First Molecular Evidence of Pathogens in Fleas Collected from Dogs in Northern Vietnam

Do, Thom; Inpankaew, Tawin; Duong, Duc Hieu; Bui, Khanh Linh

doi:10.3390/pathogens10091185

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Since then, many human infections have been reported in Laos [ 46 ], Indonesia [ 47 ], and Vietnam [ 10 ]. Several studies have shown R. felis in C. felis fleas in Vietnam [ 7 , 12 ]. However, no Rickettsia -positive fleas were found in our specimens.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identification of Vietnamese Flea Species and Their Associated Microorganisms Using Morphological, Molecular, and Protein Profiling

et al. 2023

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Fleas are obligatory blood-sucking ectoparasites of medical and veterinary importance. The identification of fleas and associated flea-borne microorganisms, therefore, plays an important role in controlling and managing these vectors. Recently, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been reported as an innovative and effective approach to the identification of arthropods, including fleas. This study aims to use this technology to identify ethanol-preserved fleas collected in Vietnam and to use molecular biology to search for microorganisms associated with these fleas. A total of 502 fleas were collected from wild and domestic animals in four provinces in Vietnam. Morphological identification led to the recognition of five flea species, namely Xenopsylla cheopis, Xenopsylla astia, Pulex irritans, Ctenocephalides canis, and Ctenocephalides felis. The cephalothoraxes of 300 individual, randomly selected fleas were tested using MALDI-TOF MS and molecular analysis for the identification and detection of microorganisms. A total of 257/300 (85.7%) of the obtained spectra from the cephalothoraxes of each species were of good enough quality to be used for our analyses. Our laboratory MALDI-TOF MS reference database was upgraded with spectra achieved from five randomly selected fleas for every species of Ctenocephalides canis and Ctenocephalides felis. The remaining spectra were then queried against the upgraded MALDI-TOF MS database, which showed 100% correspondence between morphology and MALDI-TOF MS identification for two flea species (Ctenocephalides canis and Ctenocephalides felis). The MS spectra of the remaining species (three P. irritans, five X. astia, and two X. cheopis) were visually generated low-intensity MS profiles with high background noise that could not be used to update our database. Bartonella and Wolbachia spp. were detected in 300 fleas from Vietnam using PCR and sequencing with primers derived from the gltA gene for Bartonella and the 16S rRNA gene for Wolbachia, including 3 Bartonella clarridgeiae (1%), 3 Bartonella rochalimae (1%), 1 Bartonella coopersplainsensis (0.3%), and 174 Wolbachia spp. endosymbionts (58%).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the reports of murine typhus, plague, rickettsial and Bartonella infections [ 5 , 10 , 11 ], studies on fleas and their associated microorganisms have been poorly investigated in Vietnam [ 12 ]. However, there are 51 flea species and subspecies that have been described.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Vietnamese Flea Species and Their Associated Microorganisms Using Morphological, Molecular, and Protein Profiling

et al. 2023

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“…One of the most hematophagous arthropod vectors for the spread of numerous infections is the flea (Abdullah et al 2019;Do et al 2021). It has a widespread distribution; however, there isn't a thorough analysis of the frequency and presence of fleas infesting small ruminants in the research area in the Northern West of Egypt.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flea-borne Mycobacterium and Mycoplasma in Small Ruminants on the Northern West Coast of Egypt

2023

Int J Vet Sci

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Many pathogens that cause newly emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases are globally hosted by fleas. There is a dearth of recorded information on flea-borne animal pathogens in Egypt. The present study aimed for the first time to investigate some bacterial pathogens that could be transmitted by fleas infesting small ruminants in the Northern West of Egypt using conventional PCRs and sequence analyses. Of 249 sheep selected in different localities in the study area, 223 fleas belonging to Ctenocephalides were pooled in tubes containing pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLOs) broth after being determined by all sexes of Ctenocephalides felis and C. canis and then crushed thoroughly. The fleas' samples were screened molecularly for Mycobacterium and Mycoplasma. Results revealed Mycobacterium is only present in two sexes of C. canis collected from the Marsa Matruh location. Mycoplasma spp. was detected in both males and females of C. felis and C. canis from Maryout in the West of Alexandria Governorate. Whereas Mycobacterium was recorded in the GenBank database as Mycobacterium bovis under accession number ON076426, the three mycoplasmas identified under accession numbers ON076423 (M. agalactiae), ON076424 (M. arginini), and ON076425 (M. ovipneumoniae). We concluded that Mycoplasma spp. and Mycobacterium bovis could be transmitted by fleas infesting sheep in Egypt.

