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Prevalence of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae in stray cats
1Institut de Bactériologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France.
Insights
Bartonella species infection is common in European urban stray cats, with over half testing positive. This highlights stray cats as a significant reservoir for Bartonella, potentially transmitting it to pets and humans.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Microbiology
- Zoonotic Diseases
- Feline Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Bartonella species are emerging zoonotic pathogens.
- Stray cat populations are potential reservoirs for Bartonella transmission.
- Understanding Bartonella prevalence in stray cats is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of Bartonella species in European urban stray cats.
- To identify Bartonella species circulating in this population.
- To assess the role of stray cats as reservoirs for Bartonella.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected from 94 urban stray cats.
- Cultures were performed on blood agar and liquid medium.
- Bartonella isolates were identified using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing.
Main Results:
- Fifty blood samples (53%) yielded positive Bartonella cultures.
- Three Bartonella sequence types were identified: Bartonella henselae type I (34%), Bartonella henselae type II (36%), and Bartonella clarridgeiae (30%).
- Bartonella clarridgeiae was found in 16% of the stray cat population.
Conclusions:
- Stray cats are a major reservoir for Bartonella species in urban environments.
- High prevalence of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae in stray cats poses a zoonotic risk.
- Control measures in stray cat populations may be important for reducing Bartonella transmission to humans.
Abstract:
The aim of the present work was to determine by blood culture the prevalence of blood infection with Bartonella species in a well-defined, European, urban stray cat population. Therefore, 94 stray cats were trapped from 10 cat colonies. Blood samples of these cats were cultured on both blood agar and liquid medium in order to raise the likelihood of bacterial detection. Fifty blood samples (53%) gave a positive culture result for Bartonella species. Isolate identification was performed by sequencing the first 430 bases of the 16S ribosomal DNA. Three types of sequences were thus obtained. The first type (17 isolates; 34%) was identical to that of B. henselae Houston-1 and the corresponding strains were referred as B. henselae type I. The second sequence type (18 isolates; 36%) was identical to that initially described as "BA-TF," and the corresponding strains were referred to as B. henselae type II. The third sequence type (15 isolates; 30%) was identical to that of the Bartonella clarridgeiae type strain (ATCC 51734). Our study points out the major role of stray cats as a reservoir of Bartonella spp. which can be transmitted to pet cats and, consequently, to humans. The study also highlights the high prevalence of B. clarridgeiae (16%) in the blood of stray cats.