Detection of Anaplasma spp. and Bartonella spp. from wild-caught rodents and their ectoparasites in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

The objective of this study was to investigate evidence of emerging anaplasmosis and bartonellosis in rodents from endemic areas of Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Rodent trapping was undertaken in 13 sub-districts of Muang District. The live-capture traps were set up in three locations of selected scrub typhus patient houses for three consecutive nights. Wild-caught rodent whole blood samples and associated ticks and fleas were collected and tested for Anaplasma spp. and Bartonella spp. In addition, heat maps using GIS software were used to determine the density of infection of positive wild-caught rodents. A total of 347 wild-caught rodents of nine species was captured. Rattus rattus (38.6%) was the dominant species. A total of 1,518 Heamaphysalis bandicota ticks and 57 Xenopsylla cheopis fleas was removed. Twenty-two of the 347 tested blood samples (6.3%) were Anaplasma bovis-positive and 121 blood samples and five out of 27 pools of X. cheopis fleas were Bartonella queenslandensis-positive. Of these infected rodents, dual-infections between A. bovis and B. queenslandensis were found in three B. indica rodents. Our results offer new information concerning the infections of A. bovis and B. queenslandensis in both rodents and their ectoparasites collected in high-risk areas of rodent-borne diseases in Thailand.