Epidemiological characteristics and genetic diversity of Bartonella species from rodents in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Southwestern China

Bartonella spp. are gram-negative bacteria recognized as zoonotic pathogens of wide spectrum mammals. Rodents are recognized as a natural reservoir of pathogens, and many Bartonella species transmitted by various blood-sucking arthropods have been detected in various rodents populations. In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, humans have a habit of preying on rodents, however, data on the genetic diversity of Bartonella are still absent. Investigating the epidemiological characteristics of Bartonella infection in rodents is of great significance for the prevention and control of human Bartonellosis. In this study, rodents were captured to monitor the prevalence of Bartonella in four cities in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Southwestern China. Six species of Bartonella, including three confirmed zoonotic species, were detected based on the rrs gene with an overall prevalence of 11.5% (32/278) in rodents. Bartonella tribocorum (21/32, 65.6%) was the predominant species among the three zoonotic Bartonella species. In addition, phylogenetic and genetic analyses of the rrs, gltA, and rpoB genes indicated that the strains were divided into distinct clade within the same rodent, suggesting the co-circulating of diverse genetic genotypes of Bartonella species. These results provide insights into the prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species circulating in rodents in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and also urged the surveillance of rodent-associated Bartonella species in these areas.