Publications

bartonella spp. and rickettsia felis in fleas, democratic republic of congo.		2008	19046544
short report: rickettsia felis outer membrane protein a: a potential tool for diagnosis of patients with flea-borne spotted fever.	rickettsia felis infection in humans has been detected worldwide, causing an illness that could be confused with other viral and bacterial infections such as dengue fever. despite the high incidence of infection in humans, reservoirs, and vectors, the definitive diagnosis of r. felis infection currently requires polymerase chain reaction and sequencing because its antigens are closely related to other rickettsiae, making serologic diagnosis problematic. in this work, we report the immune reactiv ...	2008	19052301
the prevalence of bartonella, hemoplasma, and rickettsia felis infections in domestic cats and in cat fleas in ontario.	the prevalence of persistent bacteremic bartonella spp. and hemoplasma infections was determined in healthy pet cats in ontario. blood samples from healthy cats sent to a diagnostic laboratory for routine health assessment over the course of 1 y were tested for bartonella spp. using both polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and blood culture, and for the presence of hemoplasma by pcr. the overall prevalence of bartonella spp. by pcr and by culture combined was 4.3% (28/646) [3.7% (24/646) bartonella ...	2008	19086373
rickettsia felis in cat fleas in taiwan.	we describe the first detection of rickettsia felis in cat fleas (ctenocephalides felis) in taiwan. natural infections of r. felis in cat fleas were isolated and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and an immunofluorescence assay. the infection rate in individual fleas and the minimum infection rate in pooled fleas detected by the pcr method were found to be 18.8% (13/69) and 8.2% (8/97), respectively. partial sequences of the plasmid prf, 17-kda antigen, and outer membrane protein a ...	2009	19125661
rickettsia rickettsii, rickettsia felis and rickettsia sp. twkm03 infecting rhipicephalus sanguineus and ctenocephalides felis collected from dogs in a brazilian spotted fever focus in the state of rio de janeiro/brazil.		2009	19298400
comparative ompa gene sequence analysis of rickettsia felis-like bacteria detected in haemaphysalis sulcata ticks and isolated in the mosquito c6/36 cell line.		2009	19298401
detection of rickettsia felis and rickettsia typhi in an area of california endemic for murine typhus.		2009	19374645
seroprevalence of rickettsia typhi and rickettsia felis in dogs from north-eastern spain.		2009	19392898
first detection of rickettsia felis in ctenocephalides felis fleas from italy.		2009	19416289
occurrence of rickettsia felis in dog and cat fleas (ctenocephalides felis) from italy.	abstract : rickettsia felis is an obligate intracellular bacterium belonging to the spotted fever group, suspected to cause a murine typhus-like illness in humans, with a cosmopolitan distribution. this study was designed to estimate presence and occurrence of this pathogen in fleas collected from dogs and cats in different areas of italy. two species of fleas were identified, ctenocephalides felis (80.3%) and ctenocephalides canis (19.7%).overall, 320 fleas (257 c. felis and 63 c. canis) collec ...	2009	19426447
first detection of rickettsia felis and bartonella clarridgeiae in fleas from laos.		2009	19438611
presence or absence of plasmid in rickettsia felis depending on the source of fleas.		2009	19438653
severe human infection with rickettsia felis associated with hepatitis in yucatan, mexico.	rickettsia felis infection usually is a mild-to-moderate illness characterized by general signs and symptoms. generally, patients do not require hospitalization. however, we detected 2 severe infections with r. felis. our findings support the importance of r. felis infection as a potentially severe illness in humans.	2009	19481502
polymerase chain reaction detection of rickettsia felis-like organism in archaeopsylla erinacei (siphonaptera: pulicidae) from bavaria, germany.	fleas occur as ectoparasites of vertebrates around the world. the obligate intracellular bacterium rickettsia felis has been detected globally in several flea species, causing a murine-typhus like disease in humans. in this study, a total of 150 hedgehog fleas (archaeopsylla erinacei bouché) were collected from 18 hedgehogs coming from four locations in southern germany for the detection of r. felis. individual dna extracts were tested with polymerase chain reaction (pcr) for the amplification o ...	2009	19496444
rickettsioses in australia.	the rickettsial diseases of australia are described in their chronological order of discovery. the include epidemic typhus (r. prowazekii); murine typhus (r. typhi) found australia-wide; scrub typhus (o. tsutsugamushi) only in tropical, northen australia; q. fever (c. burnetti) found australia-wide; queensland tick typhus (r. australis) along the east coast of australia; flinders island spotted fever (r. honei) in southeast australia; variant flinders island spotted fever (r. honei, strain "marm ...	2009	19538275
ecology of rickettsia in south america.	until the year 2000, only three rickettsia species were known in south america: (i) rickettsia rickettsii, transmitted by the ticks amblyomma cajennense, and amblyomma aureolatum, reported in colombia, argentina, and brazil, where it is the etiological agent of rocky mountain spotted fever; (ii) rickettsia prowazekii, transmitted by body lice and causing epidemic typhus in highland areas, mainly in peru; (iii) rickettsia typhi, transmitted by fleas and causing endemic typhus in many countries. d ...	2009	19538276
characterization of rickettsial diseases in a hospital-based population in central tunisia.	in tunisia, 2 rickettsial groups, spotted fever group and typhus group, have been described since the beginning of the 20th century. mediterranean spotted fever (msf), also known as boutonneuse fever, caused by rickettsia conorii and transmitted by the dog tick rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the most frequent rickettsial infection observed. its seroprevalence in our region is 9% among blood donors and 23% in hospitalized febrile patients. typhus group rickettsioses, caused by r. typhi and r. prowa ...	2009	19538277
