巴尔通菌属。是与几种重新出现的人类疾病相关的细胞内细菌。小型哺乳动物在巴尔通体的维持和传播中起着重要作用。尽管南非小型哺乳动物的生物多样性很高,关于巴尔通菌属的流行病学信息有限。在这些哺乳动物中。本研究的主要目的是确定巴尔通菌的患病率和遗传多样性。来自南非8个省15个地方的野生小型哺乳动物。小型哺乳动物(n=183)被困在东开普省,自由状态,豪登,林波波,姆普马兰加,北开普省,西北,2010年至2018年期间,南非西开普省。心,肾,肝脏,肺,收集脾脏进行巴尔通体DNA筛选,并根据16S-23SrRNA基因间间隔区(ITS)区域的部分片段的PCR扩增确定患病率,gltA,和rpoB基因。巴尔通体DNA在嗜血杆菌中检测到,Aethomysineptus,Gerbillurusspp.,LemniscomysRosalia,MastomysCoucha,Micaelamysnamaquensis,Rhabdomyspumilio,和Thallomys髓质。观察到总患病率为16.9%(31/183,95%CI:12.2%-23%)。巴尔通菌,grahamii巴尔通体,巴尔通体是确定的人畜共患物种,而其余序列与未培养的巴尔通体属物种进行比对。具有未知的人畜共患潜力。系统发育分析证实了五个不同的巴尔通体谱系(I-V),谱系IV表现出强的M.coucha宿主特异性。我们的结果证实,南非野生小型哺乳动物是巴尔通体属物种多样化组合的天然储库。,包括一些具有高度遗传多样性的人畜共患物种,尽管患病率相对较低。重要的小哺乳动物在人畜共患病原体如巴尔通菌的维持和传播中起着重要作用。尽管包括南非在内的南部非洲小型哺乳动物的生物多样性很高,关于巴尔通菌属的流行病学信息有限。在全国各地的这些哺乳动物中。我们的研究结果表明,肝脏和脾脏对巴尔通菌属的阳性病例最高。测试器官中的DNA。巴尔通菌,B.grahamii,和B.tripocorum是确定的三个人畜共患物种,并通过系统发育分析确认了五个不同的巴尔通体谱系(I-V)。据我们所知,本研究首次对巴尔通体进行了广泛的核多样性研究。在南非的南非小型哺乳动物中。
Bartonella spp. are intracellular bacteria associated with several re-emerging human diseases. Small mammals play a significant role in the maintenance and spread of Bartonella spp. Despite the high small mammal biodiversity in South Africa, there is limited epidemiological information regarding Bartonella spp. in these mammals. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella spp. from wild small mammals from 15 localities in 8 provinces of South Africa. Small mammals (n = 183) were trapped in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape provinces of South Africa between 2010 and 2018. Heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen were harvested for Bartonella DNA screening, and prevalence was determined based on the PCR amplification of partial fragments of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (ITS) region, gltA, and rpoB genes. Bartonella DNA was detected in Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys ineptus, Gerbillurus spp., Lemniscomys rosalia, Mastomys coucha, Micaelamys namaquensis, Rhabdomys pumilio, and Thallomys paedulcus. An overall prevalence of 16.9% (31/183, 95% CI: 12.2%-23%) was observed. Bartonella elizabethae, Bartonella grahamii, and Bartonella tribocorum were the zoonotic species identified, while the remaining sequences were aligned to uncultured Bartonella spp. with unknown zoonotic potential. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed five distinct Bartonella lineages (I-V), with lineage IV displaying strong M. coucha host specificity. Our results confirm that South African wild small mammals are natural reservoirs of a diverse assemblage of Bartonella spp., including some zoonotic species with high genetic diversity, although prevalence was relatively low.IMPORTANCESmall mammals play a significant role in the maintenance and spread of zoonotic pathogens such as Bartonella spp. Despite the high small mammal biodiversity in southern Africa including South Africa, there is limited epidemiological information regarding Bartonella spp. in these mammals across the country. Results from our study showed the liver and spleen had the highest positive cases for Bartonella spp. DNA among the tested organs. Bartonella elizabethae, B. grahamii, and B. tribocorum were the three zoonotic species identified and five distinct Bartonella lineages (I-V) were confirmed through phylogenetic analyses. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first extensive nuclear diversity investigation of Bartonella spp. in South African small mammals in South Africa.