Comparison of two PCR protocols for the detection of Neospora caninum DNA in rodents

The objective of the present study was, due to increasing interest in the epidemiological role of small mammals as potential reservoir of Neospora caninum, to compare two different PCR protocols for the diagnosis of N. caninum in rodents. We tested tissue samples from 50 house mice (Mus musculus), 50 rats (Rattus norvegicus) and 35 field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). Two different PCR protocols based on primer pairs, Np4-Np7 and Np6plus-Np21plus, were used for diagnosis on these samples. While there were not mismatches between the results of both PCR from rats or field mice, 49 out of 50 samples from house mice gave positive results with Np4-Np7 primer set. However after cloning and sequencing the PCR products, only six of these were confirmed to be N. caninum, while all the other 43 amplicons matched with house mice DNA sequence from clone RP23-14F5 on chromosome 11 sequence. Our results evidence that Np4-Np7 PCR could not be reliable in diagnosis of N. caninum in rodents.     

Grain,pellet and wax block bait take by the house mouse (Mus musculus) and non‐target species: implications for mouse eradications on coral cay islands

Introduced rodents have been eradicated from large numbers of offshore islands using toxic baits; however, toxic baits have been linked with negative impacts on non‐target species. The present study assessed the bait take of target (house mouse, Mus musculus) and non‐target (buff banded rail, Rallus philippensis) animals on Northwest and Heron Islands in the Great Barrier Reef. Three non‐toxic bait formulations (wax block, pellet and grain) were tested and each was applied at 1 kg ha^?1 in six treatment grids. The tracks of animals visiting the baits were identified using 30 tracking stations per treatment grid. A tracking station consisted of a track‐board placed in the centre of a sand‐pad. Mean bait take differed significantly between the formulations: birds took more grain bait than wax block bait; mice took more wax block than grain bait. Both mice and birds were equally selective of pellet bait. Thus, the findings indicate that wax blocks are the most suitable formulation for future baiting programs to eradicate mice on these and other islands.     

A serosurvey of swine and free-living species on Iowa farms for antibodies against encephalomyocarditis virus

Swine and free-living nonporcine species from 20 Iowa swine farms were surveyed for antibodies against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The microtitration serum neutralization test was used, and antibody titers ≥ 1:8 were considered positive. The overall prevalence in 267 sows in various groups was 37.8% (range 20-86%). The prevalence in sows maintained in total confinement was significantly lower than in sows not maintained in total confinement (p = 0.01). Prevalence in sows was not associated with other herd characteristics or with abundance estimates of rats and/or mice.

Free-living animals tested included 74 domestic cats (Felis domestica), 203 house mice (Mus musculus), 15 mice of the genus Peromyscus, nine Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), 34 opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 14 raccoons (Procyon lotor), and seven striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). Of these, the only seropositive animals were two domestic cats.

The results of this study failed to implicate the free-living species surveyed as important reservoirs of EMCV for swine, and suggested that swine themselves and/or some species not included in this survey are the main reservoir of EMCV for swine in Iowa.

     

用杀鼠剂和饵料对达乌尔黄鼠进行防治正交试验研究

为筛选出防治达乌尔黄鼠的杀鼠剂及其施用技术,用3种杀鼠剂、3个用药浓度、3个投饵量和3种饵料进行L9(34)正交试验,经方差分析和F检验发现,各因子对灭洞率的有效性自大至小顺序为:杀鼠剂用药浓度投饵量饵料种类。以灭洞率为评价指标,对不同因子各水平进行SSR测验证明:3种参试杀鼠剂的有效性依次为溴鼠灵(87.56%)C型肉毒梭菌生物毒素(80.00%)敌鼠钠盐(73.89%);灭洞率随用药浓度和投饵量变化,用药浓度越大、投饵量越多,灭洞率亦越高;用玉米、苜蓿草颗粒和玉米秸秆草颗粒作饵料灭洞率差异不显著,表明用苜蓿草颗粒和玉米秸秆草颗粒代替粮食作达乌尔黄鼠的饵料是可行;A2B3C2D3(0.15%的溴鼠灵、苜蓿草颗粒作饵料、每个有效洞口投25粒毒饵)是最佳处理组合。     

Allergic tests on cattle vaccinated against Johne's disease

Giardia intestinalis cysts were detected in faeces from 12.9% of 124 brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) trapped in Auckland, Hawke's Bay, the Wairarapa and Wellington; in faecal material from 61.0% of 77 ship rats (Rattus rattus) from areas of Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Wellington; and in faecal material from 25.3% of 182 house mice (Mus musculus) from the North Island. Possums and rodents in forested areas of Auckland and Wellington city water catchments were infected. The role of wild animals in maintaining and spreading Giardia in New Zealand is discussed.     

