title: Molecular characterization of Wolbachia infection in bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) collected from several localities in France.
abstract: Wolbachia symbionts are maternally inherited intracellular bacteria that have been detected in numerous insects including bed bugs. The objective of this study, the first epidemiological study in Europe, was to screen Wolbachia infection among Cimex lectularius collected in the field, using PCR targeting the surface protein gene (wsp), and to compare obtained Wolbachia strains with those reported from laboratory colonies of C. lectularius as well as other Wolbachia groups. For this purpose, 284 bed bug specimens were caught and studied from eight different regions of France including the suburbs of Paris, Bouches-du-Rhône, Lot-et-Garonne, and five localities in Alpes-Maritimes. Among the samples, 166 were adults and the remaining 118 were considered nymphs. In all, 47 out of 118 nymphs (40%) and 61 out of 166 adults (37%) were found positive on wsp screening. Among the positive cases, 10 samples were selected randomly for sequencing. The sequences had 100% homology with wsp sequences belonging to the F-supergroup strains of Wolbachia. Therefore, we confirm the similarity of Wolbachia strains detected in this epidemiological study to Wolbachia spp. reported from laboratory colonies of C. lectularius.
authors: Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, 06000 Nice, France.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Akhoundi
authors: Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06000 Nice, France.
authors: Arnaud
authors: A
authors: Cannet
authors: Faculté de Médecine, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06000 Nice, France.
authors: Céline
authors: C
authors: Loubatier
authors: URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, Faculté de Médecine, Université Aix-Marseille, 13000 Marseille, France.
authors: Jean-Michel
authors: JM
authors: Berenger
authors: URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, Inserm 1095, Faculté de Médecine, Université Aix-Marseille, 13000 Marseille, France - Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital Avicenne, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 93000 Bobigny, France.
authors: Arezki
authors: A
authors: Izri
authors: Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, 06000 Nice, France - Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06000 Nice, France.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Marty
authors: Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l'Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, 06000 Nice, France - Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06000 Nice, France.
authors: Pascal
authors: P
authors: Delaunay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001511:Bedbugs / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005602:France; D013559:Symbiosis; D020577:Wolbachia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C112171:Wsp protein, Wolbachia