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Bartonella spp. Infection in Edible Dormice and Their Fleas
Klimešová, Běla ; Votýpka, Jan (advisor) ; Balážová, Alena (referee)
Bartonellosis is a group of emerging infectious diseases caused by facultatively intraerythrocytic bacteria transmitted between vertebrate hosts by arthropod vectors. Although only some Bartonella spp. are traditionally associated with human diseases, it was proposed that virtually any species can have zoonotic potential. The highest diversity of species was described from rodents acting as reservoirs with variable prevalence reaching up to 90%. Fleas associated with mammalian hosts play an important role in the Bartonella sp. lifecycle and are described to act not only as competent vectors but also as reservoirs for several species. The role of edible dormice (Glis glis), which often interacts with humans, and their fleas in the bartonellae transmission and lifecycle has so far been unknown; therefore, the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella spp. in edible dormice in the Czech Republic were studied. Complementary PCR analysis of four loci (gltA, rpoB, ftsZ, ITS), MALDI- TOF, and cultivation was performed to identify Bartonella sp. infections. The prevalence reaching 90% was found in dormice and their fleas. Altogether, four species were found and several genotypes of B. grahamii-like and yet undescribed Bartonella sp. were cultivated, and their morphology and growth requirements were...
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Hedgehogs as the hosts of arthropod-transmitted zoonotic pathogens in Europe
Klimešová, Běla ; Majerová, Karolina (advisor) ; Hönig, Václav (referee)
In Europe, mainly two hedgehog species are distributed - Erinaceus europaeus and E. roumanicus. Both species are suitable reservoir hosts for zoonotic vector-borne pathogens. Hedgehogs have different ectoparasites - ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. Among them, ticks Ixodes ricinus and I. hexagonus are the most important vectors for human pathogens, less importance has the flea species Archaeopsylla erinacei. Variety of viruses and bacteria were detected in hedgehogs: Ťahyňa virus, Tick-borne Encephalitis virus (TBEV), Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp. and Neoehrlichia mikurensis. In case of TBEV, hedgehogs are considered to be reservoir hosts. For the rest of detected pathogens, the role of hedgehogs in their life cycle is not clear yet. On the base of published information we can conclude, that the hedgehogs can be source of vector-borne pathogens that cause serious human diseases, especially in urban area where their populations are relatively large. According to the literature review, there are only small differences between the two European hedgehog's species pathogens spectrum and these differences are probably caused by unequal research of the host species. Key words: Erinaceus roumanicus, Erinaceus europaeus, zoonotic diseases, vector - borne diseases, reservoir hosts
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