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Sándor AD, Corduneanu A, Hornok S, Mihalca AD, Péter Á. Season and host-community composition inside roosts may affect host-specificity of bat flies. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4127. [PMID: 38374243 PMCID: PMC10876969 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54143-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Bat flies are one of the most abundant ectoparasites of bats, showing remarkable morphological adaptations to the parasitic habit, while the relationship with their hosts is characterized by a high level of specificity. By collecting bat flies from live hosts, our intention was to elucidate the seasonal differences in bat fly occurrence and to describe factors regulating the level of incipient host specificity. Our results indicate that the prevalence and the intensity of infestation is increasing from spring to autumn for most host species, with significant differences among different fly species. Males showed higher infestation levels than females in autumn, suggesting a non-random host choice by flies, targeting the most active host sex. Bat-bat fly host specificity shows seasonal changes and host choice of bat flies are affected by the seasonal differences in hosts' behavior and ecology, the intensity of infestation and the species composition of the local host community. Nycteribiid bat flies showed lower host specificity in the swarming (boreal autumn) period, with higher prevalence recorded on non-primary hosts. Choosing a non-primary bat host may be an adaptive choice for bat flies in the host's mating period, thus increasing their dispersive ability in a high activity phase of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila D Sándor
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Alexandra Corduneanu
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Animal Breeding and Animal Production, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Sándor Hornok
- HUN-REN-UVMB Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andrei D Mihalca
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Áron Péter
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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2
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Poofery J, Ngamprasertwong T, Narapakdeesakul D, Arnuphapprasert A, Nugraheni YR, Thanee S, Asada M, Kaneko O, Kaewthamasorn M. Complete mitochondrial genome analyses confirm that bat Polychromophilus and ungulate Plasmodium constitute a distinct clade independent of other Plasmodium species. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20258. [PMID: 37985797 PMCID: PMC10662395 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45551-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent phylogenetic studies, bat Polychromophilus and ungulate Plasmodium, two relatively understudied haemosporidian parasites within the Apicomplexa phylum, have often been overlooked. Instead, the focus has been primarily on haemosporidian parasites in primates, rodents, and birds. Several phylogenetic analyses of bat Polychromophilus have relied on limited datasets and short informative DNA sequences. As a result of these inherent limitations, the substantiation of their evolutionary stance has encountered a diminished degree of robust validation. This study successfully obtained complete mitochondrial genome sequences from 11 Polychromophilus parasites originating from Hipposideros gentilis and Myotis siligoensis bats for the first time. Additionally, the authors have sequenced the apicoplast caseinolytic protease C genes from Polychromophilus murinus and a potentially new Polychromophilus species. These mitochondrial genomes range in length from 5994 to 6001 bp and consist of three protein-coding genes (PCGs), seven small subunit ribosomal RNA genes (SSU rRNA), 12 large subunit ribosomal RNA genes (LSU rRNA), and seven miscellaneous RNA genes. Phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood methods indicated robust support for the grouping of ungulate Plasmodium and bat Polychromophilus in a single clade separate from other Plasmodium spp., confirming previous reports, albeit with stronger evidence in this study. The divergence between Polychromophilus in bats and Plasmodium in ungulates occurred approximately 29.61 to 55.77 million years ago (Mya), with a node age estimated at 40.63 Mya. These findings highlight that the genus Plasmodium, which includes species found in ungulates, birds, reptiles, and other mammals, does not form a monophyletic group. By incorporating Polychromophilus in bats and Plasmodium in ungulates, this study contributes significantly to understanding the phylogenetic relationships within the Haemosporida order. It provides valuable insights into the evolutionary history and interconnections among these diverse parasites, thereby expanding knowledge in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juthathip Poofery
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Duriyang Narapakdeesakul
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Veterinary Pathobiology Graduate Program, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Apinya Arnuphapprasert
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yudhi Ratna Nugraheni
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- The International Graduate Program of Veterinary Science and Technology (VST), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sleman, Indonesia
| | - Suchansa Thanee
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Masahito Asada
- Research Unit for Global Infection Control, National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, 080-8555, Japan
| | - Osamu Kaneko
- Department of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Morakot Kaewthamasorn
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Attaullah, Ali S, Javid A, Imran M, Khan TM, Phelps K, Olival KJ, Kontschán J, Hornok S. Phylogenetic relationships of a novel bat fly species infesting the geographically widespread Old World fruit bat, Rousettus leschenaultii, in Southern Asia. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2101-2107. [PMID: 37389690 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07909-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
The global epidemiological significance of bats and their blood-sucking ectoparasites is increasingly recognized. However, relevant data are scarce from Pakistan where the Palearctic and Oriental zoogeographic regions meet. In this study, 200 bats belonging to five species were examined for the presence of ectoparasites in Pakistan. Bat flies were found only on Leschenault's fruit bat (Rousettus leschenaultii). The prevalence of infestation did not correlate with habitat type and host traits including age, reproductive status, and sex. All bat flies represented the same Eucampsipoda species which was shown to be morphologically different from all species of its genus with known south Asian distribution and belonged to a separate phylogenetic group. These results highlight the existence of a hitherto undescribed bat fly species in southern Asia, which is not shared by the fruit bat species (R. leschenaultii) and insectivorous ones (e.g., Rhinopoma microphyllum) thus probably playing a role only in intraspecific transmission of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attaullah
- Wildlife Epidemiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory (One Health Research Group), Discipline of Zoology, Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Lahore, Pattoki, Pakistan
- Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Lahore, Pattoki, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Ali
- Wildlife Epidemiology and Molecular Microbiology Laboratory (One Health Research Group), Discipline of Zoology, Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Lahore, Pattoki, Pakistan.
- Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Lahore, Pattoki, Pakistan.
| | - Arshad Javid
- Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Lahore, Pattoki, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Imran
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Ravi Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Tahir Mehmood Khan
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Jenő Kontschán
- Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Plant Sciences, Albert Kázmér Faculty of Mosonmagyaróvár, Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary
| | - Sándor Hornok
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2., 1078, Budapest, Hungary
- Climate Change: New Blood-Sucking Parasites and Vector-Borne Pathogens Research Group, ELKH-ÁTE, Budapest, Hungary
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Atobatele OE, Olatubi IV, Oyeku OG, Ayokunle DI, Oladosu OO, Ogunnaike TM. Analysis of COI gene, prevalence, and intensity of the bat fly Cyclopodia greeffi on roosting straw-coloured fruit bat Eidolon helvum in Southwest Nigeria. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2023; 21:210-218. [PMID: 37388298 PMCID: PMC10300209 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
We investigated ectoparasite diversity, interspecific infestation rates and host preference in roosting fruit bats, Eidolon helvum, from Bowen University, Southwest Nigeria. Fur of captured E. helvum were sampled monthly for ectoparasites from January 2021 to June 2022. We examined a total of 231 E. helvum and observed a significant female to male adult sex ratio (0.22:1); with 53.9% ectoparasitic infestation rate. We identified and enumerated the ectoparasite; and subjected its Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to phylogenetic analysis with other nycteribiids. COI gene sequences obtained formed a distinct clade with other C. greeffi sequences. We recovered a total of 319 (149 female and 170 male) ectoparasites and observed a balanced C. greeffi female to male adult sex ratio of 0.88:1. Ectoparasitic sex distribution had no association with host sex and season. Prevalence was significantly higher during the wet season, but not between sexes of E. helvum. The intensity of infestation, 3.7 ± 0.4 individuals per fruit bat, was significantly higher during the wet season with a bimodal seasonal distribution. The strongly male-biased host adult sex ratio had no significant influence on C. greeffi metapopulation adult sex ratio.
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Szentiványi T, Heintz AC, Markotter W, Wassef J, Christe P, Glaizot O. Vector-borne protozoan and bacterial pathogen occurrence and diversity in ectoparasites of the Egyptian Rousette bat. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 37:189-194. [PMID: 36625469 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Bats are known reservoir hosts for a wide variety of parasites and pathogens, including bacteria and protozoans. Some of these pathogens are vector-borne, and although their role is poorly studied, ectoparasites may contribute significantly to their transmission. The aim of this study was to molecularly detect the presence of vector-borne microorganisms in bat-associated ectoparasites to explore their diversity and distribution in these insects. We tested the presence of Bartonella spp., Polychromophilus spp., and Trypanosoma spp. in bat flies and bat fleas collected from 56 Egyptian Rousette bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), using conventional PCR. We found a high prevalence of 43.9% (47/107) of Bartonella spp. in bat flies, but a low prevalence of 6.6% (4/61) in bat fleas. Polychromophilus and Trypanosoma DNA were absent in both bat flies and bat fleas. Furthermore, we found novel gltA Bartonella sequences, as well as genotypes that are highly similar to recently described and potentially zoonotic ones. Our results show high diversity of Bartonella in bat flies, however, their role in pathogen transmission is still unknown and should be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Szentiványi
- Museum of Zoology, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Caroline Heintz
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Department of Medical Virology, Centre for Viral Zoonoses, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jérôme Wassef
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Museum of Zoology, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Bajić B, Werb O, Budinski I, Blagojević J, Schaer J, van Schaik J. Non-invasive investigation of Polychromophilus parasite infections in bat populations in Serbia using bat flies. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:170. [PMID: 37237268 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05786-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemosporidian parasites of the genus Polychromophilus infect bats worldwide. They are vectored by obligate ectoparasitic bat flies of the family Nycteribiidae. Despite their global distribution, only five Polychromophilus morphospecies have been described to date. The two predominant species, Polychromophilus melanipherus and Polychromophilus murinus, are broadly distributed and mainly infect miniopterid and vespertilionid bats, respectively. In areas where species from different bat families aggregate together, the infection dynamics and ability of either Polychromophilus species to infect other host families is poorly characterized. METHODS We collected 215 bat flies from two bat species, Miniopterus schreibersii and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, which sometimes form mixed clusters in Serbia. Miniopterus schreibersii is known to be frequently infected with P. melanipherus, whereas R. ferrumequinum has been observed to be incidentally infected with both Polychromophilus species. All flies were screened for Polychromophilus infections using a PCR targeting the haemosporidian cytb gene. Positive samples were subsequently sequenced for 579 bp of cytochrome b (cytb) and 945 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1). RESULTS Polychromophilus melanipherus DNA was detected at six out of nine sampling locations and in all three examined bat fly species collected from M. schreibersii (Nycteribia schmidlii, n = 21; Penicillidia conspicua, n = 8; Penicillidia dufourii, n = 3). Four and five haplotypes were found for cytb and cox1, respectively. Evidence for multiple Polychromophilus haplotypes was found in 15 individual flies. These results point to a high diversity of P. melanipherus parasites in Miniopterus hosts and efficient transmission throughout the study area. A single Phthiridium biarticulatum bat fly collected from R. ferrumequinum screened positive for P. melanipherus, but only yielded a partial cox1 sequence fragment. Nevertheless, this result suggests that secondary hosts (both bat and fly species) are regularly confronted with this parasite. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study provide new insights into the prevalence and distribution of Polychromophilus parasites in European bats and their nycteribiid vectors. The use of bat flies for the non-invasive investigation of Polychromophilus infections in bat populations has proven to be efficient and thus represents an alternative for large-scale studies of infections in bat populations without the need to invasively collect blood from bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branka Bajić