typhus and other rickettsioses: emerging infections in germany.	rickettsioses are diseases caused by rickettsiae, obligate intracellular bacteria that are transmitted by arthropods to humans. they cause various types of spotted fever and typhus.	2009	19547738
molecular detection of rickettsia typhi and rickettsia felis in fleas from algeria.		2009	19548988
rickettsia felis and rickettsia massiliae in ivory coast, africa.		2009	19548990
rickettsia felis infection in man, france.		2009	19624937
ecology of rickettsia felis: a review.	it has been two decades since the first description of rickettsia felis, and although a nearly cosmopolitan distribution is now apparent, much of the ecology of this unique microorganism remains unresolved. the cat flea, ctenocephalides felis, is currently the only known biological vector of r. felis; however, molecular evidence of r. felis in other species of fleas as well as in ticks and mites suggests a variety of arthropod hosts. studies examining the transmission of r. felis using colonized ...	2009	19645274
an asymmetric approach to preserve common intervals while sorting by reversals.	the reversal distance and optimal sequences of reversals to transform a genome into another are useful tools to analyse evolutionary scenarios. however, the number of sequences is huge and some additional criteria should be used to obtain a more accurate analysis. one strategy is searching for sequences that respect constraints, such as the common intervals (clusters of co-localised genes). another approach is to explore the whole space of sorting sequences, eventually grouping them into classes ...	2009	20042101
prevalence of rickettsia species antibodies and rickettsia species dna in the blood of cats with and without fever.	rickettsia species antibodies have been detected in some cats but it is unknown whether infected cats develop clinical signs. the prevalence of rickettsia species deoxyribonucleic acid (dna) in blood from clinically ill cats has not been determined. the objective of this study was to determine if cats with fever (body temperature >or=102.5 degrees f [39.2 degrees c]) were more likely to have evidence of rickettsial infection than healthy, age-matched, control cats with a body temperature<102.5 d ...	2009	18786845
presence of bartonella species and rickettsia species dna in the blood, oral cavity, skin and claw beds of cats in the united states.	the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of bartonella species and rickettsia species dna in the blood, oral cavity, skin and claw beds of feral cats without evidence of skin disease that were housed in alabama (n = 24), florida (n = 27) and colorado (n = 32). samples were assessed by use of polymerase chain reaction assays. the bartonella species igg prevalence was also determined. while bartonella species dna was not amplified from any sample from colorado cats, it was commonl ...	2009	20178489
rickettsia felis, west indies.		2010	20202452
experimental infection of the opossum didelphis aurita by rickettsia felis, rickettsia bellii, and rickettsia parkeri and evaluation of the transmission of the infection to ticks amblyomma cajennense and amblyomma dubitatum.	this work evaluated the infection of opossums (didelphis aurita) by rickettsia felis, rickettsia bellii, and rickettsia parkeri and their role as amplifier hosts for horizontal transmission to amblyomma cajennense and/or amblyomma dubitatum ticks. infection in d. aurita was induced by intraperitoneal inoculation with r. felis (n = 4 opossums), r. bellii (n = 4), and r. parkeri (n = 2). another group of six opossums were inoculated intraperitoneally with leibovitz-15 sterile culture medium, repre ...	2010	20455783
prevalence of bartonella species, rickettsia felis, haemoplasmas and the ehrlichia group in the blood of cats and fleas in eastern australia.	to define the prevalence of bartonella spp., rickettsia felis, mycoplasma haemofelis, 'candidatus mycoplasma haemominutum' (mhm) and 'candidatus mycoplasma turicensis' (mtc) in cats and their fleas in eastern australia.	2010	20529020
interaction of rickettsia felis with histone h2b facilitates the infection of a tick cell line.	haematophagous arthropods are the primary vectors in the transmission of rickettsia, yet the molecular mechanisms mediating the rickettsial infection of arthropods remain elusive. this study utilized a biotinylated protein pull-down assay together with lc-ms/ms to identify interaction between ixodes scapularis histone h2b and rickettsia felis. co-immunoprecipitation of histone with rickettsial cell lysate demonstrated the association of h2b with r. felis proteins, including outer-membrane protei ...	2010	20558510
rickettsia felis infection in cat fleas ctenocephalides felis felis.	the present study evaluated the rickettsial infection in a laboratory colony of cat fleas, ctenocephalides felis felis (bouche) in brazil. all flea samples (30 eggs, 30 larvae, 30 cocoons, 30 males, and 30 females) tested by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) were shown to contain rickettsial dna. pcr products, corresponding to the rickettsial glta, htra, ompa and ompb gene partial sequences were sequenced and showed to correspond to rickettsia felis, indicating that the flea colony was 100% infect ...	2010	24031560
molecular detection of hemoprotozoa and rickettsia species in arthropods collected from wild animals in the burgos province, spain.	limited information on the presence of bacterial and hematozoan infections in parasitic arthropods from spain is available. in an attempt to address this issue, the prevalence of theileria, babesia, hepatozoon, and rickettsia species was investigated by polymerase chain reaction plus sequencing. in a survey for zoonotic pathogens in ectoparasites, 42 wild animals (which included rodents, carnivores, sciuridae, and cervidae) were captured in burgos (spain). a total of 256 arthropods (including 10 ...	2010	20055580
rickettsia felis infection in a common household insect pest, liposcelis bostrychophila (psocoptera: liposcelidae).	many species of rickettsia are well-known mammalian pathogens transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods. however, molecular surveys are continually uncovering novel rickettsia species, often in unexpected hosts, including many arthropods that do not feed on blood. this study reports a systematic molecular characterization of a rickettsia infecting the psocid liposcelis bostrychophila (psocoptera: liposcelidae), a common and cosmopolitan household pest. surprisingly, the psocid rickettsia is shown ...	2010	20139311
