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Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis in Cat Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) Collected from Dogs and Cats in Cauca,

Paola Betancourt-Ruiz1, Heidy-C Martínez-Díaz1, Juliana Gil-Mora1

  • 1Grupo de enfermedades infecciosas, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.

Journal of Medical Entomology
|October 17, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Fleas from dogs and cats in Colombia harbor Rickettsia bacteria, including Rickettsia felis and Rickettsia asemboensis. This study reports Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis for the first time in Colombia, found in Ctenocephalides felis fleas.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Entomology
  • Molecular Diagnostics
  • Zoonotic Pathogens

Background:

  • Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis are significant flea-transmitted pathogens causing acute febrile illness globally.
  • Identifying rickettsial species in pet fleas is crucial for understanding disease transmission dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify rickettsial species in dog and cat fleas in Cauca, Colombia.
  • To investigate the prevalence of Rickettsia species in Ctenocephalides felis fleas.

Main Methods:

  • Morphological identification of fleas collected from 132 dogs and 11 cats.
  • DNA extraction from pooled flea samples (245 pools) followed by PCR amplification of rickettsial genes (gltA, 17kDa, sca5).
  • Restriction enzyme length polymorphism (RELP) and sequencing for species identification.

Main Results:

  • 58.7% of flea pools tested positive for rickettsiae.
  • Rickettsia felis (15%), Rickettsia asemboensis (84.3%), and Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis (0.7%) were identified.
  • Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis was detected in Ctenocephalides felis fleas, marking its first report in Colombia.

Conclusions:

  • Ctenocephalides felis fleas in Cauca, Colombia, harbor diverse Rickettsia species.
  • The findings highlight the potential role of domestic animals and their fleas in the circulation of Rickettsia in the region.
  • This study provides the first molecular evidence of Candidatus Rickettsia senegalensis in Colombia.
Keywords:
Ctenocephalides felisRickettsia asemboensisRickettsia senegalensisRickettsia sppflea-borne rickettsioses

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