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Oskar Werb
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ivana Budinski
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelena Blagojević
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic", National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Juliane Schaer
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia.
| | - Jaap van Schaik
- Department of Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
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Zhang X, Huang X, Wang Y, Yang H, Yang J, Zheng X. The complete mitochondrial genome of Phthiridium szechuanum (Nycteribiidae, Diptera). Mitochondrial DNA B Resour 2023; 8:211-214. [PMID: 36761103 PMCID: PMC9904301 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2023.2171245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Phthiridium szechuanum is a bat surface parasite under the family Nycteribiidae that prefers to roost in the hair of bats to feed on their blood. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of P. szechuanum was studied for the first time using Illumina sequencing technology. The mitochondrial genome was 14,896 bp in size and was predicted to encode 37 genes including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes. Phylogenetic trees were constructed using the IQ-TREE web server and phylogenetic analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood method, and P. szechuanum was found to be phylogenetically closest to Basilia ansifera. These data will provide a molecular biological approach to the species identification of P. szechuanum and provide a new reference for further studies on the population genetics and phylogeny of the family Nycteribiidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianzheng Zhang
- Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Xiaobin Huang
- Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, China,CONTACT Xiaobin Huang Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Yujuan Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Huijuan Yang
- Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Jinting Yang
- Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zheng
- Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention, Dali University, Dali, China
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Rivera CL, Padilla JF, Ospina Pérez EM, Urbano FM, Guarín DV, Mejía Fontecha IY, Ossa López PA, Rivera Páez FA, Ramírez-Chaves HE. Interaction Networks between Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) and Ectoparasitic Flies (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) in the Colombian Orinoquia Region. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2022.24.2.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Camila López Rivera
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Juliana Florez Padilla
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Erika M. Ospina Pérez
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Freddy Méndez Urbano
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Daniela Velásquez Guarín
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Ingrith Y. Mejía Fontecha
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Paula A. Ossa López
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Fredy A. Rivera Páez
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
| | - Héctor E. Ramírez-Chaves
- Grupo de Investigación GEBIOME, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Caldas, Calle 65 No. 26-10, Apartado Aéreo 275, Manizales, Caldas, Colombia
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Urbieta GL, Graciolli G, da Cunha Tavares V. Review of studies about bat-fly interactions inside roosts, with observations on partnership patterns for publications. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3051-3061. [PMID: 36048267 PMCID: PMC9433524 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07635-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Pressures from anthropogenic disturbances have triggered a wealth of studies focusing on the assessment and mitigation of the negative impacts of these disturbances on inter and intraspecific ecological interactions, including bats and bat flies in their roosts. The heterogeneity of research methods employed for these studies and the scientific imbalance between countries may constrain advances and the consolidation of the knowledge on this subject. We reviewed the literature regarding bat and bat-ectoparasite interactions in roosts assessing global research trends and patterns of author collaborative work to be able to identify key questions for future studies and potential initiatives to improve the knowledge on this subject. Current information available has mostly come from the Americas and is predominantly focused on the recognition and description of parasite-host interactions between bats and bat flies. Our findings suggest the value of increasing collaboration for future research, as several countries with largely diverse environments and high organismal richness are disconnected from the countries that produce the most publications in this area, and/or have low records of publications. These regions are in the Global South, mostly in South American and African countries. We suggest that more collaborative networks may increase scientific production in the area, and that investing in local research development and enhancing partnerships for publications may strengthen the field. These research programs and collaborations are key for the development of conservation strategies for bats and bat flies, for their roosts, and for understanding bat and bat-ectoparasite interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Lima Urbieta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Mamíferos, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, PB, 58059-900, Brazil.