canine and feline vector-borne diseases in italy: current situation and perspectives.	in italy, dogs and cats are at risk of becoming infected by different vector-borne pathogens, including protozoa, bacteria, and helminths. ticks, fleas, phlebotomine sand flies, and mosquitoes are recognized vectors of pathogens affecting cats and dogs, some of which (e.g., anaplasma phagocytophilum, borrelia burgdorferi, dipylidium caninum, leishmania infantum, dirofilaria immitis, and dirofilaria repens) are of zoonotic concern. recent studies have highlighted the potential of fleas as vectors ...	2010	20145730
rickettsia hoogstraalii sp. nov., isolated from hard- and soft-bodied ticks.	a novel spotted fever group rickettsia was found in haemaphysalis sulcata ticks collected from sheep and goats in croatia in 2006. at the same time, a genetically identical organism was co-isolated with the embryonic cell line cce3 obtained from the soft tick carios capensis in georgia, usa. in this study, further phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the novel rickettsial strain present in h. sulcata ticks were investigated. based on the cultivation of bacteria in mosquito and vero cell c ...	2010	19666817
human infection with rickettsia felis, kenya.	to determine the cause of acute febrile illnesses other than malaria in the north eastern province, kenya, we investigated rickettsial infection among patients from garissa provincial hospital for 23 months during 2006-2008. nucleic acid preparations of serum from 6 (3.7%) of 163 patients were positive for rickettsial dna as determined by a genus-specific quantitative real-time pcr and were subsequently confirmed by molecular sequencing to be positive for rickettsia felis. the 6 febrile patients ...	2010	20587178
rickettsia felis-associated uneruptive fever, senegal.	during november 2008-july 2009, we investigated the origin of unknown fever in senegalese patients with a negative malaria test result, focusing on potential rickettsial infection. using molecular tools, we found evidence for rickettsia felis-associated illness in the initial days of infection in febrile senegalese patients without malaria.	2010	20587190
rickettsia felis infection in sweden: report of two cases with subacute meningitis and review of the literature.	two patients with headache and pleocytosis were diagnosed with rickettsia felis infection using a polymerase chain reaction of cerebrospinal fluid and serological testing. sequencing of the amplified products showed that they were 99-100% homologous to r. felis. these cases add to our knowledge of the clinical manifestations, as well as the geographical distribution, of this spotted fever agent.	2010	20735330
tick-borne rickettsioses, neglected emerging diseases in rural senegal.	rickettsioses are one of the most important causes of systemic febrile illness among travelers from developed countries, but little is known about their incidence in indigenous populations, especially in west africa.	2010	20856858
first detection of human infection with rickettsia felis in israel.		2010	20881761
rickettsia spp. in wild small mammals in lower bavaria, south-eastern germany.	abstract so far, data on the natural cycle of rickettsiae of the tick-borne spotted fever group (sfg) in central europe are barely available. some studies showed the occurrence of different rickettsia species in their arthropod vectors, but it is unclear which animals might have any kind of reservoir function. this survey was therefore set up to provide information on the occurrence of sfg rickettsiae in small mammals in germany. a total of 124 rodents and insectivores were collected over a peri ...	2010	20925521
rickettsia typhi and rickettsia felis in xenopsylla cheopis and leptopsylla segnis parasitizing rats in cyprus.	fleas collected from rats during a three-year period (2000-2003) in 51 areas of all provinces of cyprus were tested by molecular analysis to characterize the prevalence and identity of fleaborne rickettsiae. rickettsia typhi, the causative agent of murine typhus, was detected in xenopsylla cheopis (4%) and in leptopsylla segnis (6.6%). rickettsia felis was detected in x. cheopis (1%). this is the first report of r. typhi in x. cheopis and l. segnis from rats, in cyprus, and the first report of r ...	2010	21118938
rickettsia in synanthropic and domestic animals and their hosts from two areas of low endemicity for brazilian spotted fever in the eastern region of minas gerais, brazil.	the aim of this study was to understand the current epidemiology of rickettsial diseases in two rickettsial-endemic regions in brazil. in the municipalities of pingo d'agua and santa cruz do escalvado, among serum samples obtained from horses and dogs, reactivity by immunofluorescent assay against spotted fever group rickettsiae was verified. in some serum samples from opossums (didelphis aurita) captured in santa cruz do escalvado, serologic response against rickettsiae was also verified. polym ...	2010	21118939
urban focus of rickettsia typhi and rickettsia felis in los angeles, california.	abstract classic murine typhus, caused by rickettsia typhi, is endemic in the continental united states in areas of texas and southern california. we conducted an environmental investigation in an urban area of los angeles identified as the probable exposure site for a case of murine typhus. four rattus norvegicus heavily infested with xenopsylla cheopis (average 32.5 fleas per animal, range 20-42) were trapped, and fleas, blood, and tissues were collected. dnas from all specimens were tested fo ...	2010	21142968
rickettsial infection in domestic mammals and their ectoparasites in el valle de antón, coclé, panamá.	the present research evaluated the presence of rickettsia spp. on ectoparasites of horses and dogs (using pcr techniques), and their sera (using immunofluorescence assay) in el valle de antón town in panama. a total of 20 horses and 20 dogs were sampled, finding four species of ectoparasites on dogs (the ticks rhipicephalus sanguineus, amblyomma ovale, amblyomma oblongoguttatum, and the flea ctenocephalides felis), and two tick species on horses (amblyomma cajennense and dermacentor nitens). dna ...	2010	21144663
