Zoonotic Bartonella species in Eurasian wolves and other free‐ranging wild mammals from Italy

• Published in: Zoonoses and Public Health
• Main Authors: Greco, Grazia, Zarea, Aya Attia Koraney, Sgroi, Giovanni, Tempesta, Maria, D’Alessio, Nicola, Lanave, Gianvito, Bezerra‐Santos, Marcos Antônio, Iatta, Roberta, Veneziano, Vincenzo, Otranto, Domenico, Chomel, Bruno
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley and Sons Inc. 2021
• Subjects: Original Articles; Canis lupus
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8251765/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33779044; https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.12827

Bartonellae are emerging vector‐borne pathogens infecting humans, domestic mammals and wildlife. Ninety‐seven red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 8 European badgers (Meles meles), 6 Eurasian wolves (Canis lupus), 6 European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), 3 beech martens (Martes foina) and 2 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from Italian Nature Conservatory Parks were investigated for Bartonella infection. Several Bartonella species (9.84%; 95% CI: 4.55–15.12), including zoonotic ones, were molecularly detected among wolves (83.3%; 95% CI: 51–100.00), foxes (4.12%; 95% CI: 0.17–8.08), hedgehogs (33.33%; 95% CI: 0.00–71.05) and a roe deer. Bartonella rochalimae was the most common Bartonella species (i.e. in 4 foxes and 2 wolves) detected. Candidatus B. merieuxii and B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii were identified for the first time in wolves. Furthermore, Bartonella schoenbuchensis was identified in a roe deer and a new clone with phylogenetic proximity to B. clarridgeiae was detected in European hedgehogs. Zoonotic and other Bartonella species were significantly more frequent in Eurasian wolves (p < .0001), than in other free‐ranging wild mammals, representing a potential reservoir for infection in humans and domestic animals.