| | - Gustavo Graciolli
- Laboratório de Sistemática, Ecologia e Evolução (LSEE), Instituto de Biociências (INBIO), Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso Do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Valéria da Cunha Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), João Pessoa, Brazil
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale (ITV), Belém, PA, 66055-090, Brazil
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Ramanantsalama RV, Ganzhorn JU, Vololona J, Goodman SM. Bat flies: source of supplement nutrients for an endemic Malagasy fruit bat. TROPICAL ZOOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.4081/tz.2022.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Among frugivorous vertebrates, the nutritional composition of consumed fruits often needs supplementing by other food types, such as leaves, pollen or invertebrates, to meet dietary requirements. The endemic Malagasy fruit bat, Rousettus madagascariensis (Pteropodidae), actively feeds on their dipteran fly ectoparasites, principally of the family Nycteribiidae and Streblidae, during grooming activities. Since bat flies take blood meals from their hosts, the consumption of these flies by bats might represent a mechanism of recycling and reducing the loss of important nutritional components, such as minerals or proteins and fatty acids. The contribution of these ectoparasites to the diet of R. madagascariensis is 4–10% of the daily protein requirements. This is an important proportion for a species considered to be exclusively frugivorous.
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Speer KA, Teixeira TSM, Brown AM, Perkins SL, Dittmar K, Ingala MR, Wultsch C, Krampis K, Dick CW, Galen SC, Simmons NB, Clare EL. Cascading effects of habitat loss on ectoparasite-associated bacterial microbiomes. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:67. [PMID: 37938296 PMCID: PMC9723575 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00153-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Suitable habitat fragment size, isolation, and distance from a source are important variables influencing community composition of plants and animals, but the role of these environmental factors in determining composition and variation of host-associated microbial communities is poorly known. In parasite-associated microbial communities, it is hypothesized that evolution and ecology of an arthropod parasite will influence its microbiome more than broader environmental factors, but this hypothesis has not been extensively tested. To examine the influence of the broader environment on the parasite microbiome, we applied high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of 16S rRNA to characterize the microbiome of 222 obligate ectoparasitic bat flies (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) collected from 155 bats (representing six species) from ten habitat fragments in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Parasite species identity is the strongest driver of microbiome composition. To a lesser extent, reduction in habitat fragment area, but not isolation, is associated with an increase in connectance and betweenness centrality of bacterial association networks driven by changes in the diversity of the parasite community. Controlling for the parasite community, bacterial network topology covaries with habitat patch area and exhibits parasite-species specific responses to environmental change. Taken together, habitat loss may have cascading consequences for communities of interacting macro- and microorgansims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Speer
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C, USA.
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C, USA.
| | | | - Alexis M Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Susan L Perkins
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Science, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katharina Dittmar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Melissa R Ingala
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian National Zoological Park and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ, USA
| | - Claudia Wultsch
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Konstantinos Krampis
- Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carl W Dick
- Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, USA
- Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Spencer C Galen
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Biology Department, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, USA
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth L Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, GBR, UK
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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12
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Isolation and molecular characterization of Polychromophilus spp. (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae) from the Asian long-fingered bat (Miniopterus fuliginosus) and Japanese large-footed bat (Myotis macrodactylus) in Japan. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2547-2559. [PMID: 35819494 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07592-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bats (order, Chiroptera) account for more than one-fifth of all mammalian species in the world and are infected by various intra-erythrocytic parasites of the family Plasmodiidae (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida), including Polychromophilus Dionisi, 1899. Recent advance in the molecular characterization of haemosporidian isolates has enabled their accurate identification, particularly in the last decade. Studies are actively conducted in tropical regions, Europe, and Australia; however, data on haemosporidian infection in bats in Asian temperate areas, including Japan, remain limited. In this study, 75 bats of 4 species (Miniopterus fuliginosus, Myotis macrodactylus, Rhinolophus nippon, and Rhinolophus cornutus) were captured at three sites in western Japan (Yamaguchi Prefecture), and haemosporidian parasites were screened microscopically and molecularly via nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting the cytochrome b (cytb), cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox-1), apicoplast caseinolytic protease C (clpc), and nuclear elongation factor 2 (EF2) genes. The survey detected Polychromophilus melanipherus in 15 (40.5%) miniopterid bats (M. fuliginosus) and Polychromophilus murinus in 6 (46.2%) vespertilionid bats (M. macrodactylus), whereas none of the 25 rhinolophid bats (R. nippon and R. cornutus) was infected, indicating the robust host specificity for miniopterid (P. melanipherus) and vespertilionid (P. murinus) bats regardless of orthotopic nesting. The 15 Polychromophilus cytb sequences obtained from 11 miniopterid and 4 vespertilionid bats were classified into six cytb haplotypes (three for each species), showing no region-specific variation in a phylogenetic tree of Polychromophilus isolates in the Old World. Similarly, multiple haplotypes (seven for cox-1 and nine for clpc) and genotypes (three for EF2) were characterized for the Japanese isolates of Polychromophilus, and the results were consistent with those based on a haemosporidian cytb analysis. Bat flies (Nycteribia allotopa and another undetermined Nycteribia sp.) collected from the body surface of bats harbored Polychromophilus oocysts on the external surface of the midgut. This is the first study to report the isolation and molecular characterization of Polychromophilus spp. in miniopterid and vespertilionid bats in the temperate area of Asia (western Japan). Future studies should evaluate the global prevalence of haemosporidian infections in bats.