rickettsial infections of fleas collected from small mammals on four islands in indonesia.	ectoparasites were sampled from small mammals collected in west java, west sumatra, north sulawesi, and east kalimantan, indonesia, in 2007-2008 and were screened for evidence of infection from bacteria in the rickettsaceae family. during eight trap nights at eight sites, 208 fleas were collected from 96 of 507 small mammals trapped from four orders (379 rodentia; 123 soricomorpha; two carnivora; three scandentia). two species of fleas were collected: xenopsylla cheopis (n = 204) and nosopsyllus ...	2010	21175069
seroprevalence of rickettsia bellii and rickettsia felis in dogs, são josé dos pinhais, state of paraná, brazil.	brazilian spotted fever (bsf) is a vector-borne zoonosis caused by rickettsia rickettsii bacteria. dogs can be host sentinels for this bacterium. the aim of the study was to determine the presence of antibodies against rickettsia spp. in dogs from the city of são josé dos pinhais, state of paraná, southern brazil, where a human case of bsf was first reported in the state. between february 2006 and july 2007, serum samples from 364 dogs were collected and tested at 1:64 dilutions by indirect immu ...	2010	21184698
acquisition of rickettsia felis by cat fleas during feeding.	evidence for horizontal routes of transmission for rickettsia felis has come from detection of r. felis infection in vertebrates and multiple blood-feeding arthropods; however, infection of cat fleas, ctenocephalides felis, during blood feeding has not been demonstrated. in this study, the ability of cat fleas to acquire r. felis through an infectious blood meal with subsequent vertical transmission was examined. utilizing an artificial feeding system, rickettsia-naive fleas were exposed to r. f ...	2011	21214386
isolation of a rickettsial pathogen from a non-hematophagous arthropod.	rickettsial diversity is intriguing in that some species are transmissible to vertebrates, while others appear exclusive to invertebrate hosts. of particular interest is rickettsia felis, identifiable in both stored product insect pests and hematophagous disease vectors. to understand rickettsial survival tactics in, and probable movement between, both insect systems will explicate the determinants of rickettsial pathogenicity. towards this objective, a population of liposcelis bostrychophila, c ...	2011	21283549
rickettsia felis and bartonella henselae in fleas from lebanon.	a total of 155 fleas collected in 2009 in lebanon from 16 cats (104 ctenocephalides felis specimens, 1 c. canis specimen) and 2 dogs (50 c. canis specimens) were tested for the presence of rickettsia spp. and bartonella spp. using molecular methods, including real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (pcr), regular pcr, and sequencing of amplified pcr products. rickettsia felis, the agent of the emerging flea-borne spotted fever in humans, was identified in 17 (16%) c. felis cat fleas. ba ...	2011	21284512
first probable australian cases of human infection with rickettsia felis (cat-flea typhus).	human infection with rickettsia felis has been reported in most parts of the world, and r. felis has recently been confirmed in cat fleas in western australia. the clinical presentations of r. typhi and r. felis are similar, and in the past, the incidence of r. felis infection may have been underestimated. we describe the first reported cases of probable human r. felis infection in australia. two adults and three children in victoria contracted a rickettsial disease after exposure to fleas from ...	2011	21449868
prevalence of rickettsia felis and the first identification of bartonella henselae fizz/cal-1 in cat fleas (siphonaptera: pulicidae) from taiwan.	cat fleas (ctenocephalides felis [bouché]) are the primary ectoparasites of dog and cat populations. in this study, we report the monthly population dynamics of rickettsia felis and bartonella spp. (two zoonotic pathogens that can cause human disease) in cat fleas collected from dogs and cats in taipei, taiwan, from december 2006 to december 2007. natural r. felis infection in individual cat fleas was assessed by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) using prf-, ompb-, and glta-specific primer pairs. ...	2011	21485388
absence of zoonotic bartonella species in questing ticks: first detection of bartonella clarridgeiae and rickettsia felis in cat fleas in the netherlands.	abstract:	2011	21501464
prevalence of bartonella species, haemoplasmas and toxoplasma gondii in cats in scotland.	the objective of this study was to determine the prevalence rates for select infectious agents of cats presented to the royal (dick) school of veterinary studies at the university of edinburgh, scotland. whole blood, serum, and oral mucosal and nail bed swabs were collected. while ehrlichia species, anaplasma species or rickettsia felis dna were not amplified from any cat, 44.2% of the cats had evidence of infection or exposure to either a bartonella species (15.3% were seropositive and 5.8% pol ...	2011	21570883
tick-borne bacteria in free-living jaguars (panthera onca) in pantanal, brazil.	abstract tick-borne bacteria were investigated in 10 free-living jaguars and their ticks in the pantanal biome, brazil. jaguar sera were tested by indirect fluorescent antibody assays using rickettsia rickettsii, rickettsia parkeri, rickettsia amblyommii, rickettsia rhipicephali, rickettsia felis, rickettsia bellii, ehrlichia canis, and coxiella burnetii as crude antigens. all 10 jaguar sera reacted (titer ≥64) to at least one rickettsia species; 4 and 3 sera reacted with e. canis and c. burneti ...	2011	21612532
molecular evidence supports the role of dogs as potential reservoirs for rickettsia felis.	abstract rickettsia felis causes flea-borne spotted fever in humans worldwide. the cat flea, ctenocephalides felis, serves as vector and reservoir host for this disease agent. to determine the role of dogs as potential reservoir hosts for spotted fever group rickettsiae, we screened blood from 100 pound dogs in southeast queensland by using a highly sensitive genus-specific pcr. nine of the pound dogs were positive for rickettsial dna and subsequent molecular sequencing confirmed amplification o ...	2011	21612534
