Bartonella chomelii Is the Most Frequent Species Infecting Cattle Grazing in Communal Mountain Pastures in Spain

Abstract

The presence of Bartonella spp. was investigated in domestic ungulates grazing in communal pastures from a mountain area in northern Spain, where 18.3% (17/93) of cattle were found to be positive by PCR combined with a reverse line blot (PCR/RLB), whereas sheep (n ‫؍‬ 133) or horses (n ‫؍‬ 91) were found not to be infected by this pathogen. Bartonella infection was significantly associated with age, since older animals showed a higher prevalence than heifers and calves. In contrast to other studies, B. chomelii was the most frequent species found in cattle (14/17), while B. bovis was detected in only three animals. Moreover, 18 B. chomelii isolates and one B. bovis isolate were obtained from nine animals. Afterwards, B. chomelii isolates were characterized by a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method which was adapted in this study. This method presented a high discrimination power, identifying nine different sequence types (STs). This characterization also showed the presence of different STs simultaneously in the same host and that STs had switched over time in one of the animals. In addition, B. chomelii STs seem to group phylogenetically in two different lineages. The only B. bovis isolate was characterized with a previously described MLST method. This isolate corresponded to a new ST which is located in lineage I, where the B. bovis strains infecting Bos taurus subsp. taurus are grouped. Further studies on the dynamics of Bartonella infection in cattle and the potential ectoparasites involved in the transmission of this microorganism should be performed, improving knowledge about the interaction of Bartonella spp. and domestic ungulates.

Molecular Evidence of Bartonella Species in Ixodid Ticks and Domestic Animals in Palestine

“…In the present study, brown dog ticks were found to be infected with B. chomelii —a pathogen first isolated from French domestic cattle ( Maillard et al, 2004 ) and found to be the most frequent Bartonella species infecting cattle grazing in Spain pastures ( Antequera-Gomez et al, 2015 ). We also describe the first detection of B. koehlerae in a R. sanguineus tick obtained from dog.…”

“…This species has been described in beef and dairy cattle worldwide, including North and South America, Italy, France, Israel, Taiwan and peninsular Malaysia ( Martini et al, 2008 ; Cherry et al, 2009 ; Saisongkorh et al, 2009 ; Tsai et al, 2011 ; Bai et al, 2013 ; Rudoler et al, 2014 ; Kho et al, 2015 ). Another species, B. chomelii , has been isolated from cattle in France and Spain ( Maillard et al, 2004 ; Antequera-Gomez et al, 2015 ). B. rochalimae infects humans, domestic animals and wild carnivores ( Schaefer et al, 2012 ), so there has been much interest in its zoonotic potential ( Eremeeva et al, 2007 ; Chomel et al, 2009 ).…”

Detection of a Potential New Bartonella Species “Candidatus Bartonella rondoniensis” in Human Biting Kissing Bugs (Reduviidae; Triatominae)

“…bovis strain [ 17 ] and a B . chomelii strain [ 18 ], both with 89% identity. Our genotype also possesses 87% identity with a Bartonella ancashensis strain [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Molecular detection and genetic diversity of Bartonella species in large ruminants and associated ectoparasites from the Brazilian Cerrado

“…Bartonella bovis has been the most common species identified in cattle worldwide (Bai et al, 2013; Chang et al, 2000; Gutiérrez et al, 2014; Kho et al, 2015), except for Spain and New Caledonia, where B. chomelii was the most frequent (Antequera‐Gómez et al, 2015) or the only species found (Mediannikov, Davoust, Cabre, Rolain, & Raoult, 2011). Accordingly, in the present study, only B. bovis DNA was detected in cattle and associated ticks, and in the only positive buffalo.…”

“…Although Bartonella infections have been reported in cattle worldwide (Antequera‐Gómez et al, 2015; Bai et al, 2013; Bermond et al, 2002; Gutiérrez et al, 2014; Roilan, Rousset, Scola, Duquesnel, & Raoult, 2003; Tsai et al, 2011), only two studies reported Bartonella in buffaloes so far (Bai et al, 2013; Gonçalves et al, 2018). While the first study isolated B. bovis in Asian buffaloes ( Bubalus bubalis ) from Thailand, the second amplified Bartonella DNA in wild African buffaloes ( Syncerus caffer ) from Mozambique.…”