| Summary: | Bartonella spp. are vector-transmitted, blood-borne, intracellular, gram-negative bacteria that can induce prolonged infection in the host. Our objectives were to determine if roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), moose (Alces alces), fallow deer (Dama dama), sika deer (Cervus nippon), sheep (Ovis aries) are infected with Bartonella and to determine the molecular relationships between Bartonella isolated from domestic and wild animals in Lithuania. Genomic DNA was extracted from spleen. For detection of Bartonella spp. nested PCR amplification of 16S-23S rRNA ITS region were used. PCR products were analysed by 1.5% agarose gel electrophoresis under the UV light. A part of PCR products of 16S-23S rRNA ITS region were sequenced and multiple sequence alignments were performed using Clustal W, obtained sequences were compared with related sequences found in the NCBI database. Bartonella spp. were detected in all animal species. According to the 16S-23S rRNA ITS region samples of wild animals were similar to B. shoenbuchensis, B.chomelii, B.capreoli and B.birtlesi. Bartonella isolate from sheep differed from other isolates of wild animals and was identical to Bartonella sp. (GenBank accession no. AF415209 with 100% similarity) that was found in tick from a sheep from Peru.
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