rickettsia, ehrlichia, anaplasma, and bartonella in ticks and fleas from dogs and cats in bangkok.	abstract flea and tick specimens (5-10 fleas or ticks) on dogs and cats from various sites in bangkok were tested by polymerase chain reaction and dna sequencing to detect dna of bacteria rickettsia (glta and 17 kda genes), anaplasmataceae (16s rrna gene), and bartonella (pap31 and its genes). we confirmed that rickettsia sp. related to rickettsia felis was detected in 66 of 98 (67.4%) flea specimens from dogs, whereas 8 bartonella henselae and 2 bartonella clarridgeiae were detected in 10 of 54 ...	2011	21612535
detection of rickettsia felis and rickettsia typhi and seasonal prevalence of fleas collected from small mammals at gyeonggi province in the republic of korea.	abstract fleas were collected from live-captured small mammals to identify flea-borne pathogens, host associations, and seasonal prevalence of flea species, as part of the 65th medical brigade rodent-borne disease surveillance program at 20 military installations and training sites, gyeonggi province, republic of korea, 2005-2007. a total of 1251 fleas were recovered from 2833 small mammals. apodemus agrarius, the striped field mouse, accounted for 93.1% (2,637/2,833) of all small mammals captur ...	2011	21612536
first report of the isolation and molecular characterization of rickettsia amblyommii and rickettsia felis in central america.	abstract during 2010, 15 adult ticks, identified as amblyomma cajennense, were collected from horses in cahuita and turrialba districts, whereas 7 fleas, identified as ctenocephalides felis, were collected from a dog in san jose city, costa rica. in the laboratory, three a. cajennense specimens, two from cahuita and one from turrialba, were individually processed for rickettsial isolation in cell culture, as was a pool of seven fleas. rickettsiae were successfully isolated and established in ver ...	2011	21612539
rickettsia felis: from a rare disease in the usa to a common cause of fever in sub-saharan africa.	rickettsia felis is a spotted fever group rickettsia that has been definitely described in 2002. within the last 20 years, there have been a growing number of reports implicating r. felis as a human pathogen, parallel to the fast-growing reports of the worldwide detection of r. felis in arthropod hosts, mainly the cat flea ctenocephalides felis felis. r. felis is now known as the agent of the so-called flea-borne spotted fever, with more than 70 cases documented in the literature. recently, two ...	2011	21722253
molecular detection of rickettsia felis, bartonella henselae, and b. clarridgeiae in fleas from domestic dogs and cats in malaysia.	the presence of rickettsia felis, bartonella henselae and b. clarridgeiae in 209 fleas (ctenocephalides felis) obtained from domestic cats and dogs in several locations in malaysia was investigated in this study. using a polymerase chain reaction specific for the citrate synthase (glta) and 17-kd antigenic protein (17kd) genes of rickettsiae, we detected r. felis dna in 6 (2.9%) fleas. for detection of bartonellae, amplification of the heme-binding protein (pap31) and riboflavin synthase (ribc) ...	2011	22049052
bartonella and rickettsia in arthropods from the lao pdr and from borneo, malaysia.	rickettsioses and bartonelloses are arthropod-borne diseases of mammals with widespread geographical distributions. yet their occurrence in specific regions, their association with different vectors and hosts and the infection rate of arthropod-vectors with these agents remain poorly studied in south-east asia. we conducted entomological field surveys in the lao pdr (laos) and borneo, malaysia by surveying fleas, ticks, and lice from domestic dogs and collected additional samples from domestic c ...	2011	22153360
Detection of Rickettsia parkeri and Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae in Amblyomma maculatum Gulf Coast Ticks Collected from Humans in the United States.	Abstract Rickettsia parkeri, a spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia recently found to be pathogenic to humans, causes an eschar-associated febrile illness. The R. parkeri rickettsiosis, Tidewater spotted fever, has been misdiagnosed as Rocky Mountain spotted fever due to serologic cross reactivity and the lack of specific diagnostic methods. Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae, also a SFG rickettsia, is a recently described agent of unknown pathogenicity originally identified in ticks collected fro ...	2011	22022815
Rickettsiae in arthropods collected from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in France.	The aim of our study was to detect the presence of Rickettsia spp. and Bartonella spp. in ticks and fleas collected from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in southeastern France during 2008. Using a genus-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay, which was followed by a species-specific qPCR assay for the positive samples, 45.2% (33/73) of ticks (Rhipicephalus turanicus) were found to be infected with Rickettsia massiliae. 10.5% (2/19) of the fleas (Archaeopsylla erinacei) collected in the study tested po ...	2011	22118782
Molecular detection of rickettsial agents in ticks and fleas collected from a European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) in Marseilles, France.	The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is a synanthropic nocturnal insectivore commonly found in the countryside and in the parks and gardens. Because hedgehogs are already involved in the transmission of a number of zoonoses, including salmonellosis and ringworm, we decided to study their possible role in the epidemiology of the spotted fever group of Rickettsia. We collected ticks and fleas from a hedgehog that was captured in the city of Marseilles in France. Using a genus-specific quant ...	2011	22169021
Molecular evidence of Rickettsia felis infection in dogs from Northern Territory, Australia.	The prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsial infection in dogs from a remote indigenous community in the Northern Territory (NT) was determined using molecular tools. Blood samples collected from 130 dogs in the community of Maningrida were subjected to a spotted fever group (SFG)-specific PCR targeting the ompB gene followed by a Rickettsia felis-specific PCR targeting the gltA gene of R. felis. Rickettsia felis ompB and gltA genes were amplified from the blood of 3 dogs. This study is the ...	2011	21989454
