Detection of a Caf1 Gene Homolog Associated With Yersinia Pestis in Rodent Spleen Samples in Lorestan Province, Iran Publisher



Kayedi MH¹ ; Esmaeili S^{2, 3} ; Cohan HA^{2, 3} ; Mahmoudi A⁴ ; Ghasemi A⁵ ; Baseri N⁶ ; Chegeni AH⁷ ; Rohani M⁸ ; Mohammadi A⁹ ; Derbise A¹⁰ ; Shahraki AH¹¹ ; Mostafavi E^{2, 3}
Source: Gene Reports Published:2025

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the presence of genes associated with Yersinia pestis, in rodents from plague reservoir environment in Lorestan Province, Iran. In 2016 and 2017, rodents were trapped, and ectoparasites from their body surfaces were collected. DNA was extracted from the spleens of the rodents, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeted the pla (pPCP1), caf1 (pMT1), and yihN genes, while conventional PCR was amplified the yihN, ymt, inv, and fur genes. IgG antibodies against the F1 capsular antigen of Y. pestis were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and specimens from the second year were cultured to isolate Y. pestis. The most frequently captured rodent was Meriones persicus (49.59 %), followed by Mus. macedonicus (17.88 %). Of the 234 ectoparasites found, 174 were fleas (170 from Xenopsylla and 4 from Paradoxopsyllus and 60 were ticks from the Hyalomma genus. Four rodent spleen samples (one M. persicus, one Mus. macedonicus, and two Microtus spp.) tested positive for the caf1 gene homolog, but other genes associated with Y. pestis (pla, yihN, ymt, inv, and fur), IgG antibodies against the F1 antigen of Y. pestis, and culture tests were negative. The presence of the caf1 gene, along with the absence of other Y. pestis genes and negative serology results, suggests identification of caf1 gene homolog, associated with Y. pestis in an unknown organism. Resource constraints limit our ability to conduct further tests for precise identification. Further studies should focus on additional tests to comprehensively identify the organism linked to the positive caf1 result. © 2025 The Authors