Higgins J A, Sacci J B, Schriefer M E, Endris R G, Azad A F
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland at Baltimore.
Insect Mol Biol. 1994 Feb;3(1):27-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.1994.tb00147.x.
Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from eight commercial flea colonies from various regions of the USA were examined by selective PCR amplification, and subsequent restriction digest analysis and Southern hybridization of PCR products, for the presence of a rickettsia-like organism (ELB agent). These flea colonies were either started with fleas from one supplier (EL Labs), in which ELB agent was first identified, or were started with fleas from stray cats and dogs and later came into contact with ELB-infected fleas. Infection rates in the colonies ranged from 43% to 93%. The successful propagation of ELB agent in these colonies may be due to efficient trans-stadial and transovarial transmission. While ELB agent has recently been identified in blood from human murine typhus cases, attempts to infect mammalian cells and SCID mice with flea isolates were unsuccessful.
对来自美国不同地区8个商业跳蚤养殖群体的猫蚤（猫栉首蚤），通过选择性聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增、后续的限制性酶切分析以及PCR产物的Southern杂交，检测是否存在一种立克次氏体样生物（ELB病原体）。这些跳蚤养殖群体要么最初使用的是来自一个供应商（EL实验室）的跳蚤，ELB病原体最早就是在该供应商处被发现的，要么最初使用的是流浪猫和狗身上的跳蚤，后来接触到了感染ELB的跳蚤。各群体中的感染率在43%至93%之间。ELB病原体在这些群体中的成功传播可能归因于有效的经变态期和经卵传播。虽然最近在人类鼠型斑疹伤寒病例的血液中发现了ELB病原体，但用跳蚤分离株感染哺乳动物细胞和重症联合免疫缺陷（SCID）小鼠的尝试均未成功。