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13
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Viral Hyperparasitism in Bat Ectoparasites: Implications for Pathogen Maintenance and Transmission. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061230. [PMID: 35744747 PMCID: PMC9230612 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans continue to encroach on the habitats of wild animals, potentially bringing different species into contact that would not typically encounter each other under natural circumstances, and forcing them into stressful, suboptimal conditions. Stressors from unsustainable human land use changes are suspected to dramatically exacerbate the probability of zoonotic spillover of pathogens from their natural reservoir hosts to humans, both by increasing viral load (and shedding) and the interface between wildlife with livestock, pets and humans. Given their known role as reservoir hosts, bats continue to be investigated for their possible role as the origins of many viral outbreaks. However, the participation of bat-associated ectoparasites in the spread of potential pathogens requires further work to establish. Here, we conducted a comprehensive review of viruses, viral genes and other viral sequences obtained from bat ectoparasites from studies over the last four decades. This review summarizes research findings of the seven virus families in which these studies have been performed, including Paramyxoviridae, Reoviridae, Flaviviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Nairoviridae, Rhabdoviridae and Filoviridae. We highlight that bat ectoparasites, including dipterans and ticks, are often found to have medically important viruses and may have a role in the maintenance of these pathogens within bat populations.
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14
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Pawęska JT, Jansen van Vuren P, Storm N, Markotter W, Kemp A. Vector Competence of Eucampsipoda africana (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) for Marburg Virus Transmission in Rousettus aegyptiacus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Viruses 2021; 13:2226. [PMID: 34835032 PMCID: PMC8624361 DOI: 10.3390/v13112226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the vector competence of bat-associated nycteribiid flies (Eucamsipoda africana) for Marburg virus (MARV) in the Egyptian Rousette Bat (ERB), Rousettus aegyptiacus. In flies fed on subcutaneously infected ERBs and tested from 3 to 43 days post infection (dpi), MARV was detected only in those that took blood during the peak of viremia, 5-7 dpi. Seroconversion did not occur in control bats in contact with MARV-infected bats infested with bat flies up to 43 days post exposure. In flies inoculated intra-coelomically with MARV and tested on days 0-29 post inoculation, only those assayed on day 0 and day 7 after inoculation were positive by q-RT-PCR, but the virus concentration was consistent with that of the inoculum. Bats remained MARV-seronegative up to 38 days after infestation and exposure to inoculated flies. The first filial generation pupae and flies collected at different times during the experiments were all negative by q-RT-PCR. Of 1693 nycteribiid flies collected from a wild ERB colony in Mahune Cave, South Africa where the enzootic transmission of MARV occurs, only one (0.06%) tested positive for the presence of MARV RNA. Our findings seem to demonstrate that bat flies do not play a significant role in the transmission and enzootic maintenance of MARV. However, ERBs eat nycteribiid flies; thus, the mechanical transmission of the virus through the exposure of damaged mucous membranes and/or skin to flies engorged with contaminated blood cannot be ruled out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janusz T. Pawęska
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa; (P.J.v.V.); (N.S.); (A.K.)
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
- School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Petrus Jansen van Vuren
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa; (P.J.v.V.); (N.S.); (A.K.)
- Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - Nadia Storm
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa; (P.J.v.V.); (N.S.); (A.K.)
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Alan Kemp
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa; (P.J.v.V.); (N.S.); (A.K.)
