Article

Molecular evidence supports the role of dogs as potential reservoirs for Rickettsia felis.

School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) (impact factor: 2.61). 05/2011; 11(8):1007-12. DOI:10.1089/vbz.2010.0270 pp.1007-12
Source: PubMed

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 of R. felis. A high prevalence of R. felis in dogs in our study suggests that dogs may act as an important reservoir host for R. felis and as a potential source of human rickettsial infection.

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    Article: Molecular evidence of Rickettsia felis infection in dogs from Northern Territory, Australia.
    Sze-Fui Hii, Steven R Kopp, Mary F Thompson, Caroline A O'Leary, Robert L Rees, Rebecca J Traub
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    ABSTRACT: 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 first report of R. felis infection in indigenous community dogs in NT.
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    Article: Bartonella and Rickettsia in arthropods from the Lao PDR and from Borneo, Malaysia.
    Tahar Kernif, Cristina Socolovschi, Konstans Wells, Maklarin B Lakim, Saythong Inthalad, Günther Slesak, Najma Boudebouch, Jean-Claude Beaucournu, Paul N Newton, Didier Raoult, Philippe Parola
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Keywords

100 pound dogs
 
amplification
 
cat flea
 
Ctenocephalides felis
 
disease agent
 
dogs
 
human rickettsial infection
 
potential reservoir hosts
 
potential source
 
pound dogs
 
R. felis
 
reservoir host
 
Rickettsia felis causes flea-borne
 
rickettsial DNA
 
sensitive genus-specific PCR
 
subsequent molecular sequencing
 
vector