Crystal structure of the DNA-bound VapBC2 antitoxin/toxin pair from Rickettsia felis.	Besides their commonly attributed role in the maintenance of low-copy number plasmids, toxin/antitoxin (TA) loci, also called 'addiction modules', have been found in chromosomes and associated to a number of biological functions such as: reduction of protein synthesis, gene regulation and retardation of cell growth under nutritional stress. The recent discovery of TA loci in obligatory intracellular species of the Rickettsia genus has prompted new research to establish whether they work as stres ...	2011	22140099
identification of rickettsia felis in fleas but not ticks on stray cats and dogs and the evidence of rickettsia rhipicephali only in adult stage of rhipicephalus sanguineus and rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides.	rickettsia spp. are zoonotic pathogens and mainly transmitted by various arthropod vectors, such as fleas, ticks, and lice. previous epidemiological studies indicated that ectoparasites infested on dogs or cats may be infected by rickettsia spp., and transmit them to human beings accidentally. in this study, the prevalence of rickettsia infection was evaluated using fleas and ticks from stray dogs and cats in taiwan. a total of 158 pools made by 451 cat fleas (ctenocephalides felis) from 37 dogs ...	2011	22000945
Horizontal transmission of Rickettsia felis between cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis.	Rickettsia felis is a rickettsial pathogen primarily associated with the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. Although laboratory studies have confirmed that R. felis is maintained by transstadial and transovarial transmission in C. felis, distinct mechanisms of horizontal transmission of R. felis among cat fleas are undefined. Based on the inefficient vertical transmission of R. felis by cat fleas and the detection of R. felis in a variety of haematophagous arthropods, we hypothesize that R. felis ...	2011	21967477
rickettsia felis and bartonella spp. in fleas from cats in albania.	abstract fleas can serve as vectors for bacterial pathogens like bartonella and rickettsia species, which have been isolated worldwide. however, the knowledge of the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases in general and thus on flea-borne diseases in albania is limited. therefore, from 78 free-roaming cats in tirana, albania, fleas (371 ctenocephalides felis and 5 ctenocephalides canis) were collected to examine them for the presence of rickettsia and bartonella species. ten of the 371 c. felis ...	2011	21995262
The rhizome of life: the sympatric Rickettsia felis paradigm demonstrates the random transfer of DNA sequences.	The intracellular flea symbiont, Rickettsia felis, may meet other organisms intracellularly such as R. typhi. We used a single-gene phylogenetic approach of the 1375 R. felis genes to look for horizontal transfers that occurred as a result of the bacterial promiscuity with other organisms. Our results showed that besides genes that are linked to the Spotted Fever Group, 165 genes have a different history and are linked to other Rickettsia such as R. bellii (107 genes), R. typhi (15 genes), or to ...	2011	22024628
Tryptose phosphate broth improves Rickettsia felis replication in mammalian cells.	In cell culture, Rickettsia felis grows only at low temperatures (<31°C). Therefore, its ability to enter, survive and grow in cell lines has primarily been tested in cells derived from amphibians and arthropods, which naturally grow at low temperatures, and only infrequently in mammalian cells. We subcultured R. felis in mammalian cells for more than 10 passages using media supplemented with tryptose phosphate broth (TPB) and found that TPB is critical for the optimal growth of R. felis in mamm ...	2011	22066776
bartonella clarridgeiae, b. henselae and rickettsia felis in fleas from morocco.	a total of 554 fleas were collected in the moroccan casablanca and tiznit regions from domesticated animals and ruminants between august 2007 and october 2008 and were tested for the presence of rickettsia spp. and bartonella spp. using molecular methods. for the first time in morocco, we found rickettsia felis, the agent of flea-borne spotted fever in ctenocephalides felis; b. henselae, an agent of cat scratch disease; and bartonella clarridgeiae, a cat pathogen and potentially a human pathoge ...	2011	22185943
rickettsia felis and bartonella clarridgeiae in fleas from new caledonia.	dog fleas collected in new caledonia harbored flea-borne pathogens rickettsia felis and bartonella clarridgeiae in 81% and 5%, respectively.	2011	20569017
rickettsia felis in fleas from catalonia (northeast spain).	abstract introduction: rickettsia felis produces a syndrome indistinguishable from murine typhus, which has been described in spain. r. felis is transmitted to humans by fleas. although no clinical case has been described so far, serologic evidence of infections in humans, cats, and dogs has been obtained in our area. however, no study has been conducted regarding its presence in vectors. recognition of routes of transmission is of great importance to prevent infection in humans. taking into acc ...	2011	20586606
molecular detection of rickettsia massiliae, rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae and rickettsia conorii israelensis in ticks from israel.	rickettsioses are recognized as important emerging vector-borne infections of humans worldwide. previous reports documented the presence of two spotted fever group rickettsiae in israel, rickettsia conorii israelensis and rickettsia felis. the aim of this study was to characterize the diversity of rickettsiae in ticks collected from vegetation and the ground, from different parts of israel. non-engorged questing adult ticks were collected from 13 localities. a total of 131 tick pools, 83 of rhip ...	2011	20331680
rickettsia felis, an emerging flea-transmitted human pathogen.	rickettsia felis was first recognised two decades ago and has now been described as endemic to all continents except antarctica. the rickettsiosis caused by r. felis is known as flea-borne spotted fever or cat-flea typhus. the large number of arthropod species found to harbour r. felis and that may act as potential vectors support the view that it is a pan-global microbe. the main arthropod reservoir and vector is the cat flea, ctenocephalides felis, yet more than 20 other species of fleas, tick ...	2011	24149035
