Seroepidemiological study of Rickettsia felis, Rickettsia typhi, and Rickettsia conorii infection among the population of southern Spain

Rickettsia typhi is the causal agent of murine typhus; a worldwide zoonotic and vector-borne infectious disease, commonly associated with the presence of domestic and wild rodents. Human cases of murine typhus in the state of Yucatán are frequent. However, there is no evidence of the presence of Rickettsia typhi in mammals or vectors in Yucatán. The presence of Rickettsia in rodents and their ectoparasites was evaluated in a small municipality of Yucatán using the conventional polymerase chain reaction technique and sequencing. The study only identified the presence of Rickettsia typhi in blood samples obtained from Rattus rattus and it reported, for the first time, the presence of R. felis in the flea Polygenis odiosus collected from Ototylomys phyllotis rodent. Additionally, Rickettsia felis was detected in the ectoparasite Ctenocephalides felis fleas parasitizing the wild rodent Peromyscus yucatanicus. This study’s results contributed to a better knowledge of Rickettsia epidemiology in Yucatán.

Download Full-text

Shell-vial culture and real-time PCR applied to Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis detection

World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology ◽

10.1007/s11274-015-1925-z ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (11) ◽

pp. 1747-1754 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ferran Segura ◽

Immaculada Pons ◽

Júlia Pla ◽

María-Mercedes Nogueras

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Rickettsia Typhi ◽

Rickettsia Felis ◽

Shell Vial

Download Full-text

Comparative analysis of host-cell signalling mechanisms activated in response to infection with Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia typhi

Journal of Medical Microbiology ◽

10.1099/jmm.0.47050-0 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 56 (7) ◽

pp. 896-906 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Elena Rydkina ◽

Abha Sahni ◽

David J. Silverman ◽

Sanjeev K. Sahni

Keyword(s):

Dna Binding ◽

Host Cell ◽

Spotted Fever ◽

Binding Activity ◽

Host Cells ◽

Maximal Response ◽

Rickettsia Conorii ◽

P38 Kinase ◽

Rickettsia Typhi ◽

Dna Binding Activity

The Gram-negative intracellular bacteria Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia typhi are the aetiological agents of Mediterranean spotted fever and endemic typhus, respectively, in humans. Infection of endothelial cells (ECs) lining vessel walls, and the resultant vascular inflammation and haemostatic alterations are salient pathogenetic features of both of these rickettsial diseases. An important consideration, however, is that dramatic differences in the intracellular motility and accumulation patterns for spotted fever versus typhus group rickettsiae have been documented, suggesting the possibility of unique and potentially different interactions with host cells. This study characterized and compared R. conorii- and R. typhi-mediated effects on cultured human ECs. The DNA-binding activity of nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) and the phosphorylation status of stress-activated p38 kinase were determined as indicators of NF-κB and p38 activation. R. conorii infection resulted in a biphasic activation of NF-κB, with an early increase in DNA-binding activity at 3 h, followed by a later peak at 24 h. The activated NF-κB species were composed mainly of RelA p65–p50 heterodimers and p50 homodimers. R. typhi infection of ECs resulted in only early activation of NF-κB at 3 h, composed primarily of p65–p50 heterodimers. Whilst R. conorii infection induced increased phosphorylation of p38 kinase (threefold mean induction) with the maximal response at 3 h, a considerably less-intense response peaking at about 6 h post-infection was found with R. typhi. Furthermore, mRNA expression of the chemokines interleukin (IL)-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in ECs infected with either Rickettsia species was higher than the corresponding controls, but there were distinct differences in the secretion patterns for IL-8, suggesting the possibility of involvement of post-transcriptional control mechanisms or differences in the release from intracellular storage sites. Thus, the intensity and kinetics of host-cell responses triggered by spotted fever and typhus species exhibit distinct variations that could subsequently lead to differences in the extent of endothelial activation and inflammation and serve as important determinants of pathogenesis.

Download Full-text

Serologic study of Rickettsia typhi infection among the human population of southern Spain

Clinical Microbiology and Infection ◽

10.1111/j.1469-0691.2008.02171.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 247-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

S. Santibáñez ◽

A. Astasio ◽

R. Villa-Real ◽

J.A. Cámara ◽

J.A. Oteo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Population ◽

Southern Spain ◽

Rickettsia Typhi

Download Full-text

Prevalence of Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia typhi infections in the population of northern Greece.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene ◽

10.4269/ajtmh.2002.66.76 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 66 (1) ◽

pp. 76-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

S Alexiou Daniel ◽

K Manika ◽

M Arvanmdou ◽

A Antoniadis

Keyword(s):

Rickettsia Conorii ◽

Northern Greece ◽

Rickettsia Typhi

Download Full-text

Fleas of Shrews and Rodents in Rural Lowland Taiwan

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjz194 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Hsi-Chieh Wang ◽

Pei-Lung Lee ◽

Chi-Chien Kuo

Keyword(s):

Human Case ◽

Rickettsia Conorii ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Rickettsia Felis ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Main Island ◽

Xenopsylla Cheopis ◽

Rickettsia Rickettsii ◽

Southern Taiwan ◽

Small Mammal Species

Abstract Fleas transmit a variety of pathogens to humans but are relatively understudied in comparison to mosquitoes and ticks, including in Taiwan, where fleas in rural lowlands have never been systematically surveyed. In total, 700 fleas of four species were collected from 1,260 shrews and rodents at nine counties across lowland Taiwan. Nosopsyllus nicanus Jordan (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae) and Xenopsylla cheopis Rothschild (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) were the most abundant flea species (79.0 and 14.6% of total fleas, respectively); the former was largely limited to the islets, while the latter was restricted to the Taiwan main island. Rattus losea Swinhoe (Rodentia: Muridae) was the most common small mammal species (49.3% of total) and hosted the majority of fleas (88.3% of total). Five Rickettsia spp., including Rickettsia conorii Brumpt (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae), Rickettsia felis Bouyer et al. Rickettsia japonica Uchida, Rickettsia raoultii Mediannikov, and Rickettsia rickettsii Brumpt or closely related species, were identified from 67 individually assayed fleas based on ompB and gltA genes. Rickettsia felis, mainly transmitted by fleas, was detected in one X. cheopis in southern Taiwan where a confirmed human case of infection with R. felis has been reported. The presence of R. felis, along with the other four tick-borne Rickettsia spp., demonstrates that a variety of rickettsiae circulate in rural lowland Taiwan and could pose risks to human health.

Download Full-text