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15
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Lee H, Seo MG, Lee SH, Oem JK, Kim SH, Jeong H, Kim Y, Jheong WH, Kwon OD, Kwak D. Relationship among bats, parasitic bat flies, and associated pathogens in Korea. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:503. [PMID: 34579766 PMCID: PMC8477550 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05016-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bats are hosts for many ectoparasites and act as reservoirs for several infectious agents, some of which exhibit zoonotic potential. Here, species of bats and bat flies were identified and screened for microorganisms that could be mediated by bat flies. Methods Bat species were identified on the basis of their morphological characteristics. Bat flies associated with bat species were initially morphologically identified and further identified at the genus level by analyzing the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Different vector-borne pathogens and endosymbionts were screened using PCR to assess all possible relationships among bats, parasitic bat flies, and their associated organisms. Results Seventy-four bat flies were collected from 198 bats; 66 of these belonged to Nycteribiidae and eight to Streblidae families. All Streblidae bat flies were hosted by Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, known as the most common Korean bat. Among the 74 tested bat flies, PCR and nucleotide sequencing data showed that 35 (47.3%) and 20 (27.0%) carried Wolbachia and Bartonella bacteria, respectively, whereas tests for Anaplasma, Borrelia, Hepatozoon, Babesia, Theileria, and Coxiella were negative. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Wolbachia endosymbionts belonged to two different supergroups, A and F. One sequence of Bartonella was identical to that of Bartonella isolated from Taiwanese bats. Conclusions The vectorial role of bat flies should be checked by testing the same pathogen and bacterial organisms by collecting blood from host bats. This study is of great interest in the fields of disease ecology and public health owing to the bats’ potential to transmit pathogens to humans and/or livestock. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-05016-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haeseung Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, South Korea
| | - Min-Goo Seo
- Veterinary Drugs and Biologics Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 177 Hyeoksin 8-ro, Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk, 39660, South Korea
| | - Seung-Hun Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Seowon-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28644, South Korea
| | - Jae-Ku Oem
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, 79 Gobong-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk, 54596, South Korea
| | - Seon-Hee Kim
- National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Songam-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 62407, South Korea
| | - Hyesung Jeong
- National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Songam-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 62407, South Korea
| | - Yongkwan Kim
- National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Songam-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 62407, South Korea
| | - Weon-Hwa Jheong
- National Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1 Songam-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 62407, South Korea
| | - Oh-Deog Kwon
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, South Korea
| | - Dongmi Kwak
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, South Korea.
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16
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Ramírez-Martínez MM, Bennett AJ, Dunn CD, Yuill TM, Goldberg TL. Bat Flies of the Family Streblidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important "Bat-Associated" Viruses. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050860. [PMID: 34066683 PMCID: PMC8150819 DOI: 10.3390/v13050860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bat flies (Hippoboscoidea: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats. We collected streblid bat flies from the New World (México) and the Old World (Uganda), and used metagenomics to identify their viruses. In México, we found méjal virus (Rhabdoviridae; Vesiculovirus), Amate virus (Reoviridae: Orbivirus), and two unclassified viruses of invertebrates. Méjal virus is related to emerging zoonotic encephalitis viruses and to the agriculturally important vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSV). Amate virus and its sister taxon from a bat are most closely related to mosquito- and tick-borne orbiviruses, suggesting a previously unrecognized orbivirus transmission cycle involving bats and bat flies. In Uganda, we found mamucuso virus (Peribunyaviridae: Orthobunyavirus) and two unclassified viruses (a rhabdovirus and an invertebrate virus). Mamucuso virus is related to encephalitic viruses of mammals and to viruses from nycteribiid bat flies and louse flies, suggesting a previously unrecognized orthobunyavirus transmission cycle involving hippoboscoid insects. Bat fly virus transmission may be neither strictly vector-borne nor strictly vertical, with opportunistic feeding by bat flies occasionally leading to zoonotic transmission. Many "bat-associated" viruses, which are ecologically and epidemiologically associated with bats but rarely or never found in bats themselves, may actually be viruses of bat flies or other bat ectoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- María M. Ramírez-Martínez
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud y Ecología Humana, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Autlán CP 48900, Mexico;
| | - Andrew J. Bennett
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Department, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center–Frederick, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Christopher D. Dunn
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
| | - Thomas M. Yuill
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
| | - Tony L. Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; (A.J.B.); (C.D.D.); (T.M.Y.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-608-890-2618
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17
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Rasoanoro M, Goodman SM, Randrianarivelojosia M, Rakotondratsimba M, Dellagi K, Tortosa P, Ramasindrazana B. Diversity, distribution, and drivers of Polychromophilus infection in Malagasy bats. Malar J 2021; 20:157. [PMID: 33743716 PMCID: PMC7980569 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03696-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous studies have been undertaken to advance knowledge of apicomplexan parasites infecting vertebrates, including humans. Of these parasites, the genus Plasmodium has been most extensively studied because of the socio-economic and public health impacts of malaria. In non-human vertebrates, studies on malaria or malaria-like parasite groups have been conducted but information is far from complete. In Madagascar, recent studies on bat blood parasites indicate that three chiropteran families (Miniopteridae, Rhinonycteridae, and Vespertilionidae) are infected by the genus Polychromophilus with pronounced host specificity: Miniopterus spp. (Miniopteridae) harbour Polychromophilus melanipherus and Myotis goudoti (Vespertilionidae) is infected by Polychromophilus murinus. However, most of the individuals analysed in previous studies were sampled on the western and central portions of the island. The aims of this study are (1) to add new information on bat blood parasites in eastern Madagascar, and (2) to highlight biotic and abiotic variables driving prevalence across the island. Methods Fieldworks were undertaken from 2014 to 2016 in four sites in the eastern portion of Madagascar to capture bats and collect biological samples. Morphological and molecular techniques were used to identify the presence of haemosporidian parasites. Further, a MaxEnt modelling was undertaken using data from Polychromophilus melanipherus to identify variables influencing the presence of this parasite Results In total, 222 individual bats belonging to 17 species and seven families were analysed. Polychromophilus infections were identified in two families: Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae. Molecular