Molecular Detection of Bartonella spp. and Hematological Evaluation in Domestic Cats and Dogs from Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

(1) Background: Bartonella spp. are Gram-negative, facultative, intracellular bacteria transmitted by hematophagous insects. Several species cause zoonotic diseases such as cat-scratch disease. Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae are the main species found in Thailand, however, there have been few studies on Bartonella spp. In addition, the hematological evaluation of Bartonella-infected animals is limited in Thailand. The aims of this study were prevalence investigation and hematological evaluation of Bartonella-infected dogs and cats residing in Bangkok, Thailand. (2) Methods: In total, 295 dogs and 513 cats were molecularly evaluated to detect Bartonella spp. using PCR with primers targeting the partial gltA, rpoB, ftsZ, ribC, and groEL genes. In total, 651 domestic animals were evaluated for hematological parameters compared between Bartonella-positive and Bartonella-negative animals. (3) Results: Overall, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. was 1.61% which was found only in free-ranging cats (2.83%). Bartonella henselae and B. clarridgeiae were confirmed from a concatenated phylogenetic tree of partial gltA and ribC genes, with 100% bootstrapping replication. For other housekeeping gene sequences, mixed infection was expected from the amplicons of rpoB, ftsZ, and groEL. Importantly, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was significantly increased in Bartonella-positive cats. (4) Conclusions: We suggest that B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae are important species and are still circulating in domestic animals, especially cats. The evaluation of blood parameters, especially a raised MCV, should be of concern in Bartonella infection in asymptomatic cats. Additionally, the knowledge of how to prevent Bartonella-related diseases should be promoted with people in at-risk situations.

Risk factors of Bartonella spp. infection and the association between Bartonella spp. and T-lymphocyte subset alteration in asymptomatic retrovirus-infected cats in Bangkok Metropolitan, Thailand

“…at some point in time. A high seroprevalence (up to 93%) in free-roaming cats has been reported in other studies [13,[28][29][30][31][32]. The prevalence in our study is higher than in other countries, which suggests that the weather in Thailand, a Southeast Asia country, promotes the risk of infection.…”

Molecular Detection of Bartonella Species in Rodents Residing in Urban and Suburban Areas of Central Thailand

“…In Thailand, the study of zoonotic Bartonella spp. has been mainly conducted in companion animals [31][32][33] and their ectoparasites [34]; however, studies involving rodents are limited, and additional studies in urban areas are needed [35]. With regard to the Thai government's "One Health" approach to humans, animals, and vectors, further studies on Bartonella are also necessary [34].…”

Molecular identification and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. in 24 bat species from Thailand

“…A number of Bartonella seropositive patients were also reported in rural Thailand (Bhengsri et al., 2010). B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae are the most common species found in client‐owned dogs and cats in the country (Saengsawang et al., 2021). Bartonella is known as a vector‐borne bacterial pathogen, consequently blood‐feeding arthropods are important vectors.…”