Data from: Bartonella infections are prevalent in rodents despite efficient immune responses
Data files
Sep 09, 2025 version files 106.03 KB
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bacterial_loads.csv
10.34 KB
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code.R
33.30 KB
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Excel_master_file_for_dryad.xlsx
49.98 KB
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growth_rates_reinf.csv
321 B
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growth_rates.csv
365 B
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immune_cont_only.csv
1.02 KB
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immune_inoculated_with_no_missing_cells.csv
3.72 KB
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immune_inoculated.csv
3.63 KB
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README.md
3.35 KB
Abstract
Pathogens face strong selection from host immune responses, yet many host populations support pervasive pathogen populations. We investigated this puzzle in a model system of Bartonella and rodents from Israel’s northwestern Negev Desert. We chose to study this system because in this region, 75–100% of the rodents are infected with Bartonella at any given time, despite an efficient immunological response. In this region, Bartonella species circulate in three rodent species, and we tested the hypothesis that at least some of these hosts exhibit a waning immune response to Bartonella, which allows reinfections. To that end, we inoculated captive rodents from all three species with the same Bartonella strain, and we quantified the bacterial dynamics and Bartonella-specific IgG antibody kinetics through 139 days after the primary inoculation and then for 60 days following re-inoculation with the same strain. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found a strong, long-lasting IgG antibody response, with a protective immunological memory in all three rodent species. That response prevented re-infection upon exposure to the same Bartonella strain. This study constitutes an initial step toward a better understanding of the interplay between Bartonella pathogens and rodent traits, and how the interplay of those traits influences epidemiological dynamics in nature.
This file contains: Descriptions of the data sets associated with the analyses presented in the paper.
code.R – R file containing all code necessary to analyze the data. A list of the required packages and is included. The analyses used R v4.1.3, but newer versions are also usable.
NOTE: for all files below "NA" values represent data that was not available for a specific animal on a specific day because that animal either died or was removed from the experiment.
bacterial_loads.csv – this is the data file containing information on bacterial dynamics. For the "Negt.Ctr." samples, these are negative controls from each bacterial extraction session.
As such, there is no animal code, NA for species and dpi, as well as empty cells for the "Infected" column for these samples, as these data do not come from an experimental animal.
The following are explanations of the variables:
- animal.code - unique id for each rodent
- Species - species of the rodent
- Infected - code for treatment (1) and control (0) rodents
- dpi - days post inoculation
- Purpose - denotes if data came from the experiment (Dynamics) or represents a negative control
- Bacteria.load.per.ml.of.blood - bacterial concentration
growth_rates.csv – this is the data file containing information on rate of immune increase during the primary infection. The following are explanations of the variables:
- animal.code - unique id for each rodent
- Species - species of the rodent
- points - number of points used to measure rate
- rate - the rate of increase
- days - which two times points were used
growth_rates_reinf.csv – this is the data file containing information on rate of immune increase during the secondary infection. The following are explanations of the variables:
- animal.code - unique id for each rodent
- Species - species of the rodent
- points - number of points used to measure rate
- slope - the rate of increase
- days - which two times points were used
immune_inoculated.csv – this is the data file containing information on antibody dynamics for treatment animals. The following are explanations of the variables:
- animal.code - unique id for each rodent
- Species - species of the rodent
- dpi - days post infection
- Concentration.ng/ml.corrected.for.original.sample - antibody concentration
immune_cont_only.csv – this is the data file containing information on antibody dynamics for control animals. The following are explanations of the variables:
- animal.code - unique id for each rodent
- Species - species of the rodent
- dpi - days post infection
- Concentration.ng/ml.corrected.for.original.sample - antibody concentration
immune_inoculated_with_no_missing_cells.csv – this is the data file containing information on antibody dynamics for treatment animals, replacing missing cells with the species average for that day. The following are explanations of the variables:
- animal.code - unique id for each rodent
- Species - species of the rodent
- dpi - days post infection
- Concentration.ng/ml.corrected.for.original.sample - antibody concentration
Excel_master_file_for_dryad.xlsx - this is the Excel file with all of the relevant data in Excel format. The first page contains an index
- Rodríguez-Pastor, Ruth; Hasik, Adam Z.; Knossow, Nadav et al. (2023). Bartonella infections are prevalent in rodents despite efficient immune responses. Parasites & Vectors. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-023-05918-7