TY - JOUR
T1 - Polygenic detection of Rickettsia felis in cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from Israel
AU - Bauer, Omri
AU - Baneth, Gad
AU - Eshkol, Tamar
AU - Shaw, Susan E.
AU - Harrus, Shimon
PY - 2006/3
Y1 - 2006/3
N2 - The presence of Rickettsia felis, an emerging bacterial pathogen, was investigated in 79 cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) pools from Israel (5 to 20 fleas each) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of 5 different genes. Amplified targets included both metabolic (gltA and fusA) and surface antigen (ompA, ompB, and the 17-kDa antigen) genes. R. felis DNA was detected in 7.6% of the flea pools. Two genotypes similar in their housekeeping gene sequences but markedly different in their surface antigenic genetic milieus were characterized. This is the first detection of this flea-transmitted rickettsia within its vector in Israel and the Middle East. Although no clinical case has been reported in human beings in Israel to date, these findings suggest that this infection is prevalent in Israel.
AB - The presence of Rickettsia felis, an emerging bacterial pathogen, was investigated in 79 cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) pools from Israel (5 to 20 fleas each) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of 5 different genes. Amplified targets included both metabolic (gltA and fusA) and surface antigen (ompA, ompB, and the 17-kDa antigen) genes. R. felis DNA was detected in 7.6% of the flea pools. Two genotypes similar in their housekeeping gene sequences but markedly different in their surface antigenic genetic milieus were characterized. This is the first detection of this flea-transmitted rickettsia within its vector in Israel and the Middle East. Although no clinical case has been reported in human beings in Israel to date, these findings suggest that this infection is prevalent in Israel.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33645997405&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4269/ajtmh.2006.74.444
DO - 10.4269/ajtmh.2006.74.444
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C2 - 16525105
AN - SCOPUS:33645997405
SN - 0002-9637
VL - 74
SP - 444
EP - 448
JO - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
JF - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
IS - 3
ER -