AUTHOR=Lozano-Sardaneta Yokomi N. , Soto-Olguín Nadia Joselyne , Rodríguez-Rojas Jorge J. , Sánchez-Montes Sokani , Rebollar-Téllez Eduardo A. , Becker Ingeborg 

TITLE=Molecular Detection of Bartonella sp. in Psathyromyia shannoni and Lutzomyia cruciata From Northeastern Mexico

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Tropical Diseases

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/tropical-diseases/articles/10.3389/fitd.2021.780808

DOI=10.3389/fitd.2021.780808

ISSN=2673-7515

ABSTRACT=<p>Phlebotomine sand flies are vectors of <italic>Leishmania</italic> spp., <italic>Bartonella bacilliformis</italic>, and several arboviruses worldwide. In Mexico, the presence of <italic>Bartonella</italic> species is associated sporadically with arthropods and little is known on the diversity of insects that could be incriminated with its transmission. The aim of this study was to perform a molecular detection of <italic>Bartonella</italic> DNA in sand fly species collected in northeastern Mexico. Sand flies were collected at the states of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas from June to August 2010, using 16 light traps per night. Sand fly species were morphologically identified, and for <italic>Bartonella</italic> detection, we amplified ~378 bp of the citrate synthase gene (<italic>gltA</italic>). DNA sequences were compared in a phylogenetic reconstruction based on maximum likelihood. A total of 532 specimens from seven sand fly species were morphologically identified, where 11 specimens from Tamaulipas tested positive for the presence of a new lineage of <italic>Bartonella</italic> sp. associated with <italic>Psathyromyia shannoni</italic> and <italic>Lutzomyia cruciata.</italic> This work represents the second record of <italic>Bartonella</italic>-associated with sand flies outside of the endemic area of Carrion’s disease. More studies are necessary to understand their life cycle, transmission dynamics, and their relationship with sand fly species.</p>