaporte
authors: Martine
authors: M
authors: Peeters
authors: Florence
authors: F
authors: Fenollar
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Raoult
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara; D000350:Africa, Central; D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D009033:Culicidae; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D015186:Hominidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D041161:Rickettsia felis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C078167:OMPA outer membrane proteins; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase
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