prevalence of bartonella species, hemoplasmas, and rickettsia felis dna in blood and fleas of cats in bangkok, thailand.	flea infestations are common in thailand, but little is known about the flea-borne infections. fifty flea pools and 153 blood samples were collected from client-owned cats between june and august 2009 from veterinary hospitals in bangkok, thailand. total dna was extracted from all samples, and then assessed by conventional pcr assays. the prevalence rates of bartonella spp. in blood and flea samples were 17% and 32%, respectively, with dna of bartonella henselae and bartonella clarridgeiae being ...	2012	22521739
detection of rickettsioses and q fever in sri lanka.	current serological evidence suggests the presence of scrub typhus and spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiosis in sri lanka. our objective was to identify rickettsial agents/q fever as aetiological causes for patients who were presumed having rickettsioses by the presence of an eschar or a rash. sera from patients with unknown origin fever from matara were tested by immunofluorescence for sfg rickettsial antigens, typhus group rickettsiae, orientia tsutsugamushi, and coxiella burnetii antigens. ...	2012	22492158
deleterious effect of ciprofloxacin on rickettsia conorii-infected cells is linked to toxin-antitoxin module up-regulation.	to confirm and better understand the deleterious effect of fluoroquinolones reported during rickettsia conorii infection in humans.	2012	22467631
detection of rickettsia spp. and host and habitat associations of fleas (siphonaptera) in eastern taiwan.	rickettsia typhi and rickettsia felis (rickettsiales: rickettsiaceae) are two rickettsiae principally transmitted by fleas, but the detection of either pathogen has rarely been attempted in taiwan. of 2048 small mammals trapped in eastern taiwan, apodemus agrarius pallas (24.5%) and mus caroli bonhote (24.4%) (both: rodentia: muridae) were the most abundant, and m. caroli hosted the highest proportion of fleas (63.9% of 330 fleas). two flea species were identified: stivalius aporus jordan and ro ...	2012	22390200
rickettsia felis in fleas, southern ethiopia, 2010.		2012	22840573
rickettsia felis in cat fleas, ctenocephalides felis parasitizing opossums, san bernardino county, california.	los angeles and orange counties are known endemic areas for murine typhus in california; however, no recent reports of flea-borne rickettsioses are known from adjacent san bernardino county. sixty-five opossums (didelphis virginiana) were trapped in the suburban residential and industrial zones of the southwestern part of san bernardino county in 2007. sixty out of 65 opossums were infested with fleas, primarily cat fleas, ctenocephalides felis (bouché, 1835). the flea minimum infection rate wit ...	2012	22712460
rickettsia felis in ctenocephalides felis from guatemala and costa rica.	rickettsia felis is an emerging human pathogen associated primarily with the cat flea ctenocephalides felis. in this study, we investigated the presence of rickettsia felis in c. felis from guatemala and costa rica. ctenocephalides felis were collected directly from dogs and cats, and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction for rickettsia-specific fragments of 17-kda protein, ompa, and citrate synthase genes. rickettsia dna was detected in 64% (55 of 86) and 58% (47 of 81) of flea pools in guatema ...	2012	22665618
rickettsia felis infection in febrile patients, western kenya, 2007-2010.	to determine previous exposure and incidence of rickettsial infections in western kenya during 2007-2010, we conducted hospital-based surveillance. antibodies against rickettsiae were detected in 57.4% of previously collected serum samples. in a 2008-2010 prospective study, rickettsia felis dna was 2.2× more likely to be detected in febrile than in afebrile persons.	2012	22304807
new rickettsia sp. in tsetse flies from senegal.	tsetse flies are blood-sucking insects transmitting african trypanosomiasis. they are known to harbor also three intracellular bacteria that play important role in their lifecycle: wigglesworthia glossinidia, sodalis glossinidius and wolbachia sp. we have studied 78 glossina morsitans submorsitans collected in senegal. in all studied flies we amplified genes of bacterium phylogenetically close to obligate intracellular pathogen rickettsia felis, the agent of spotted fever in humans. we also visu ...	2012	22277830
rickettsiae in arthropods collected from the north african hedgehog (atelerix algirus) and the desert hedgehog (paraechinus aethiopicus) in algeria.	hedgehogs have become a popular pet despite their potential role in zoonotic disease transmission. we conducted an entomological study in a mountainous region of northeast algeria in which we collected 387 fleas (archeopsylla erinacei) and 342 ticks (rhipicephalus sanguineus and haemaphysalis erinacei) from paraechinus aethiopicus and atelerix algirus hedgehogs. of the hedgehogs sampled, 77.7% and 91% were infested with fleas and ticks, respectively. significantly more ticks and fleas were colle ...	2012	22222114
a new rickettsia species found in fleas collected from human dwellings and from domestic cats and dogs in senegal.	abstract the insects of the order siphonaptera, commonly named fleas, are vectors of pathogens around the world. our previous studies showed that 4.4% of acute febrile diseases in the sine-saloum region of senegal were due to rickettsia felis. the aim of this study was to explain the high prevalence of r. felis infections in two rural senegalese populations by an entomological, systematic monitoring protocol. a total of 232 fleas from three species (ctenocephalides felis, echidnophaga gallinac ...	2012	22214272
rickettsia felis infections, new zealand.	to the editor: members of the genus rickettsia have garnered much attention worldwide in recent years with the emergence of newly recognized rickettsioses. in new zealand, only rickettsia typhi and r. felis, belonging to the typhus and spotted fever groups, respectively, have so far been found (1). r. typhi, primarily transmitted by the oriental rat flea (xenopsylla cheopis), has a worldwide distribution and causes murine typhus in humans (2). at the end of 2009, a total of 47 cases of murine ty ...	2012	22261304
