Bartonella species in wild small mammals in Western Black Sea Region of Turkey.

The species within the genus Bartonella are intracellular bacteria causing long-lasting bacteremia in humans and animals. In this study, Bartonella spp. in 173 small mammals, which were Apodemus flavicollis, A. witherbyi, A. uralensis, A. mystacinus, Myodes glareolus, Crocidura suaveolens, Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegims species captured from Western Black Sea Region of Turkey, were investigated by blood culture and molecular methods. The positivity of Bartonella was 63.6% (110/173) by blood culture of small mammalian. The gltA gene regions for the isolated strains were identified by DNA sequencing analysis. Isolates were identified as Bartonella taylorii, B. birtlesii, B. coopersplainsensis and a zoonotic B. grahamii.