title: Synanthropic rodents and their ectoparasites as carriers of a novel haemoplasma and vector-borne, zoonotic pathogens indoors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite their close association with human dwellings, the role of synanthropic rodents in the epidemiology of vector-borne infections is seldom studied. The aim of the present study was to compensate for this lack of information, by the molecular investigation of vector-borne bacteria in peridomestic rodents and their ectoparasites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two rodents (mainly house mice and brown rats) were caught alive in buildings and checked for blood-sucking ectoparasites; followed by molecular analysis of these, together with spleen samples, for the presence of vector-borne agents. Haemoplasma infection was significantly more prevalent among brown rats, than among house mice. A novel haemoplasma genotype (with only 92-93% similarity to Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis and M. coccoides in its 16S rRNA gene) was detected in a harvest mouse and a brown rat. Sporadic occurrence of Rickettsia helvetica, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Bartonella sp. was also noted in rodents and/or their ectoparasites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that synanthropic rodents, although with low prevalence, may carry zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens indoors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary. hornok.sandor@aotk.szie.hu.
authors.forename: Sándor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hornok
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Földvári
authors.forename: Krisztina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rigó
authors.forename: Marina L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Meli
authors.forename: Enikő
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gönczi
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Répási
authors.forename: Róbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farkas
authors.forename: Ibolya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.forename: Jenő
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kontschán
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hofmann-Lehmann
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D001473:Bartonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004199:Disease Vectors / Q000145:classification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D051379:Mice; D008925:Mites / Q000382:microbiology; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D012377:Rodentia; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000382:microbiology; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission