Transmission mechanisms of an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Vector-borne pathogens must overcome arthropod infection and escape barriers (e.g. midgut and salivary glands) during the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) before subsequent transmission to another host. This particular timespan is undetermined for the etiological agent of flea-borne spotted fever (Rickettsia felis). Artificial acquisition of R. felis by blood-feeding cat fleas revealed dissemination to the salivary glands after seven days; however, this length of time is inconsistent with co-feeding studies that produced infectious cat fleas within 24 h of infection. In the current study, we demonstrated that an alternative mechanism is responsible for the early-phase transmission that typifies flea-borne R. felis spread.

Methods

Co-feeding transmission bioassays

SUBMITTER: Brown LD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4847369 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature