TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic characterization of flea-derived Bartonella species from native animals in Australia suggests host-parasite co-evolution
AU - Kaewmongkol, Gunn
AU - Kaewmongkol, Sarawan
AU - McInnes, Linda M.
AU - Burmej, Halina
AU - Bennett, Mark D.
AU - Adams, Peter J.
AU - Ryan, Una
AU - Irwin, Peter J.
AU - Fenwick, Stanley G.
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - Fleas are important arthropod vectors for a variety of diseases in veterinary and human medicine, and bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella are among the organisms most commonly transmitted by these ectoparasites. Recently, a number of novel Bartonella species and novel species candidates have been reported in marsupial fleas in Australia. In the present study the genetic diversity of marsupial fleas was investigated; 10 species of fleas were collected from seven different marsupial and placental mammal hosts in Western Australia including woylies (Bettongia penicillata), western barred bandicoots (Perameles bougainville), mardos (Antechinus flavipes), bush rats (Rattus fuscipes), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), feral cats (Felis catus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). PCR and sequence analysis of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the 18S rRNA genes from these fleas was performed. Concatenated phylogenetic analysis of the COI and 18S rRNA genes revealed a close genetic relationship between marsupial fleas, with Pygiopsylla hilli from woylies, Pygiopsylla tunneyi from western barred bandicoots and Acanthopsylla jordani from mardos, forming a separate cluster from fleas collected from the placental mammals in the same geographical area. The clustering of Bartonella species with their marsupial flea hosts suggests co-evolution of marsupial hosts, marsupial fleas and Bartonella species in Australia.
AB - Fleas are important arthropod vectors for a variety of diseases in veterinary and human medicine, and bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella are among the organisms most commonly transmitted by these ectoparasites. Recently, a number of novel Bartonella species and novel species candidates have been reported in marsupial fleas in Australia. In the present study the genetic diversity of marsupial fleas was investigated; 10 species of fleas were collected from seven different marsupial and placental mammal hosts in Western Australia including woylies (Bettongia penicillata), western barred bandicoots (Perameles bougainville), mardos (Antechinus flavipes), bush rats (Rattus fuscipes), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), feral cats (Felis catus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). PCR and sequence analysis of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the 18S rRNA genes from these fleas was performed. Concatenated phylogenetic analysis of the COI and 18S rRNA genes revealed a close genetic relationship between marsupial fleas, with Pygiopsylla hilli from woylies, Pygiopsylla tunneyi from western barred bandicoots and Acanthopsylla jordani from mardos, forming a separate cluster from fleas collected from the placental mammals in the same geographical area. The clustering of Bartonella species with their marsupial flea hosts suggests co-evolution of marsupial hosts, marsupial fleas and Bartonella species in Australia.
KW - Australia
KW - Bartonella species
KW - Co-evolution
KW - Fleas
KW - Native animals
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=82655181842&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.07.021
DO - 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.07.021
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 21856444
AN - SCOPUS:82655181842
SN - 1567-1348
VL - 11
SP - 1868
EP - 1872
JO - Infection, Genetics and Evolution
JF - Infection, Genetics and Evolution
IS - 8
ER -