All Posts Tagged With: "mammals"

Full article: http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pu
bmed&id=20148999&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks
PMID: 20148999

Excerpt:

Summary Cat scratch disease is the most common zoonotic infection
caused by Bartonella bacteria. Among the many mammals infected
with Bartonella spp., cats represent a large reservoir for human
infection, as they are the main reservoir for Bartonella
henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and Bartonella koehlerae.
Bartonella spp. are vector-borne bacteria, and transmission of B.
henselae by cat fleas occurs mainly through infected flea faeces,
although new potential vectors (ticks and biting flies) have been
identified. Dogs are also infected with various Bartonella
species and share with humans many of the clinical signs induced
by these infections. Although the role of dogs as source of human
infection is not yet clearly established, they represent
epidemiological sentinels for human exposure. Present knowledge
on the aetiology, clinical features and epidemiological
characteristics of bartonellosis is presented.

Among the various species of hard ticks, Ixodes ricinus is the most frequently
found tick throughout Europe. As with other ixodid ticks, the developmental
cycle runs through three stages. In each stage a blood meal is required in order
to develop to the next stage. Ixodes ricinus has been found to feed on more than
300 different vertebrate species. Usually, larval ticks feed on small mammals
such as mice and become infected with various microorganisms and viruses, of
which some are substantial pathogens to humans. The pathogens remain in the tick
during molting and are thus transstadially transmitted to the next developmental
stage. Pathogens transmitted to humans are the agents of Lyme borreliosis, the
tick-borne encephalitis virus, Rickettsia species, Anaplasma phagocytophilum,
occasionally Francisella tularensis, and protozoal Babesia species. Within the
scope of an EU project Ixodes ricinus ticks from all federal states of Austria
were searched by means of PCR methods for bacterial pathogens such as Anaplasma
phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia
spp., Francisella tularensis, Rickettsia spp., and protozoal Babesia.
Additionally, the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in this tick species was also
determined. Besides the singular detection of Coxiella burnetii and Francisella
tularensis in one tick collection site the overall prevalence of Anaplasma
phagocytophilum, borreliae, rickettsae and babesiae in Ixodes ricinus amounted
to 15%, 14%, 6% and surprising 36% and 51%, respectively. Bartonellae were
detected in about 7%.