Detection of Bartonella in rodents and shrews from Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems using gltA amplicon sequencing

Bartonella species are intracellular gram-negative bacteria that are transmitted by direct contact among infected animals (animal scratches and bites) and hematophagous arthropods. Rodents and their associated fleas play a key role in the maintenance of Bartonella worldwide, with at least 22 species identified in rodent hosts. No studies have addressed the prevalence and diversity of Bartonella species and vectors for small mammal hosts in Arctic and subarctic ecosystems, which are increasingly impacted by invasive species and climate change. In this study, we characterized the diversity of flea parasites and Bartonella species in rodents and shrews from northern Canada.