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POLYGENIC DETECTION OF RICKETTSIA FELIS IN CAT FLEAS (CTENOCEPHALIDES FELIS) FROM ISRAEL

The presence of Rickettsia felis, an emerging bacterial pathogen, was investigated in 79 cat flea (Cteno-cephalides felis) pools from Israel (5 to 20 fleas each) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of 5 different genes. Amplified targets included both metabolic (gltA and fusA) and surface antigen (ompA, ompB, and the 17-kDa antigen) genes. R. felis DNA was detected in 7.6% of the flea pools. Two genotypes similar in their housekeeping gene sequences but markedly different in their surface antigenic genetic milieus were characterized. This is the first detection of this flea-transmitted rickettsia within its vector in Israel and the Middle East. Although no clinical case has been reported in human beings in Israel to date, these findings suggest that this infection is prevalent in Israel.

Received August 3, 2005. Accepted for publication November 8, 2005.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank Dr. Amnon Sharir; Dr. Shlomi Amiel, Dr. Orr Raz, Dr. Tzafrir Wolanski, Dr. Nuriel Shuv, and Dr. Zvi Salant for collecting the cat fleas and Dr. Amos Wilam-owski for performing the entomological classification.

^* Address correspondence to Shimon Harrus, School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel. E-mail: harrus{at}agri.huji.ac.il

Authors’ addresses: Omri Bauer, Gad Baneth, and Shimon Harrus, School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel. Tamar Eshkol, "Let the Animals Live" Association, Moshav Talmei-Menashe, Israel. Susan E. Shaw, Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, North Somerset BS40 5DU, UK.

Reprint requests: Dr. Shimon Harrus, School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, POB 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel, Telephone: 972-8-9489633, Fax: 972-8-9489956, E-mail: harrus{at}agri.huji.ac.il.

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