title: GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION AND MOLECULAR DIVERSITY OF BARTONELLA SPP. INFECTIONS IN MOOSE (ALCES ALCES) IN FINLAND.
abstract: Moose, Alces alces (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in Finland are heavily infested with deer keds, Lipoptena cervi (Diptera: Hippoboschidae). The deer ked, which carries species of the genus Bartonella, has been proposed as a vector for the transmission of bartonellae to animals and humans. Previously, bartonella DNA was found in deer keds as well as in moose blood collected in Finland. We investigated the prevalence and molecular diversity of Bartonella spp. infection from blood samples collected from free-ranging moose. Given that the deer ked is not present in northernmost Finland, we also investigated whether there were geographic differences in the prevalence of bartonella infection in moose. The overall prevalence of bartonella infection was 72.9% (108/148). Geographically, the prevalence was highest in the south (90.6%) and lowest in the north (55.9%). At least two species of bartonellae were identified by multilocus sequence analysis. Based on logistic regression analysis, there was no significant association between bartonella infection and either age or sex; however, moose from outside the deer ked zone were significantly less likely to be infected (P<0.015) than were moose hunted within the deer ked zone.
authors.affiliation: 1   University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, PO Box 21, (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.|2   Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, PO 57 (Viikintie 49) 00014 Helsinki, Finland.|3   Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty of Bern, Länggassstrasse 128, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pérez Vera
authors.affiliation: 1   University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, PO Box 21, (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.|4   Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Division of Microbiology and Epidemiology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 66 (Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aaltonen
authors.affiliation: 2   Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, PO 57 (Viikintie 49) 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Spillmann
authors.affiliation: 1   University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, PO Box 21, (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.|4   Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Division of Microbiology and Epidemiology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 66 (Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.|5   Department of Virology, Helsinki University Central Hospital Laboratory, PO Box 400 (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00029 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vapalahti
authors.affiliation: 1   University of Helsinki, Department of Virology, PO Box 21, (Haartmaninkatu 3), 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sironen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000235:genetics; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D003670:Deer / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: Alces alces; Bartonella; Finland; Lipoptena cervi; bacteremia; moose