Prevalence and Diversity of Small Mammal-Associated Bartonella Species in Rural and Urban Kenya

• Authors: Robert Breiman, Emory University; Jo E. B. Halliday, University of Glasgow; Darryn L. Knobel, Ross University; Bernard Agwanda, National Museum of Kenya; Ying Bai, Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Sarah Cleaveland, University of Glasgow; M. Kariuki Njenga, Kenya Medical Research Institute; Michael Kosoy, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• Journal Title: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Volume: Volume 9, Number 3
• Publisher: Public Library of Science | 2015-03-01, Pages e0003608-e0003608
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0003608
• Subjects: Biology, Parasitology; Health Sciences, General
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Infectious Diseases; Parasitology; Tropical Medicine; SOUTH-AFRICA; GENETIC DIVERSITY; RICKETTSIA-FELIS; RODENTS; INFECTION; HENSELAE; DISEASE; FLEAS; CONGO; SPP.

Abstract

Several rodent-associated Bartonella species are human pathogens but little is known about their epidemiology. We trapped rodents and shrews around human habitations at two sites in Kenya (rural Asembo and urban Kibera) to determine the prevalence of Bartonella infection. Bartonella were detected by culture in five of seven host species. In Kibera, 60% of Rattus rattus were positive, as compared to 13% in Asembo. Bartonella were also detected in C. olivieri (7%), Lemniscomys striatus (50%), Mastomys natalensis (43%) and R. norvegicus (50%). Partial sequencing of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene of isolates showed that Kibera strains were similar to reference isolates from Rattus trapped in Asia, America, and Europe, but that most strains from Asembo were less similar. Host species and trapping location were associated with differences in infection status but there was no evidence of associations between host age or sex and infection status. Acute febrile illness occurs at high incidence in both Asembo and Kibera but the etiology of many of these illnesses is unknown. Bartonella similar to known human pathogens were detected in small mammals at both sites and investigation of the ecological determinants of host infection status and of the public health significance of Bartonella infections at these locations is warranted.