Published 2016 | Version v1
Journal article Restricted

Diversity of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in Bats and Their Blood-Feeding Ectoparasites from South Africa and Swaziland

Description

(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) In addition to several emerging viruses, bats have been reported to host multiple bacteria but their zoonotic threats remain poorly understood, especially in Africa where the diversity of bats is important. Here, we investigated the presence and diversity of Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in bats and their ectoparasites (Diptera and Siphonaptera) collected across South Africa and Swaziland. We collected 384 blood samples and 14 ectoparasites across 29 different bat species and found positive samples in four insectivorous and two frugivorous bat species, as well as their Nycteribiidae flies. Phylogenetic analyses revealed diverse Bartonella genotypes and one main group of Rickettsia, distinct from those previously reported in bats and their ectoparasites, and for some closely related to human pathogens. Our results suggest a differential pattern of host specificity depending on bat species. Bartonella spp. identified in bat flies and blood were identical supporting that bat flies may serve as vectors. Our results represent the first report of bat-borne Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. in these countries and highlight the potential role of bats as reservoirs of human bacterial pathogens.

Files

Restricted

The record is publicly accessible, but files are restricted to users with access.

Additional details

Identifiers

URL
hash://md5/ae20894e0a832e19bf8fc3827d080273
URN
urn:lsid:zotero.org:groups:5435545:items:2SPQ8CRS
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0152077

Biodiversity

Class
Mammalia
Kingdom
Animalia
Order
Chiroptera
Phylum
Chordata