Identification ofin Guinea Pigs () and Fleas Collected from Rural Peruvian Households.

Abstract

In the present study, we tested 391 fleas collected from guinea pigs () (241species, 110, and 40) and 194 fleas collected from human bedding and clothing (142species, 43, five, and four) for the presence ofDNA. We also tested 83 blood spots collected on Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards from guinea pigs inhabiting 338 Peruvian households.DNA was detected in 81 (20.7%) of 391 guinea pig fleas, in five (2.6%) of 194 human fleas, and in 16 (19.3%) of 83 guinea pig blood spots. Among identifiedspecies,was the most prevalent in fleas (89.5%) and the only species found in the blood spots from guinea pigs. Otherspecies detected in fleas included(3.5%),(2.3%), and an undescribedspecies (4.7%). Our results demonstrated a high prevalence of zoonoticin households in rural areas where the research was conducted and suggested a potential role of guinea pigs as a reservoir of this bacterium.