two pathogens and one disease: detection and identification of flea-borne rickettsiae in areas endemic for murine typhus in california.	results of an environmental assessment conducted in a newly emergent focus of murine typhus in southern california are described. opossums, didelphis virginiana kerr, infested with cat fleas, ctenocephalides felis buché, in the suburban area were abundant. animal and flea specimens were tested for the dna of two flea-borne rickettsiae, rickettsia typhi and rickettsia felis. r. felis was commonly detected in fleas collected throughout this area while r. typhi was found at a much lower prevalence ...	2012	23270180
Transmission of flea-borne zoonotic agents (*).	Flea-borne zoonoses such as plague (Yersinia pestis) and murine typhus (Rickettsia typhi) caused significant numbers of human cases in the past and remain a public health concern. Other flea-borne human pathogens have emerged recently (e.g., Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia felis), and their mechanisms of transmission and impact on human health are not fully understood. Our review focuses on the ecology and epidemiology of the flea-borne bacterial zoonoses mentioned above with an emphasis on rece ...	2012	21888520
[probable case of flea-borne spotted fever (rickettsia felis)].	rickettsia felis is the etiologic agent of flea-borne spotted fever, with ctenocephalides felis as its main vector and reservoir. typically, the disease presents as acute fever associated with headache, asthenia, generalized maculo-papular rash, and in some cases, an inoculation eschar. in recent years, r. felis has acquired an important role in the etiology of the acute febrile syndrome; it is indeed an emerging infectious disease, albeit underdiagnosed. indirect immunofluorescence assay (ifa) ...	2013	24652244
molecular detection of rickettsia felis in different flea species from caldas, colombia.	rickettsioses caused by rickettsia felis are an emergent global threat. historically, the northern region of the province of caldas in colombia has reported murine typhus cases, and recently, serological studies confirmed high seroprevalence for both r. felis and r. typhi. in the present study, fleas from seven municipalities were collected from dogs, cats, and mice. dna was extracted and amplified by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) to identify glta, ompb, and 17kd genes. positive samples were s ...	2013	23878183
wolbachia endosymbionts, rickettsia felis and bartonella species, in ctenocephalides felis fleas in a tropical region.		2013	23701629
rickettsia felis in rhipicephalus sanguineus from two distant chilean cities.	rickettsia felis is an emerging agent considered a human threat; although its natural reservoir and agent of transmission is the cat flea, it has been also found in other vectors. r. felis has been identified in chile in cat fleas and in one specimen of rhipicephalus sanguineus collected in the metropolitan region. the objective of this study was to detect the presence of rickettsia spp. in r. sanguineus from dogs of two different and distant geographical areas in chile.	2013	23659352
description of "yaaf", the vesicular fever caused by acute rickettsia felis infection in senegal.	rickettsiosis caused by rickettsia felis is an emerging infection in africa and may account for 3-4% of ambulatory febrile fevers. we report herein a case of r. felis infection, for which we propose the name "yaaf", meaning vesicle, in an 8-month-old girl who was diagnosed in the field by real-time pcr analysis of a skin lesion; these pcr analysis was performed at a local experimental point-of-care laboratory. the clinical presentation was polymorphous skin lesions, including papules, vesicles, ...	2013	23068450
molecular evidence for the presence of rickettsia felis in the feces of wild-living african apes.	rickettsia felis is a common emerging pathogen detected in mosquitoes in sub-saharan africa. we hypothesized that, as with malaria, great apes may be exposed to the infectious bite of infected mosquitoes and release r. felis dna in their feces.	2013	23405087
seroprevalence and risk factors for rickettsia felis exposure in dogs from southeast queensland and the northern territory, australia.	the recent detection of rickettsia felis dna in dogs in australia suggests that dogs are potential mammalian reservoir hosts for this emerging rickettsia. to date, there is no published report addressing the seroprevalence of r. felis in dogs in australia.	2013	23731951
detection of rickettsia parkeri from within piura, peru, and the first reported presence of candidatus rickettsia andeanae in the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus.	domestic farm animals (n=145) were sampled for the presence of ectoparasites in northwestern peru during march, 2008. ninety domestic animals (62%) were positive for the presence of an ectoparasite(s) and produced a total collection of the following: 728 ticks [amblyomma maculatum, anocentor nitens, rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, rhipicephalus sanguineus, and otobius megnini], 12 lice (haematopinus suis), and 3 fleas (ctenocephalides felis). a rickettsia genus-specific qpcr assay was perfo ...	2013	23488453
a molecular survey of anaplasma spp., rickettsia spp., ehrlichia canis and babesia microti in foxes and fleas from sicily.	fleas (insecta: siphonaptera) are obligate bloodsucking insects, which parasitize birds and mammals, and are distributed throughout the world. several species have been implicated in pathogen transmission. this study aimed to monitor red foxes and the fleas isolated from them in the palermo and ragusa provinces of sicily, italy, as these organisms are potential reservoirs and vectors of pathogens. thirteen foxes (vulpes vulpes) and 110 fleas were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) to de ...	2013	24589112
detection of rickettsia in rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks and ctenocephalides felis fleas from southeastern tunisia by reverse line blot assay.	ticks (n = 663) and fleas (n = 470) collected from domestic animals from southeastern tunisia were screened for rickettsia infection using reverse line blot assay. evidence of spotted fever group rickettsia was obtained. we detected rickettsia felis in fleas, rickettsia massiliae bar 29 and the rickettsia conorii israeli spotted fever strain in ticks, and rickettsia conorii subsp. conorii and rickettsia spp. in both arthropods. the sensitivity of the adopted technique allowed the identification ...	2013	24226919