title: Fleas and Flea-Associated Bartonella Species in Dogs and Cats from Peru.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated 238 fleas collected from cats and dogs in three regions of Peru (Ancash, Cajamarca, and Lima) for the presence of Bartonella DNA. Bartonella spp. were detected by amplification of the citrate synthase gene (16.4%) and the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region (20.6%). Bartonella rochalimae was the most common species detected followed by Bartonella clarridgeiae and Bartonella henselae. Our results demonstrate that dogs and cats in Peru are infested with fleas harboring zoonotic Bartonella spp. and these infected fleas could pose a disease risk for humans.
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health, Ontario, CA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Billeter
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Osikowicz
authors.affiliation: Dirección Ejecutiva de Salud Ambiental, Dirección de la Sub Regional de Salud Cutervo, Dirección Regional de Salud Cajamarca, Perú
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Luna-Caipo
authors.affiliation: Sección de Entomología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical "Daniel A. Carrión" y Departamento Académico de Microbiología Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú Laboratorio de Entomología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Lima, Perú.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Cáceres
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO. mck3@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosoy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001473:Bartonella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002415:Cats / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology*; D010568:Peru; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Bartonella spp.; Fleas; Peru; cat; dog