AUTHOR=Moore Charlotte , Breitschwerdt Edward B. , Kim Lisa , Li Yiyao , Ferris Kelli , Maggi Ricardo , Lashnits Erin 

TITLE=The association of host and vector characteristics with Ctenocephalides felis pathogen and endosymbiont infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1137059

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1137059

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Surveillance of the fleas and flea-borne pathogens infecting cats is important for both human and animal health. Multiple zoonotic <italic>Bartonella</italic> and <italic>Rickettsia</italic> species are known to infect the most common flea infesting cats and dogs worldwide: <italic>Ctenocephalides felis</italic>, the cat flea. The ability of other flea species to transmit pathogens is relatively unexplored. We aimed to determine cat host and flea factors independently associated with flea <italic>Bartonella</italic> and <italic>Rickettsia</italic> infection. We also assessed flea and cat infection by flea-host pair and location. To accomplish these aims, we performed qPCR for the detection of <italic>Bartonella</italic>, hemotropic <italic>Mycoplasma</italic>, <italic>Rickettsia</italic>, and <italic>Wolbachia</italic> DNA using paired cat and flea samples obtained from free-roaming cats presenting for spay or neuter across four locations in the United States. A logistic regression model was employed to identify the effect of cat (sex, body weight, geographic location, and <italic>Bartonella</italic>, hemotropic <italic>Mycoplasma</italic>, and <italic>Rickettsia</italic> spp., infection) and flea (clade and <italic>Rickettsia</italic> and <italic>Wolbachia</italic> infection) factors on <italic>C</italic>. <italic>felis Bartonella clarridgeiae</italic> infection. From 189 free roaming cats, we collected 84 fleas: <italic>Ctenocephalides felis</italic> (78/84), <italic>Cediopsylla simplex</italic> (4/84), <italic>Orchopeas howardi</italic> (1/84), and <italic>Nosopsyllus fasciatus</italic> (1/84). <italic>Ctenocephalides felis</italic> were phylogenetically assigned to Clades 1, 4, and 6 by <italic>cox1</italic> gene amplification. <italic>Rickettsia asembonensis</italic> (52/84) and <italic>B</italic>. <italic>clarridgeiae</italic> (16/84) were the most common pathogenic bacteria detected in fleas. Our model identified host cat sex and weight as independently associated with <italic>B</italic>. <italic>clarridgeiae</italic> infection in fleas. <italic>Rickettsia asembonensis</italic> (52/84), <italic>Rickettsia felis</italic> (7/84) and <italic>Bartonella henselae</italic> (7/84) were detected in specific clades: <italic>R</italic>. <italic>felis</italic> was detected only in Clades 1 and 6 while <italic>B</italic>. <italic>henselae</italic> and <italic>R</italic>. <italic>asembonensis</italic> were detected only in Clade 4. <italic>Wolbachia</italic> spp., also displayed clade specificity with strains other than <italic>Wolbachia</italic> wCfeT only infecting fleas from Clade 6. There was poor flea and host agreement for <italic>Bartonella</italic> spp., infection; however, there was agreement in the <italic>Bartonella</italic> species detected in cats and fleas by geographic location. These findings reinforce the importance of considering reservoir host attributes and vector phylogenetic diversity in epidemiological studies of flea-borne pathogens. Widespread sampling is necessary to identify the factors driving flea-borne pathogen presence and transmission.</p>