lunes, 10 de diciembre de 2012

Global distribution and genetic diversity ... [Infect Genet Evol. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

Infect Genet Evol. 2012 Dec;12(8):1717-23. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.06.009. Epub 2012 Jul 5.

Global distribution and genetic diversity of Bartonella in bat flies (Hippoboscoidea, Streblidae, Nycteribiidae).

Morse SF, Olival KJ, Kosoy M, Billeter S, Patterson BD, Dick CW, Dittmar K.

Source

Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA; Graduate Program for Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. Electronic address: smorse@buffalo.edu.

Abstract

Recently, a growing number Bartonella spp. have been identified as causative agents for a broadening spectrum of zoonotic diseases, emphasizing their medical importance. Many mammalian reservoirs and vectors however are still unknown, hindering our understanding of pathogen ecology and obscuring epidemiological connections. New Bartonella genotypes were detected in a global sampling of 19 species of blood-feeding bat flies (Diptera, Hippoboscoidea, Nycteribiidae, Streblidae) from 20 host bat species, suggesting an important role of bat flies in harboring bartonellae. Evolutionary relationships were explored in the context of currently known Bartonella species and genotypes. Phylogenetic and gene network analyses point to an early evolutionary association and subsequent radiation of bartonellae with bat flies and their hosts. The recovery of unique clades, uniting Bartonella genotypes from bat flies and bats, supports previous ideas of these flies potentially being vectors for Bartonella. Presence of bartonellae in some female bat flies and their pupae suggests vertical transmission across developmental stages. The specific function of bartonellae in bats and bat flies remains a subject of debate, but in addition to pathogenic interactions, parasitic, mutualistic, or reservoir functions need to be considered.
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.