Repeated Detection of <i>Bartonella</i> DNA in Feline Placenta: Potential Implications for Placental and Fetal Development
The domestic cat is the primary reservoir host of three flea-borne <i>Bartonella</i> species, one of which (<i>Bartonella henselae</i>) causes reduced fertility and reproductive failure in experimentally infected cats. Vertical transmission of <i>Bartonella</i> ha...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/14/2041 |
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| Summary: | The domestic cat is the primary reservoir host of three flea-borne <i>Bartonella</i> species, one of which (<i>Bartonella henselae</i>) causes reduced fertility and reproductive failure in experimentally infected cats. Vertical transmission of <i>Bartonella</i> has been documented only in B-cell deficient mice, but not immunocompetent animals. As many free-roaming cats are chronically infected with <i>Bartonella</i> and may be immunocompromised by environmental stress or coinfection, we attempted to isolate <i>Bartonella</i> from the fetal and placental tissues of pregnant queens spayed during trap–neuter–release. Four samples from each tissue (ovary, uterus, fetus, and placenta) were split for direct DNA extraction, liquid culture, and culture on a blood agar plate. Samples from infected queens were inoculated into liquid media and sampled weekly for three weeks for DNA extraction and plating. <i>Bartonella</i> DNA was sequenced directly from 28% (5/18) of the free-roaming queens. For these five queens, liquid enrichment culture was attempted in duplicate for fetal and placental samples. <i>Bartonella clarridgeiae</i> DNA was amplified using qPCR liquid enrichment cultures from the placentas of two cats. These findings suggest that viable <i>Bartonella</i> organisms are present in feline reproductive tissue. Additional studies are needed to assess the transplacental transmission of <i>Bartonella</i> spp. and <i>Bartonella</i>’s influence on fetal development. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2615 |