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Cited by 259Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites researchBacillus and Francisella bacterial researchEvolution and Genetic Dynamics

Poor Vector Competence of Fleas and the Evolution of Hypervirulence in Yersinia pestis

Lorange, Ellen A., Race, Brent L., Sebbane, Florent, Joseph Hinnebusch, B.·2005·The Journal of Infectious Diseases
DOI 10.1086/429931
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Abstract

Population genetics and comparative genomics analyses of the pathogenic Yersinia species have indicated that arthropodborne transmission is an evolutionarily recent adaptation in Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague. We show that the infectivity of Y. pestis to its most proficient vector, the rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis, and subsequent transmission efficiency are both low. The poor vector competence of fleas likely imposed selective pressure that favored the emergence and continued maintenance of a hypervirulent Y. pestis clone. In particular, the rapidly fatal gram-negative sepsis that typifies plague is a consequence of the high threshold bacteremia level that must be attained to complete the transmission cycle. Epidemiological modeling predicts that, to compensate for a relatively short period of infectivity of the mammalian host for the arthropod vector, plague epizootics require a high flea burden per host, even when the susceptible host population density is high.

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Crossref · 10.1086/429931

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41 of 41 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • The scenario of rainfall favouring vegetative production, small-mammal populations, rat flea-infestation rates and soil moisture enhances the probability of contact between infectious fleas and susceptible hosts and, consequently, of epizootic cases of plague.

    “This scenario enhances the probability of contact between infectious fleas and susceptible hosts and, consequently, of epizootic cases of plague [30,67].”

    From Fleas infesting pets in the era of emerging extra-intestinal nematodes (2013) · cites this paper as [67]

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Authors
Lorange, E. A., Race, B. L., Sebbane, F., & Joseph Hinnebusch, B.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Lorange, Ellen A.
ORCID
Venue
The Journal of Infectious Diseases
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2005-06
Volume
191
Issue
11
Pages
1907-1912
ISSN
  • 0022-1899 (ISSN-L)
  • 1537-6613
DOI
10.1086/429931
OpenAlex
W2162812395
Cited by
259
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 21
FWCI
7.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Journal of Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bacillus and Francisella bacterial research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
Keywords
Yersinia pestis, vector competence, Xenopsylla cheopis, flea-borne transmission, hypervirulence, plague, gram-negative sepsis, plague epizootics, epidemic modeling, comparative genomics
MeSH terms
Animals, Biological Evolution, Siphonaptera, Insect Vectors, Plague, Virulence, Yersinia pestis

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