First identification of Brucella melitensis and Rickettsia monacensis in a red fox, Vulpes vulpes

IF 2 3区农林科学 Q4 IMMUNOLOGY

Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Pub Date : 2025-01-31 DOI:10.1016/j.cimid.2025.102315

Rachid Selmi , Hanène Belkahia , Mariem Ben Abdallah , Aymen Mamlouk , Monia Daaloul-Jedidi , Mourad Ben Said , Lilia Messadi

{"title":"First identification of Brucella melitensis and Rickettsia monacensis in a red fox, Vulpes vulpes","authors":"Rachid Selmi , Hanène Belkahia , Mariem Ben Abdallah , Aymen Mamlouk , Monia Daaloul-Jedidi , Mourad Ben Said , Lilia Messadi","doi":"10.1016/j.cimid.2025.102315","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wild canids, in particular red foxes, serve as potential carriers of zoonotic pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the presence of somepathogenic bacteria relevant to veterinary public health concern. On November 15, 2023, we collected spleen and blood samples from a corpse of a red fox found randomly during a field trip in the El-Jouza district, Beja governorate, northern Tunisia. PCR amplification assays were conducted using specific primers to detect Brucella spp. and major vector-borne bacteria, including Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Borrelia, Bartonella, Coxiella, and hemotropic Mycoplasma. Species identification and genetic characterization were performed through BLAST analysis and phylogenetic studies following the sequencing of the obtained PCR products. DNA of both Brucella melitensis and Rickettsia monacensis was detected in the blood sample. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the identified B. melitensis isolate was clustered with two strains isolated from humans in Mediterranean countries. The R. monacensis isolate was found to be genetically close to a human strain from a South Korea and several isolates infectingIxodes ticks primarily in Europe. This study revealed for the first time the potential infection of red foxes by B. melitensis and R. monacensis. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to comprehensively understand the range of zoonotic bacteria in wildlife and to develop effective monitoring and control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50999,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases","volume":"117 ","pages":"Article 102315"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147957125000232","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"IMMUNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Wild canids, in particular red foxes, serve as potential carriers of zoonotic pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the presence of somepathogenic bacteria relevant to veterinary public health concern. On November 15, 2023, we collected spleen and blood samples from a corpse of a red fox found randomly during a field trip in the El-Jouza district, Beja governorate, northern Tunisia. PCR amplification assays were conducted using specific primers to detect Brucella spp. and major vector-borne bacteria, including Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Borrelia, Bartonella, Coxiella, and hemotropic Mycoplasma. Species identification and genetic characterization were performed through BLAST analysis and phylogenetic studies following the sequencing of the obtained PCR products. DNA of both Brucella melitensis and Rickettsia monacensis was detected in the blood sample. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the identified B. melitensis isolate was clustered with two strains isolated from humans in Mediterranean countries. The R. monacensis isolate was found to be genetically close to a human strain from a South Korea and several isolates infectingIxodes ticks primarily in Europe. This study revealed for the first time the potential infection of red foxes by B. melitensis and R. monacensis. Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to comprehensively understand the range of zoonotic bacteria in wildlife and to develop effective monitoring and control strategies.

查看原文本刊更多论文

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Comparative Immunology Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 医学-免疫学

CiteScore

4.60

自引率

0.00%

发文量

102

审稿时长

40 days

期刊介绍： Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases aims to respond to the concept of "One Medicine" and to provide a venue for scientific exchange. Based on the concept of "Comparative Medicine" interdisciplinary cooperation between specialists in human and animal medicine is of mutual interest and benefit. Therefore, there is need to combine the respective interest of physicians, veterinarians and other health professionals for comparative studies relevant to either human or animal medicine . The journal is open to subjects of common interest related to the immunology, immunopathology, microbiology, parasitology and epidemiology of human and animal infectious diseases, especially zoonotic infections, and animal models of human infectious diseases. The role of environmental factors in disease emergence is emphasized. CIMID is mainly focusing on applied veterinary and human medicine rather than on fundamental experimental research.