Identification of Bartonella Species Isolated from Rodents from Yucatan, Mexico, and Isolation of Bartonella vinsonii subsp. yucatanensis subsp. nov.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Bench and wild animal surveillance study without human clinical data.
PubMed 27626126 · doi:10.1089/vbz.2016.1981
What was done
Cultured blood and/or blood clots from 38 wild rodents (27 Yucatan deer mice [Peromyscus yucatanicus], 7 Gaumer's spiny pocket mice [Heteromys gaumeri], 2 black rats [Rattus rattus], and 2 big-eared climbing rats [Ototylomys phyllotis]) captured near Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Performed DNA extraction, PCR, and sequencing of gltA and concatenated housekeeping genes (gltA, ftsZ, rpoB, and 16S rRNA) on isolates and heart samples (n = 35) to identify Bartonella species and subspecies.
What was found
Bartonella spp. were isolated from the blood/blood clots of 22 of 38 rodents (58%). All 22 Bartonella-positive rodents were Yucatan deer mice from San José Pituch. gltA gene sequencing showed all but one isolate were closest to B. vinsonii subsp. vinsonii, while one isolate was intermediate between B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii and B. vinsonii subsp. arupensis. Concatenated gene analysis classified this outlier as a novel subspecies, named B. vinsonii subsp. yucatanensis.
Why it matters
Demonstrates high Bartonella prevalence in Yucatan deer mice in southeastern Mexico and characterizes a novel subspecies (B. vinsonii subsp. yucatanensis), expanding understanding of rodent-associated zoonotic pathogen reservoirs.
Limits
Small sample size (38 rodents across four species) limited to a localized geographic area. All positive isolates were restricted to a single species from one site, and vector transmission dynamics, clinical outcomes, or human zoonotic potential were not assessed.
Cited by
- contradicts There are 18 to 19 different subspecies of Bartonella.