Diversity of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in bats and their blood-feeding ectoparasites from South Africa and Swaziland

In addition to several emerging viruses, bats have been reported to host multiple bacteria but their zoonotic threats remain poorly understood, especially in Africa where the diversity of bats is important. Here, we investigated the presence and diversity of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in bats and their ectoparasites (Diptera and Siphonaptera) collected across South Africa and Swaziland. We collected 384 blood samples and 14 ectoparasites across 29 different bat species and found positive samples in four insectivorous and two frugivorous bat species, as well as their Nycteribiidae flies. Phylogenetic analyses revealed diverse Bartonella genotypes and one main group of Rickettsia, distinct from those previously reported in bats and their ectoparasites, and for some closely related to human pathogens. Our results suggest a differential pattern of host specificity depending on bat species. Bartonella spp. identified in bat flies and blood were identical supporting that bat flies may serve as vectors. Our results represent the first report of bat-borne Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in these countries and highlight the potential role of bats as reservoirs of human bacterial pathogens.S1 Table. Details of the blood samples analyzed for Bartonella and Rickettsia in South Africa and Swaziland. Not all individuals sampled were taken as museum vouchers, and some vouchers have not yet been lodged in a public repository; in such instances identification based on morphology was limited to external features only, and hence identification to species level was not always possible. Acronyms used in Sample ID and Field/Museum number: UP—Virological Research Group, University of Pretoria; ECJS—Ernest Seamark, AfricanBats; NC— Northern Cape, Davis Jacobs, University of Cape Town; TM- Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, Pretoria (formerly Transvaal Museum); CHIR KNP: Skukuza Biological Reference Collection.The National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (Grant UID: 78566 (NRF RISP grant for the ABI3500) and Grant UID 91496 and 92524) and the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF) (Grant number 12/14). MD’s postdoctoral fellowship is funded by the National Research Foundation, South Africa (NRF – N00595). Remove selectedhttp://www.plosone.orgCentre for Wildlife ManagementMedical VirologyMicrobiology and Plant Patholog

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of neonatal staff concerning neonatal pain management

Background: Neonatal pain management has received increasing attention over the past four decades. Research into the effects of neonatal pain emphasises the professional, ethical and moral obligations of staff to manage pain for positive patient outcomes. However, evaluation studies continuously report evidence of inadequate neonate pain management and a gap between theory and practice. Objective: This study reviewed current practice in neonatal pain management to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of nurses and doctors regarding pain management for neonates in two academic hospitals. Method: A non-experimental, prospective quantitative survey, the modified Infant Pain Questionnaire, was used to collect data from 150 nurses and doctors working in the neonatal wards of two academic hospitals in central Gauteng. Results: The response rate was 35.33% (n = 53), most respondents being professional nurses (88.68%; n = 47) working in neonatal intensive care units (80.77%; n = 42); 24 (45.28%) had less than 5 years’ and 29 respondents 6 or more years’ working experience in neonatal care. A review of pain management in the study setting indicated a preference for pharmacological interventions to relieve moderate to severe pain. An association (p < 0.05) was found between pain ratings on 5 procedures and frequency of administration of pharmacological pain management. Two-thirds of respondents (64%) reported that there were no pain management guidelines in the neonatal wards in which they worked. Conclusion: The interventions to manage moderate neonatal pain are in line with international guidelines. However, neonatal pain management may not occur systematically based on prior assessment of neonatal pain, choice of most appropriate intervention and evaluation. This study recommends implementation of a guideline to standardise practice and ensure consistent and adequate pain management in neonates

Transcriptomic analysis of Ehrlichia ruminantium during the developmental stages in bovine and tick cell culture

The use of bioinformatics tools to search for possible vaccine candidates has been successful in recent years. In an attempt to search for additional vaccine candidates or improve the current heartwater vaccine design, a genome-wide transcriptional profile of E. ruminantium (Welgevonden strain) replicating in bovine endothelial cells (BA886) and Ixodes scapularis embryonic tick cells (IDE8) was performed. The RNA was collected from the infective extracellular form, the elementary bodies (EBs) and vegetative intracellular form, reticulate bodies (RBs) and was used for transcriptome sequencing. Several genes previously implicated with adhesion, attachment and pathogenicity were exclusively up-regulated in the EBs from bovine and tick cells. Similarly, genes involved in adaptation or survival of E. ruminantium in the host cells were up‐regulated in the RBs from bovine cells. Thus, it was concluded that those genes expressed in the EBs might be important for infection of mammalian and tick host cells and these may be targets for both cell and humoral mediated immune responses. Alternatively, those exclusively expressed in the RBs may be important for survival in the host cells. Exported or secreted proteins exclusively expressed at this stage are ideal targets for the stimulation of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) immune responses in the host.The Economic Competitiveness Support Programme and the ARC-OVI, South Africa (2012–2015).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ttbdis2019-01-01hj2017Veterinary Tropical Disease

Diversity of <i>Bartonella</i> and <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. in Bats and Their Blood-Feeding Ectoparasites from South Africa and Swaziland - Fig 2

<p><b>Phylogenetic relationships of Bartonella (A) and Rickettsia (B) spp. detected in bats and their ectoparasites from South Africa and Swaziland.</b> Black dots indicate bootstrap > 0.75. Bootstrap values for nodes of interest are indicated by an arrow. Trees were built under the TIM3+G and TIM1+G models of evolution, for <i>Bartonella</i> and <i>Rickettsia</i> spp. respectively. The sequences generated in this study are in red and are coded with the sample ID, the host species and geographic location abbreviation as indicated in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0152077#pone.0152077.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a>. Reference sequences (retrieved from GenBank) corresponding to bat- and rodent-associated samples are in blue and grey, respectively. Sequences associated with <i>Miniopterus</i> and <i>Rousettus</i> bats are denoted by an asterisk (*) and a triangle (▲) respectively. GenBank accession numbers are indicated in parentheses.</p

Diversity of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in Bats and Their Blood-Feeding Ectoparasites from South Africa and Swaziland

In addition to several emerging viruses, bats have been reported to host multiple bacteria but their zoonotic threats remain poorly understood, especially in Africa where the diversity of bats is important. Here, we investigated the presence and diversity of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in bats and their ectoparasites (Diptera and Siphonaptera) collected across South Africa and Swaziland. We collected 384 blood samples and 14 ectoparasites across 29 different bat species and found positive samples in four insectivorous and two frugivorous bat species, as well as their Nycteribiidae flies. Phylogenetic analyses revealed diverse Bartonella genotypes and one main group of Rickettsia, distinct from those previously reported in bats and their ectoparasites, and for some closely related to human pathogens. Our results suggest a differential pattern of host specificity depending on bat species. Bartonella spp. identified in bat flies and blood were identical supporting that bat flies may serve as vectors. Our results represent the first report of bat-borne Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in these countries and highlight the potential role of bats as reservoirs of human bacterial pathogens