Rickettsia felis in Fleas, Western Australia

Abstract

This study is the first confirmation of Rickettsia felis in Australia. The organism was identified from 4 species of fleas obtained from dogs and cats in Western Australia, by using polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA sequencing of the citrate synthase and outer membrane protein A genes.

Keywords

• Australia
• flea
• Ctenocephalides
• Rickettsia felis
• dispatch