Sequence typing of Bartonella henselae in small Indian mongooses (Urva auropunctata)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the sequence type (ST) of Bartonella henselae infecting small Indian mongooses from Saint Kitts via multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). This investigation used stored EDTA blood (n = 22) samples from mongooses previously identified as positive for B. henselae. Chocolate agar plates were enriched with Bartonella alpha-Proteobacteria growth medium (BAPGM) to culture and isolate Bartonella from the blood samples. To perform MLST, DNA was extracted and purified from isolates followed by amplification by conventional PCR (300-500 bp) for eight genes (16S rDNA, batR, gltA, groEL, ftsZ, nlpD, ribC, and rpoB). Bartonella henselae STs were deposited in the PubMLST repository. Out of 22 B. henselae-positive blood samples, isolates were obtained from 12 mongooses (54.5%; 12/22). Each mongoose was infected with one ST. The studied mongoose population was infected with sequence types ST2, ST3, ST8, and a novel ST represented by ST38. Bartonella henselae ST2, ST3 and ST8 infecting mongooses are known to circulate in humans and cats, with ST2 and ST8 associated with Cat Scratch Disease (bartonellosis) in humans. The results presented herein denote the circulation of B. henselae STs with zoonotic potential in mongooses with risk of B. henselae transmission to humans.

Figure 1

Relatedness of the Bartonella henselae sequence types (STs) detected in small Indian mongooses from Saint Kitts in the present study by (A) sequence type; (B) sample source; (C) geographical distribution. Mongooses’ samples in (B) are identified as mongooses. The parenthesis in each colored coded column represents the numbers of samples per ST (A), per source (B) and per country (C).

Figure 1

Relatedness of the Bartonella henselae sequence types (STs) detected in small Indian mongooses from Saint Kitts in the present study by (A) sequence type; (B) sample source; (C) geographical distribution. Mongooses’ samples in (B) are identified as mongooses. The parenthesis in each colored coded column represents the numbers of samples per ST (A), per source (B) and per country (C).