Detection of Anaplasma spp. and Bartonella spp. from wild ‐caught rodents and their ectoparasites in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

The objective of this study was to investigate evidence of emerging anaplasmosis and bartonellosis in rodents from endemic areas of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Rodent trapping was undertaken in 13 sub ‐districts of Muang District. The live‐capture traps were set up in three locations of selected scrub typhus patient houses for three consecutive nights. Wild‐caught rodent whole blood samples and associated ticks and fleas were collected and tested forAnaplasma spp. andBartonella spp. In addition, heat maps using GIS software were used to determine the density of infection of positive wild ‐caught rodents. A total of 347 wild‐caught rodents of nine species was captured.Rattus rattus (38.6%) was the dominant species. A total of 1,518Heamaphysalis bandicota ticks and 57Xenopsylla cheopis fleas was removed. Twenty ‐two of the 347 tested blood samples (6.3%) wereAnaplasma bovis‐positive and 121 blood samples and five out of 27 pools ofX. cheopis fleas wereBartonella queenslandensis‐positive. Of these infected rodents, dual‐infections betweenA. bovis andB. queenslandensis were found in threeB. indica rodents. Our results offer new information concerning the infections ofA. bovis andB. queenslandensis in both rodents and their ectoparasites collected in high ‐risk areas of rodent‐borne diseases in Thailand.
Source: Journal of Vector Ecology - Category: Biology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research