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. 2012 Aug;87(2):319-26.
doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0555.

Identification of diverse Bartonella genotypes among small mammals from Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania

Vijay A K B Gundi  1 , Michael Y Kosoy, Rhodes H Makundi, Anne Laudisoit
Affiliations

Identification of diverse Bartonella genotypes among small mammals from Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania

Vijay A K B Gundi et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Small mammals from the Democratic Republic (DR) of the Congo and Tanzania were tested to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species. The presence of Bartonella DNA was assessed in spleen samples of the animals by rpoB- and gltA-polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). By rpoB-PCR, Bartonella was detected in 8 of 59 animals of DR Congo and in 16 of 39 Tanzanian animals. By gltA-PCR, Bartonella was detected in 5 and 15 animals of DR Congo and Tanzania, respectively. The gene sequences from Arvicanthis neumanni were closely related to Bartonella elizabethae. The genotypes from Lophuromys spp. and from Praomys delectorum were close to Bartonella tribocorum. Five genogroups were not genetically related to any known Bartonella species. These results suggest the need to conduct further studies to establish the zoonotic risks linked with those Bartonella species and, in particular, to verify whether these agents might be responsible for human cases of febrile illness of unknown etiology in Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Dr. Gundi was an EID Fellow during 2008–2009. He is working in Bartonella Laboratory, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado. His research interests include tropical and emerging infectious diseases.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Phylogenetic classification of Bartonella genotypes based on rpoB gene sequences. Only the bootstrap values above 70% obtained are given. The GenBank accession numbers for reference sequences are given in parentheses. The rpoB gene sequences of Brucella melitensis 16MT were included as an out-group.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Phylogenetic classification of Bartonella genotypes based on gltA gene sequences. Only the bootstrap values above 70% obtained are given. The GenBank accession numbers for reference sequences are given in parentheses. The gltA gene sequences of Brucella melitensis 16MT were included as an out-group.
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