High prevalence of Rickettsia typhi and Bartonella species in rats and fleas, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The prevalence and identity of Rickettsia and Bartonella in urban rat and flea populations were evaluated in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by molecular tools. An overall prevalence of 17% Bartonella species and 13% Rickettsia typhi, the agent of murine typhus, was found in the cosmopolitan rat species, Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus that were infested by a majority of Xenopsylla cheopis fleas. Bartonella queenslandensis, Bartonella elizabethae, and three Bartonella genotypes were identified by sequencing in rat specimens, mostly in R. rattus. Rickettsia typhi was detected in 72% of X. cheopis pools, the main vector and reservoir of this zoonotic pathogen. Co-infections were observed in rodents, suggesting a common mammalian host shared by R. typhi and Bartonella spp. Thus, both infections are endemic in DRC and the medical staffs need to be aware knowing the high prevalence of impoverished populations or immunocompromised inhabitants in this area.
EEID, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Evolutionary Ecology, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium; University Clinic of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Science Faculty, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, DRC; Biodiversity Monitoring Center (Centre de Surveillance de la Biodiversité, CSB), Kisangani, DRC; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium; Faculty of Geosciences, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Aix Marseille Université, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, 13005 Marseille, France.
Anne
A
Laudisoit
Dadi
D
Falay
Nicaise
N
Amundala
Dudu
D
Akaibe
Joëlle Goüy
JG
de Bellocq
Natalie
N
Van Houtte
Matteo
M
Breno
Erik
E
Verheyen
Liesbeth
L
Wilschut
Philippe
P
Parola
Didier
D
Raoult
Cristina
C
Socolovschi
D000818:Animals; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics*; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D058267:Flea Infestations / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats / Q000382:microbiology*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D012286:Rickettsia typhi / Q000235:genetics*; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D014437:Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D014505:Urban Population
D004269:DNA, Bacterial