Alternate Pathway of Infection with Hepatozoon americanum and the Epidemiologic Importance of Predation

Background: The range of American canine hepatozoonosis (ACH) is expanding from the southern USA northward. Transmission of Hepatozoon americanum occurs by ingestion of infected Gulf Coast ticks, Amblyomma maculatum. The source of the protozoan for the tick remains undetermined; infected dogs are unusual hosts for the tick. Objective: Compare possible sources of infection by field investigations of 2 multiple‐dog outbreaks of ACH. Animals: Twenty‐eight privately owned dogs (Canis familiaris), 1 coyote (Canis latrans), 31 wild‐trapped cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), 24 wild‐trapped field mice (Peromyscus leucopus), and 9 wild‐caught rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.) from sites in eastern Oklahoma were monitored for hepatozoonosis. Six laboratory‐raised cotton rats (S. hispidus), 6 Sprague‐Dawley rats (Rattus norvegicus), 6 C57BL/6J‐Lystbg‐J/J mice (Mus musculus), 6 outbred white mice (M. musculus), 6 New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), and 2 dogs were acquired through commercial vendors for experimental transmission trials of H. americanum. Methods: Four of 15 dogs in a rural neighborhood and 5/12 hunting Beagles were confirmed to be infected by blood smear examination, muscle biopsy, and polymerase chain reaction assay of the 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon species. Histories and tick host preferences led to field collections of common prey of canids and experimental transmission trials of H. americanum to selected prey (M. musculus, S. hispidus, R. norvegicus, and O. cuniculus). Results: Dogs with ready access to prey (4/15 dogs) or that were fed prey retrieved from hunts (5/12 hunting Beagles) became infected, providing evidence that predation is an important epidemiologic component of ACH infection. Experimental transmission studies identified a quiescent, infectious stage (cystozoite) of the parasite that provides an alternate mode of transmission to canids through predation, demonstrating that cotton rats, mice, and rabbits but not brown rats may act as paratenic hosts of H. americanum. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Predation of prey harboring infected A. maculatum or containing cystozoites of H. americanum in their tissues provide 2 modes of transmission of ACH to dogs, putting unconfined dogs at increased risk of infection in endemic areas.     

Hypomagnesaemia in cattle

Leptospirosis is an important animal and human health problem in New Zealand, and the epidemiological and ecological aspects of infection in domestic species and free-living species are described. The characteristics of infection with a particular serovar are often considerably different in different species of animal and primary epidemiological investigations involve differentiating between maintenance-host populations and accidental-host populations for the serovars present in a particular ecosystem.

Cattle and pigs are maintenance hosts for hardjo and pomona respectively. Balcanica is maintained by possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) and ballum is maintained by the house mouse (Mus musculus), ship rat (Rattus rattus) and hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). In some regions, foci of copenhageni infection are maintained by Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). Each serovar shows a high degree of parasitic adaption to its maintenance-host species and this is reflected in the nidality of leptospirosis in intensive farming environments. Accidental infections in domestic animals and man are the consequence of ecological associations with maintenance-host populations for particular serovars.

Control of leptospirosis in domestic animals depends on decreasing the prevalence of infection with serovars maintained within populations of domestic animals, and decreasing the degree of ecological association with free-living maintenance-host populations. Vaccination of cattle against hardjo. will considerably reduce the prevalence of infection in vaccinated herds and therefore decrease the prevalence of accidental hardjo infections in man.     

