@article{PAR00013204,
  title = {{C}ompetence of {C}imex lectularius bed bugs for the transmission of {B}artonella quintana, the agent of trench {F}ever},
  author = {{L}eulmi, {H}. and {B}itam, {I}. and {B}erenger, {J}. {M}. and {L}epidi, {H}. and {R}olain, {J}. {M}. and {A}lmeras, {L}. and {R}aoult, {D}idier and {P}arola, {P}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}ackground {B}artonella quintana, the etiologic agent of trench fever and other human diseases, is transmitted by the feces of body lice. {R}ecently, this bacterium has been detected in other arthropod families such as bed bugs, which begs the question of their involvement in {B}. quintana transmission. {A}lthough several infectious pathogens have been reported and are suggested to be transmitted by bed bugs, the evidence regarding their competence as vectors is unclear. {M}ethodology/ {P}rincipal {F}indings {B}ed bugs at the adult and instar developmental stages were fed three successive human blood meals inoculated with {B}. quintana bacterium from day one ({D}1) to {D}5; subsequently they were fed with pathogen-free human blood until the end of the experiment. {B}ed bugs and feces were collected in time series, to evaluate their capacities to acquire, multiply and expel viable {B}. quintana using molecular biology, immunohistochemistry and cultures assays. {B}. quintana was detected molecularly in 100% of randomly selected experimentally infected bed bug specimens ({D}3). {T}he monitoring of {B}. quintana in bed bug feces showed that the bacterium was detectable starting on the 3rd day post-infection (pi) and persisted until day 18 +/- 1 pi. {A}lthough immunohistochemistry assays localized the bacteria to the gastrointestinal bed bug gut, the detection of {B}. quintana in the first and second instar larva stages suggested a vertical non-transovarial transmission of the bacterium. {C}onclusion {T}he present work demonstrated for the first time that bed bugs can acquire, maintain for more than 2 weeks and release viable {B}. quintana organisms following a stercorarial shedding. {W}e also observed the vertical transmission of the bacterium to their progeny. {A}lthough the biological role of bed bugs in the transmission of {B}. quintana under natural conditions has yet to be confirmed, the present work highlights the need to reconsider monitoring of these arthropods for the transmission of human pathogens.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{P}los {N}eglected {T}ropical {D}iseases},
  volume = {9},
  numero = {5},
  pages = {e0003789},
  ISSN = {1935-2735},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.1371/journal.pntd.0003789},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00013204},
}