Bartonella bovis and Bartonella chomelii infection in dairy cattle and their ectoparasites in Algeria

Abstract

Bartonella are blood-borne and vector-transmitted bacteria, some of which are zoonotic. B. bovis and B. chomelii have been reported in cattle. However, no information has yet been provided on Bartonella infection in cattle in Algeria. Therefore, 313 cattle from 45 dairy farms were surveyed in Kabylia, Algeria, in order to identify Bartonella species infecting cattle using serological and molecular tests. In addition, 277 ticks and 33 Hippoboscidae flies were collected. Bartonella bovis and B. chomelii were identified as the two species infecting cattle. Bartonella DNA was also amplified from 6.8 % (n = 19) of ticks and 78.8 % (n = 26) of flies. Prevalence of B. bovis DNA in dairy cattle was associated both with age and altitude. This study is the first one to report of bovine bartonellosis in Algeria, both in dairy cattle and in potential Bartonella vectors, with the detection of B. bovis DNA in tick samples and B. chomelii in fly samples.