The investigation of interspecies diversity of erythrocyte aggregation properties by two different photometric methods in four animal species

Among the haemorheological parameters, red blood cell (RBC) aggregation shows the largest interspecies diversity, and often controversial data can be found in the literature, besides the methodology‐dependent issues. In this present investigation, we compared four experimental/laboratory animal species’ RBC aggregation by two different photometric methods for better revealing the differences. Blood samples (K3‐EDTA, 1.5 mg/ml) were taken from female animals: 16 inbred mice (Mus musculus, cardiac puncture), 15 outbred rats (Rattus norvegicus, caudal caval vein puncture), 15 beagle dogs (Canis canis, cephalic vein) and 23 juvenile pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus, medial saphenous vein). Haematological parameters (microcell counter) and RBC aggregation (light transmission and syllectometry‐laser backscatter methods) were determined within 2 h after sampling. Describing the first 5–10 s of the aggregation process, additional parameters were calculated out of the syllectometric raw data. Standardized difference was calculated to determine the sensitivity of the two devices. Parameters describing the extent and magnitude of red blood cell aggregation showed the lowest values in the rat and the highest in the pig and canine blood. In turn, parameters describing the kinetics of aggregation showed the lowest values in the mouse and the highest in the rat. The standardized difference values for the laser backscattering method were 2–4 times larger vs. the light transmission one. The magnitude of the differences was not consequent in the aggregation parameters. These comparative results show that the laser backscattering method can detect the RBC aggregation differences between the investigated species more sensitively than the light transmission method.     

Laboratory evaluation of germinated and non-germinated bait base for the management of the house rat,Rattus rattus

Germinated and non-germinated cereals (paddy, Oryza sativa; pearl millet, Pennisetum typhoides; and ragi, Eleusine coracana) and pulses (green gram, Phaseolus aureus; black gram, Phaseolus mungo; and Bengal gram, Cicer arietinum) were evaluated to determine their suitability as a bait base for zinc phosphide and bromadiolone for controlling Rattus rattus. Two-choice and multiple-choice experiments were conducted using 10 animals of mixed sex for each experiment to compare bait preference of germinated and non-germinated grains. The results of the two-choice tests revealed that both germinated cereals and pulses were preferred to non-germinated by the test animals. The differences between the quantities consumed were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The results of Duncan’s post hoc multiple comparison tests of germinated grain consumption by R. rattus were categorized into three subsets. The first subset consisted of pearl millet, Bengal gram, ragi and paddy. The second and third subsets consisted of green gram and black gram, respectively. It is concluded that by considering the cost of all four grains (in the first subset) any one of the cheapest among them in the germinated form could be recommended or used as a bait base for any of the two rodenticides for the management of R. rattus. Based on these results, germinated paddy was chosen (as it is the cheapest among the grains) for the laboratory toxicity studies. The acute toxicity tests (2% zinc phosphide) resulted in 100% mortality of rats under both no-choice and two-choice (germinated paddy with poison versus plain non-germinated paddy bait) tests. A powder formulation of bromadiolone (0.005%)-treated bait yielded 100% mortality of rats in no-choice tests, but only 60% mortality in two-choice tests. These results suggest that the 2% zinc phosphide with germinated paddy as a bait base was preferred over a powder formulation of bromadiolone (0.005%). However, a field efficacy study is required before a final bait formulation recommendation is made.     

Detection of hepatitis E virus RNA in rats caught in pig farms from Northern Italy

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) strains belonging to the Orthohepevirus genus are divided into four species (A–D). HEV strains included in the Orthohepevirus A species infect humans and several other mammals. Among them, the HEV‐3 and HEV‐4 genotypes are zoonotic and infect both humans and animals, of which, pigs and wild boar are the main reservoirs. Viruses belonging to the Orthohepevirus C species (HEV‐C) have been considered to infect rats of different species and carnivores. Recently, two studies reported the detection of HEV‐C1 (rat HEV) RNA in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients, suggesting a possible transmission of rat HEV to humans. The role of rats and mice as reservoir of HEV and the potential zoonotic transmission is still poorly known and deserves further investigation. To this purpose, in this study, the presence of HEV RNA was investigated in the intestinal contents and liver samples from 47 Black rats (Rattus rattus) and 21 House mice (Mus musculus) captured in four pig farms in Northern Italy. The presence of both Orthohepevirus A and C was investigated by the real‐rime RT‐PCR specific for HEV‐1 to HEV‐4 genotypes of Orthohepevirus A species and by a broad spectrum hemi‐nested RT‐PCR capable of detecting different HEV species including rat HEV. The intestinal content from two Black rats resulted positive for HEV‐C1 RNA and for HEV‐3 RNA, respectively. None of the House mice was HEV RNA positive. Sequence analyses confirmed the detection of HEV‐C1, genotype G1 and HEV‐3 subtype e. The viral strain HEV‐3e detected in the rat was identical to swine HEV strains detected in the same farm. Liver samples were negative for the detection of either rat HEV or HEV‐3.     