data showed that Polychromophilus spp. parasitizing Malagasy bats form a monophyletic group composed of three distinct clades displaying marked host specificity. In addition to P. melanipherus and P. murinus, hosted by Miniopterus spp. and Myotis goudoti, respectively, a novel Polychromophilus lineage was identified from a single individual of Scotophilus robustus. Based on the present study and the literature, different biotic and abiotic factors are shown to influence Polychromophilus infection in bats, which are correlated based on MaxEnt modelling. Conclusions The present study improves current knowledge on Polychromophilus blood parasites infecting Malagasy bats and confirms the existence of a novel Polychromophilus lineage in Scotophilus bats. Additional studies are needed to obtain additional material of this novel lineage to resolve its taxonomic relationship with known members of the genus. Further, the transmission mode of Polychromophilus in bats as well as its potential effect on bat populations should be investigated to complement the results provided by MaxEnt modelling and eventually provide a comprehensive picture of the biology of host-parasite interactions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-021-03696-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercia Rasoanoro
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo 101, BP 1274, Ambatofotsikely, Madagascar.,Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 706, Antananarivo 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Steven M Goodman
- Association Vahatra, Antananarivo 101, BP 3972, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, 60605, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Milijaona Randrianarivelojosia
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo 101, BP 1274, Ambatofotsikely, Madagascar.,Faculté des Sciences, Université de Toliara, 601, Toliara, Madagascar
| | | | - Koussay Dellagi
- Institut Pasteur (International Division), 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, 97490, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Beza Ramasindrazana
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo 101, BP 1274, Ambatofotsikely, Madagascar. .,Faculté des Sciences, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 706, Antananarivo 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
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18
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Liu J, Haelewaters D, Pfliegler WP, Page RA, Dick CW, Aime MC. A new species of Gloeandromyces from Ecuador and Panama revealed by morphology and phylogenetic reconstruction, with a discussion of secondary barcodes in Laboulbeniomycetes taxonomy. Mycologia 2020; 112:1192-1202. [PMID: 32716260 DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2020.1781496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes and illustrates a new species of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycota, Laboulbeniomycetes) recovered from Mastoptera guimaraesi bat flies (Diptera, Streblidae) in Ecuador and Panama. Bat fly-associated Laboulbeniales are still unexplored in the Neotropics, with only four described species of Gloeandromyces and one species of Nycteromyces known. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses support placement of the new taxon in Gloeandromyces and its recognition as an undescribed species. Gloeandromyces hilleri sp. nov. is easily recognized by 2-3 longitudinal rows of undulations at its perithecial venter. Phylogenetic reconstructions of the large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA and the translation elongation factor 1α (TEF1) both resolve G. hilleri and G. nycteribiidarum as sister species. We discuss the utility of LSU and TEF1 as secondary barcodes in Laboulbeniomycetes taxonomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Liu
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
| | - Danny Haelewaters
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.,Farlow Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute , Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama
| | - Walter P Pfliegler
- Farlow Herbarium of Cryptogamic Botany, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.,Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Debrecen , 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute , Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama
| | - Carl W Dick
- Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green , Kentucky 42101.,Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History , Chicago, Illinois 60605
| | - M Catherine Aime
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
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19
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Szentiványi T, Christe P, Glaizot O. Bat Flies and Their Microparasites: Current Knowledge and Distribution. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:115. [PMID: 31106212 PMCID: PMC6492627 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are the second most diverse mammalian group, playing keystone roles in ecosystems but also act as reservoir hosts for numerous pathogens. Due to their colonial habits which implies close contacts between individuals, bats are often parasitized by multiple species of micro- and macroparasites. The particular ecology, behavior, and environment of bat species may shape patterns of intra- and interspecific pathogen transmission, as well as the presence of specific vectorial organisms. This review synthetizes information on a multi-level parasitic system: bats, bat flies and their microparasites. Bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are obligate, hematophagous ectoparasites of bats consisting of ~500 described species. Diverse parasitic organisms have been detected in bat flies including bacteria, blood parasites, fungi, and viruses, which suggest their vectorial potential. We discuss the ecological epidemiology of microparasites, their potential physiological effects on both bats and bat flies, and potential research perspectives in the domain of bat pathogens. For simplicity, we use the term microparasite throughout this review, yet it remains unclear whether some bacteria are parasites or symbionts of their bat fly hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Szentiványi
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Museum of Zoology, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Museum of Zoology, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Polychromophilus melanipherus and haemoplasma infections not associated with clinical signs in southern bent-winged bats ( Miniopterus orianae bassanii) and eastern bent-winged bats ( Miniopterus orianae oceanensis). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2018; 8:10-18. [PMID: 30619705 PMCID: PMC6287050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
While bats are often viewed as carriers of infectious disease agents, little research has been conducted on the effects these pathogens may have on the bat populations themselves. The southern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) is a critically endangered subspecies endemic to south-eastern Australia. Population numbers of this bat have declined over the past 50 years, but the reasons for this are unclear. As part of a larger study to determine if disease could be a contributing factor to this decline, southern bent-winged bats from several locations in Victoria and South Australia were captured and examined for the presence of the blood parasite, Polychromophilus melanipherus, and haemoplasmas (Mycoplasma sp.). Results were compared with those obtained from populations of the more common, partially sympatric, eastern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis) from three different locations in Victoria. Both organisms were found in both subspecies (prevalence of P. melanipherus 60% by PCR for southern bent-winged bats compared with 46% for eastern bent-winged bats; prevalence of haemoplasmas 10% for southern bent-winged bats compared with 8% for eastern bent-winged bats), with no association between the probability of infection, body weight, abnormal blood parameters or any other indicators of ill health. However, Victorian southern bent-winged bats had heavier burdens of P. melanipherus than both the South Australian southern bent-winged bats and eastern bent-winged bats. Further investigations are required to determine if these differences are impacting population health.
