Article

Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis from Guatemala and Costa Rica.

Departamento de Parasitología, Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene (impact factor: 2.59). 06/2012; 86(6):1054-6. DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0742 pp.1054-6
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT 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 Guatemala and Costa Rica, respectively. Sequencing of gltA fragments identified R. felis genotype URRWXCal(2) in samples from both countries, and genotype Rf2125 in Costa Rica. This is the first report of R. felis in Guatemala and of genotype Rf2125 in Costa Rica. The extensive presence of this pathogen in countries of Central America stresses the need for increased awareness and diagnosis.

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Keywords

17-kDa protein
 
C. felis
 
cat flea Ctenocephalides felis
 
Central America stresses
 
citrate synthase genes
 
Costa Rica
 
countries
 
Ctenocephalides felis
 
dogs
 
emerging human pathogen
 
extensive presence
 
flea pools
 
gltA fragments
 
Guatemala
 
polymerase chain reaction
 
R. felis
 
R. felis genotype URRWXCal(2)
 
Rickettsia DNA
 
Rickettsia felis
 
Rickettsia-specific fragments