Rodent control to fight plague: field assessment of methods based on rat density reduction

Rodents represent a serious threat to food security and public health. The extent to which rodent control can mitigate the risk from rodent-borne disease depends on both the effectiveness of control in reducing rodent abundance and the impact on disease epidemiology. Focusing on a plague-endemic region of Madagascar, this study compared the effectiveness of 3 methods: live-traps, snap-traps, and rodenticides. Control interventions were implemented inside houses between May and October 2019. Tracking tiles monitored rodent abundance. Rodent fleas, the vector involved in plague transmission, were collected. Rodent populations consisted of Rattus rattus and Mus musculus. In terms of trap success, we found that our live-trap regime was more effective than snap-traps. While all 3 control strategies appeared to reduce in-house rodent activity in the short term, we found no evidence of a longer-term effect, with in-house rodent abundance in treated sites comparable to non-treatment sites by the following month. Endemic flea, Synopsyllus fonquerniei, is a key plague vector usually found on rats living outdoors. Although we found no evidence that its abundance inside houses increased following control, this may have been due to a lack of power caused by significant variation in S. fonquerniei abundance. The presence of S. fonquerniei in houses was more likely when S. fonquerniei abundance on outdoor rats was higher, which in turn correlated with high rat abundance. Our results emphasize that control strategies need to consider this connectivity between in-house rat–flea populations and the outdoor populations, and any potential consequences for plague transmission.     

Acute oral toxicity of zinc phosphide: an assessment for wild house mice (Mus musculus)

Irregular plagues of house mice, Mus musculus, incur major economic impacts on agricultural production in Australia. The efficacy of zinc phosphide (ZnP), the only registered broadacre control agent for mice, is reported as increasingly variable. Have mice become less sensitive over time or are they taking a sub-lethal dose and developing aversion? In this laboratory study, the sensitivity of mice (wild caught; outbred laboratory strain) was assessed using oral gavage of a range of ZnP concentrations. The estimated LD₅₀ values (72–79 mg ZnP/kg body weight) were similar for each mouse group but are significantly higher than previously reported. The willingness of mice to consume ZnP-coated grains was determined. ZnP-coated grains (50 g ZnP/kg grain) presented in the absence of alternative food were consumed and 94% of wild mice died. Mice provided with alternative food and ZnP-coated wheat grains (either 25 or 50 g ZnP/kg grain) consumed toxic and non-toxic grains, and mortality was lower (33–55%). If a sublethal amount of ZnP-coated grain was consumed, aversion occurred, mostly when alternative food was present. The sensitivity of wild house mice to ZnP in Australia is significantly lower than previously assumed. Under laboratory conditions, ZnP-coated grains coated with a new higher dose (50 g ZnP/kg grain) were readily consumed. Consumption of toxic grain occurred when alternative food was available but was decreased. Our unambiguous findings for house mice indicate a re-assessment of the ZnP loading for baits used for control of many rodents around the world may be warranted.     

Identification and Characterization of Pig Embryo MicroRNAs by Solexa Sequencing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, non‐coding RNAs of approximately 22 nucleotides in length that regulate gene expression by binding to the 3′‐untranslated regions of target mRNAs. It is now clear that miRNAs are involved in many biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation and regulation of gene expression during early embryonic development. The miRBase 16.0 (2010) shows that there are 175, 673, 408 and 1048 annotated miRNAs for Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus and Homo sapiens, respectively. However, there are only 211 miRNAs described for Sus scrofa. In particular, the full set of miRNAs and their expression patterns are still poorly understood in the embryo. Therefore, we combined Solexa sequencing with computational techniques to analyse the sequences and relative expression levels of S. scrofa miRNAs at embryonic day 33 (E33). Of the distinct miRNAs identified, 76 previously known miRNAs and 194 candidate miRNAs were identified in head, and 77 known miRNAs and 130 predicted candidate miRNAs were identified in organ region. Furthermore, we performed additional investigation for identifying the potential target mRNAs using PicTar and TargetScan. Concurrent function analysis suggested that highly expressed miRNAs are mostly involved in the development of nerves, cerebrum, muscle and organs. Our results provide useful information for the investigation into embryonic miRNAs of pig and provide a valuable resource for investigators interested in the regulation of embryonic development in pigs and other animals.     

