Zoonotic <i>Bartonella</i> species in Eurasian wolves and other free‐ranging wild mammals from Italy
Grazia Greco, Aya Attia Koraney Zarea, Giovanni Sgroi, Maria Tempesta, Nicola D’Alessio, Gianvito Lanave, Marcos Antônio Bezerra‐Santos, Roberta Iatta, Vincenzo Veneziano, Domenico Otranto, Bruno B. Chomel
Abstract
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.