title: Prevalence, hematological findings and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in domestic cats from Valdivia, Southern Chile.
abstract: The present study determined the prevalence, hematological findings and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in domestic cats from Valdivia, Southern Chile. A complete blood count and nuoG gene real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for Bartonella spp. were performed in 370 blood samples from cats in Valdivia, Southern Chile. nuoG qPCR-positive samples were submitted to conventional PCR for the gltA gene and sequencing for species differentiation and phylogenetic analysis. Alignment of gltA gene was used to calculate the nucleotide diversity, polymorphic level, number of variable sites and average number of nucleotide differences. Bartonella DNA prevalence in cats was 18·1% (67/370). Twenty-nine samples were sequenced with 62·0% (18/29) identified as Bartonella henselae, 34·4% (10/29) as Bartonella clarridgeiae, and 3·4% (1/29) as Bartonella koehlerae. Bartonella-positive cats had low DNA bacterial loads and their hematological parameters varied minimally. Each Bartonella species from Chile clustered together and with other Bartonella spp. described in cats worldwide. Bartonella henselae and B. clarridgeiae showed a low number of variable sites, haplotypes and nucleotide diversity. Bartonella clarridgeiae and B. koehlerae are reported for the first time in cats from Chile and South America, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias,Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile,Valdivia,Chile.
authors.forename: Ananda
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2100-6594
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias,Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile,Valdivia,Chile.
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias,Instituto de Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile,Valdivia,Chile.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias,Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP),Jaboticabal, SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosangela Zacarias
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias,Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP),Jaboticabal, SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: Jyan Lucas
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Benevenute
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias,Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP),Jaboticabal, SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: Renan Bressiani
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: DO Amaral
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias,Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP),Jaboticabal, SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Ricardo
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias,Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP),Jaboticabal, SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos Rogério
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: André
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001473:Bartonella / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices / Q000662:veterinary; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012339:RNA, Ribosomal, 28S
keywords: 
                 Bartonella clarridgeiae
              ; 
                 Bartonella henselae
              ; 
                 Bartonella koehlerae
              ; South America; cat scratch disease; qPCR