Pharmacokinetics of eight anticoagulant rodenticides in mice after single oral administration

The first aim of the study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of eight anticoagulant rodenticides (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, chlorophacinone, coumatetralyl, difenacoum, difethialone, flocoumafen and warfarin) in plasma and liver of the mouse after single oral administration. Eight groups of mice dosed orally with a different anticoagulant rodenticide in a dose equal to one‐half the lethal dose 50 (LD₅₀), were killed at various times up to 21 days after administration. The eight anticoagulant rodenticides were assayed in plasma and liver by an LC‐ESI‐MS/MS method. Depending on the compound, the limit of quantification was set at 1 or 5 ng/mL in plasma. In liver, the limit of quantification was set at 250 ng/g for coumatetralyl and warfarin and at 100 ng/g for the other compounds. The elimination half‐lives in plasma for first‐generation rodenticides were shorter than those for second‐generation rodenticides. Coumatetralyl, a first‐generation product, had a plasma elimination half‐life of 0.52 days. Brodifacoum, a second‐generation product, showed a plasma elimination half‐life of 91.7 days. The elimination half‐lives in liver varied from 15.8 days for coumatetralyl to 307.4 days for brodifacoum. The second aim of the study was to illustrate the applicability of the developed method in a clinical case of a dog suspected of rodenticide poisoning.     

高原鼠兔的精确性可持续控制技术研究——几种杀鼠剂的对比试验

于2007年4-5月份在甘肃肃南县对防治高原鼠兔精确用药进行试验,将5种常见杀鼠剂的推荐用药浓度、用药量按等比级数增、减剂量进行插组,作正交对比试验,结果表明,推荐用药浓度、用药量和饵料种类与调整后的用药浓度、用药量和饵料种类对高原鼠兔的灭洞率有一定的差异性。影响灭洞率的主、次因子顺序是:杀鼠剂＞用药浓度＞投饵量＞饵料种类。以防效为评价指标,5种参试杀鼠剂的排序为:大隆(83.9%)＞D型肉毒梭菌生物毒素(82.6%)＞溴敌隆(79.4%)＞C型肉毒梭菌生物毒素(75.0%)＞敌鼠钠盐(68.9%)。最佳处理组合是: 1)用0.15%的D型肉毒梭菌生物毒素、小麦饵料、25粒投饵量;2) 0.01%大隆、青稞饵料、5 g投饵量;3) 0.01%溴敌隆、小麦饵料、3 g投饵量。     

Microbial pathogens in ticks, rodents and a shrew in northern Gyeonggi-do near the DMZ, Korea

A total of 1,618 ticks [420 individual (adults) and pooled (larvae and nymphs) samples], 369 rodents (Apodemus agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, Tscherskia triton, Mus musculus, and Myodes regulus), and 34 shrews (Crocidura lasiura) that were collected in northern Gyeonggi-do near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) of Korea during 2004-2005, were assayed by PCR for selected zoonotic pathogens. From a total of 420 individual and pooled tick DNA samples, Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum (16), A. platys (16), Ehrlichia (E.) chaffeensis (63), Borrelia burgdorferi (16), and Rickettsia spp. (198) were detected using species-specific PCR assays. Out of 403 spleens from rodents and shrews, A. phagocytophilum (20), A. platys (34), E. chaffeensis (127), and Bartonella spp. (24) were detected with species-specific PCR assays. These results suggest that fevers of unknown causes in humans and animals in Korea should be evaluated for infections by these vector-borne microbial pathogens.     

Leptospirosis in Colombia: Isolation ofLeptospira SPP. from the kidneys of brown rats (Rattus Norvegicus) trapped on infected piggeries

Summary Leptospira interrogansserotypes pomonaand icterohaemorrhagiaewere isolated from the kidneys of Rattus norvegicustrapped on pomonainfected piggeries.The isolation of pomonafrom one of 111cultured kidneys, although of interest, strongly suggests that this rat does not play an important part in the epidemiology of infection by this serotype. Kidney tubular degeneration, focal mononuclear infiltrations and fibroplasia are morphological traces which remain after an attack of leptospirosis. The high percentage (48.6)of these lesions found in the rat kidneys examined does not seem to be related to serotype pomonabut to icterohaemorrhagiae.The importance of this last serotype in swine in the Cauca Valley has yet to be assessed.

