Rickettsia felis genome sequencing for assessing host-specific variability (C. felis). Rickettsia felis str. LSU

Rickettsia felis (Alphaproteobacteria: Rickettsiales) is the causative agent of rickettsiosis, an emerging infectious disease with near worldwide distribution. Originally described from the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis, recent reports have identified R. felis from other flea species, as well as ticks and other insects. The diverse host range for R. felis may indicate an underlying genetic variability associated with host-specific strains. To determine a potential genetic basis for host specialization, we sequenced the genomes of R. felis str. LSU from C. felis, and R. felis str. LSU-Lb from Liposcelis bostrychophila (booklouse).