title: Detection of Rickettsia Species in Fleas Collected from Cats in Regions Endemic and Nonendemic for Flea-Borne Rickettsioses in California.
abstract: Rickettsia typhi, transmitted by rat fleas, causes most human flea-borne rickettsioses worldwide. Another rickettsia, Rickettsia felis, found in cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, has also been implicated as a potential human pathogen. In the continental United States, human cases of flea-borne rickettsioses are reported primarily from the southern regions of Texas and California where the cat flea is considered the principal vector. In California, more than 90% of locally acquired human cases are reported from suburban communities within Los Angeles and Orange counties despite the almost ubiquitous presence of cat fleas and their hosts throughout the state. The objective of this study is to assess the presence and infection rate of Rickettsia species in cat fleas from selected endemic and nonendemic regions of California. Cat fleas were collected from cats in Los Angeles County (endemic region) and Sacramento and Contra Costa counties (nonendemic region). Sequencing of 17 amplicons confirmed the presence of R. felis in both the endemic and non-endemic regions with a calculated maximum likelihood estimation of 131 and 234 per 1000 fleas, respectively. R. typhi was not detected in any flea pools. Two R. felis-like genotypes were also detected in fleas from Los Angeles County; Genotype 1 was detected in 1 flea pool and Genotype 2 was found in 10 flea pools. Genotype 1 was also detected in a single flea pool from Sacramento County. Results from this study show that R. felis is widespread in cat flea populations in both flea-borne rickettsioses endemic and nonendemic regions of California, suggesting that a high prevalence of this bacterium in cat fleas does not predispose to increased risk of human infection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of R. felis and the two R. felis-like organisms as etiologic agents of human flea-borne rickettsioses in California.
authors.affiliation: 1 Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health , Ontario, California.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Billeter
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona, California.
authors.forename: Pedro Paulo Vissotto de Paiva
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona, California.
authors.forename: Lindsey A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jett
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona, California.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wournell
authors.affiliation: 3 Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health , Sacramento, California.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kjemtrup
authors.affiliation: 4 Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health , Richmond, California.
authors.forename: Kerry A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Padgett
authors.affiliation: 4 Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health , Richmond, California.
authors.forename: Melissa Hardstone
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yoshimizu
authors.affiliation: 1 Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health , Ontario, California.
authors.forename: Marco E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences , Pomona, California.
authors.forename: Margaret C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Barr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D058251:Ctenocephalides / Q000382:microbiology*; D058267:Flea Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: California; Ctenocephalides felis; Rickettsia asemboensis; Rickettsia felis; Rickettsia senegalensis; Rickettsia typhi; cat flea; flea-borne rickettsioses