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Leptospirosis En Colombia: Aislamiento DeLeptospira SPP. De Riñones De Ratas Pardas (Rattus Norvegicus) Atrapadas En Porquerizas Infectadas

Resumen Se aislóLeptospira interrogans serotipospomona eicterohaemorrhagiae de riñones deRattus norvegicus atrapadas en porquerizas infectadas porpomona. El aislamiento depomona de 1/111 riñones cultivados, aunque de interés, sugiere que esta rata no desempeña parte importante en la epidemiología de las infecciones por este serotipo.Degeneración tubular renal, infiltración mononuclear focal y fibroplasia son huellas morfológicas que quedan después de un ataque de leptospirosis. El alto porcentaje (48.6) de estas lesiones encontradas en los riñones de las ratas examinadas no parece estar relacionado con el serotipopomona sino con elicterohaemorrhagiae. La importancia de este último seroptipo en cerdos en el Valle del Cauca no se ha evaluado todavía.

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Leptospiroses En Colombie: Isolement DeLeptospira SPP. De Reins De Rats Bruns (Rattus Norvegicus) Captures Dans Des Porcheries

Résumé Les sérotypespomona eticterohaemorrhagiae deLeptospira interrogans ont été isolés de reins deRattus norvegicus capturés dans des porcheries infectées de (pomona?). L'isolement depomona sur une seule des 111 cultures de rein effectuées, bien qu'interessant, suggère fortement que ce rat ne joue pas un rôle important dans l'épidémiologie de l'infection par ce sérotype.La dégénerescence tubulaire des reins, des infiltrations ponctuelles par des monocucléaires et l'aspect fibreux constituent les traces morphologiques qui demeurent après une attaque de leptospirose. Le pourcentage élevé (48,6) de ces lésions trouvées dans les les reins des rats examinés semble être plus en rapport avec le sérotypeicterohaemorrhagiae qu'avec le sérotypepomona. L'importance du sérotypeicterohaemorrhagiae chez le porc de la Cauca Valley est encore à vérifier.

     

Molecular evidence of rat bocavirus among rodents in Peninsular Malaysia

Rat bocavirus (RBoV) and rodent bocavirus (RoBoV) have previously been detected in Rattus norvegicus; however, these viruses have not been reported in rodent populations in Malaysia. We investigated the presence of RBoV and RoBoV in archived rodent specimens. DNA barcoding of the rodent cytochrome c oxidase gene identified five different species: Rattus tanezumi R3 mitotype, Rattus tiomanicus, Rattus exulans, Rattus argentiventer, and Rattus tanezumi sensu stricto. Three spleens were positive for RBoV (1.84%; 3/163), but no RoBoV was detected. Phylogenetic analyzes of the partial non-structural protein 1 gene grouped Malaysian RBoV strains with RBoV strains from China. Further studies among rats from different geographical locations are warranted for this relatively new virus.     

Detection of Bartonella spp. in wild rodents in Israel using HRM real-time PCR

The prevalence of Bartonella spp. in wild rodents was studied in 19 geographical locations in Israel. One hundred and twelve rodents belonging to five species (Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, Microtus socialis, Acomys cahirinus and Apodemus sylvaticus) were included in the survey. In addition, 156 ectoparasites were collected from the rodents. Spleen sample from each rodent and the ectoparasites were examined for the presence of Bartonella DNA using high resolution melt (HRM) real-time PCR. The method was designed for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of eight Bartonella spp. according to the nucleotide variation in each of two gene fragments (rpoB and gltA) and the 16S–23S intergenic spacer (ITS) locus, using the same PCR protocol which allowed the simultaneous amplification of the three different loci. Bartonella DNA was detected in spleen samples of 19 out of 79 (24%) black rats (R. rattus) and in 1 of 4 (25%) Cairo spiny mice (A. cahirinus). In addition, 15 of 34 (44%) flea pools harbored Bartonella DNA. Only rat flea (Xenopsyla cheopis) pools collected from black rats (R. rattus) were positive for Bartonella DNA. The Bartonella sp. detected in spleen samples from black rats (R. rattus) was closely related to both B. tribocorum and B. elizabethae. The species detected in the Cairo spiny mouse (A. cahirinus) spleen sample was closely related to the zoonotic pathogen, B. elizabethae. These results indicate that Bartonella species are highly prevalent in suburban rodent populations and their ectoparasites in Israel. Further investigation of the prevalence and zoonotic potential of the Bartonella species detected in the black rats and the Cairo spiny mouse is warranted.