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Genetic diversity of vector-borne pathogens in ixodid ticks infesting dogs from Pakistan with notes on Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia raoultii and Dirofilaria immitis detection

Zeb,

Song,

Khan

et al. 2023

Parasites Vectors

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Background Vector-/tick-borne pathogens (V/TBPs) pose a potential threat to human and animal health globally. Information regarding canine V/TBPs is scarce and no specific study has been conducted so far to explore the microbial diversity within ticks infesting dogs from Pakistan. Herein, this knowledge gap is addressed by assessing the genetic diversity and prevalence pattern of V/TBPs in ixodid ticks with special implications for public and canine health. Methods A total of 1150 hard ticks were collected from 300 dogs across central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. After morpho-molecular identification, 120 tick samples were screened for the presence of V/TBPs by amplifying 16S rRNA/gltA (Rickettsia/Ehrlichia and Wolbachia sp.), 18S rRNA (Theileria sp.) and cox1 (Dirofilaria sp.) genes through PCR followed by sequencing and phylogenetic study. Results In toto, 50 ixodid ticks (50/120, 41.7%) were found positive for V/TBPs DNA. The detected V/TBPs were categorized into five genera and eight species, viz. Ehrlichia (E. canis and Ehrlichia sp.), Rickettsia (R. massiliae, R. raoultii and Rickettsia sp.), Theileria (T. annulata), Dirofilaria (D. immitis) and Wolbachia (Wolbachia sp.). The pathogen prevalence patterns showed that R. massiliae was the most prevalent zoonotic V/TBP (19.5%), followed by E. canis (10.8%), Rickettsia sp. (7.5%), R. raoultii (6.7%), T. annulata (5.8%), D. immitis (5.8%), Wolbachia sp. (4.2%) and Ehrlichia sp. (3.3%), respectively. Among the screened tick species, most Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato samples were found positive for V/TBP DNA (20/20,100%) followed by Rh. turanicus sensu stricto (13/20, 65%), Hyalomma dromedarii (8/20, 40%), Rh. haemaphysaloides (6/20, 30%), Hy. excavatum (2/20, 10%) and Rh. microplus (1/20, 5%). Co-occurrence of V/TBP was also detected in tick specimens (single V/TBP infection: 32 ticks; double and triple: 13 and 5 tick samples). The detected pathogens shared a phylogenetic relationship with similar isolates published in NCBI GenBank from Old and New World countries. Conclusion Ixodid ticks infesting dogs harbor a diverse array of V/TBPs including zoonotic agents from Pakistan. Furthermore, the presence of D. immitis in ticks that infest dogs raises the possibility that this parasite has either attained its dead-end host (i.e. the tick) while feeding on dogs or has expanded its range of intermediate/paratenic hosts. Further research work is needed to investigate the epidemiology and confirm the vector competence of screened tick species for these pathogens from Pakistan. Graphical Abstract

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First Molecular Evidence of Pathogens in Fleas Collected from Dogs in Northern Vietnam

Cited by 4 publications

References 30 publications

Identification of Vietnamese Flea Species and Their Associated Microorganisms Using Morphological, Molecular, and Protein Profiling

Identification of Vietnamese Flea Species and Their Associated Microorganisms Using Morphological, Molecular, and Protein Profiling

Flea-borne Mycobacterium and Mycoplasma in Small Ruminants on the Northern West Coast of Egypt

Genetic diversity of vector-borne pathogens in ixodid ticks infesting dogs from Pakistan with notes on Ehrlichia canis, Rickettsia raoultii and Dirofilaria immitis detection

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