Synanthropic rodents and their ectoparasites as carriers of a novel haemoplasma and vector-borne,zoonotic pathogens indoors

Background: despite their close association with human dwellings,the role of synanthropic rodents in the epidemiology of vector-borne infections is seldom studied. the aim of the present study was to compensate for this lack of information,by the molecular investigation of vector-borne bacteria in peridomestic rodents and their ectoparasites. findings: fifty-two rodents (mainly house mice and brown rats) were caught alive in buildings and checked for blood-sucking ectoparasites; followed by molecular analysis of these,together with spleen samples,for the presence of vector-borne agents. haemoplasma infection was significantly more prevalent among brown rats,than among house mice. a novel haemoplasma genotype (with only 92-93% similarity to candidatus mycoplasma turicensis and m. coccoides in its 16s rrna gene) was detected in a harvest mouse and a brown rat. sporadic occurrence of rickettsia helvetica,anaplasma phagocytophilum,borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and bartonella sp. was also noted in rodents and/or their ectoparasites. conclusions: these results indicate that synanthropic rodents,although with low prevalence,may carry zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens indoors. © 2015 hornok et al.; licensee biomed central.