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21
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Rosskopf SP, Held J, Gmeiner M, Mordmüller B, Matsiégui PB, Eckerle I, Weber N, Matuschewski K, Schaer J. Nycteria and Polychromophilus parasite infections of bats in Central Gabon. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 68:30-34. [PMID: 30508688 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Haemosporida are arthropod-borne blood parasites that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including numerous species of bats. Here, we present data of haemosporidian infections in different bat species that were surveyed in Ngounié province, Gabon. We detected Nycteria parasites in Rhinolophus bats and Polychromophilus in Miniopterus minor, a rare and poorly known bat species. Strikingly, no Hepatocystis parasites, which are abundant in epauletted fruit bats elsewhere in Africa, were detected. Our findings suggest that Hepatocystis infections in bats display diverse regional patterns of distribution and transmission dynamics, that cannot be predicted from host abundance. Nycteria parasites are widely distributed in several African rhinolophid species and Polychromophilus parasites of diverse Miniopterus species worldwide belong to the same parasite species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sascha P Rosskopf
- Dept. of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jana Held
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany
| | - Markus Gmeiner
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Gabon
| | - Benjamin Mordmüller
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany; Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Gabon
| | | | | | | | - Kai Matuschewski
- Dept. of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Parasitology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Schaer
- Dept. of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution, Berlin, Germany; Parasitology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany; Dept. of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia.
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22
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Holz PH, Lumsden LF, Hufschmid J. Ectoparasites are unlikely to be a primary cause of population declines of bent-winged bats in south-eastern Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2018; 7:423-428. [PMID: 30425921 PMCID: PMC6224332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While bats carry a diverse range of ectoparasites, little research has been conducted on the effects these organisms may have on bat populations. The southern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii) is a critically endangered subspecies endemic to south-eastern Australia, whose numbers have declined over the past 50 years for unknown reasons. As part of a larger study to investigate the potential role of disease in these declines, southern bent-winged bats from four locations were captured and examined for the presence of bat flies, mites, ticks and the nematode Riouxgolvania beveridgei (previously associated with skin nodules in bent-winged bats). Results were compared with those obtained from the more common eastern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae oceanensis), sampling animals from three different locations. All four types of parasite were found on both subspecies. There was no correlation between the presence of ectoparasites, body weight or any signs of disease. However, prevalence of tick and R. beveridgei infections were greater in Victorian southern bent-winged bats than South Australian southern bent-winged bats and eastern bent-winged bats, possibly indicative of some type of chronic stress impacting the immune system of this subspecies. Ectoparasites not associated with ill health in bent-winged bats. Greater prevalence of ticks and R. beveridgei infections on Victorian southern bent-winged bats. Bat flies and mites more common in summer. Ticks more common in spring. R. beveridgei more common in winter and spring. Mites more common on juvenile bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H Holz
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia
| | - Linda F Lumsden
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia
| | - Jasmin Hufschmid
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, The Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, 250 Princes Highway, Werribee, Victoria, 3030, Australia
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23
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Ramasindrazana B, Goodman SM, Dsouli N, Gomard Y, Lagadec E, Randrianarivelojosia M, Dellagi K, Tortosa P. Polychromophilus spp. (Haemosporida) in Malagasy bats: host specificity and insights on invertebrate vectors. Malar J 2018; 17:318. [PMID: 30170583 PMCID: PMC6119311 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2461-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bats are home to diverse haemosporidian parasites namely Plasmodium and Plasmodium-related. While information is available at a worldwide level, haemosporidian infection in bats from Madagascar is still scarce and recent changes in the taxonomy of the island’s bat fauna, particularly the description of several new species, require a reassessment of previously described patterns, including blood parasite ecology and vectorial transmission. Methods A sample representing seven of the nine known bat families and 31 of the 46 currently recognized taxa from Madagascar and collected in the western and central portions of the island were screened by PCR for the presence of Polychromophilus. In addition, Nycteribiidae flies parasitizing Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae were screened for parasites with the aim to better understand aspects of vector transmission. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the mitochondrial cytochrome b encoding gene was used in a Bayesian analysis to examine the relationship between Polychromophilus recovered from Malagasy bats and those identified elsewhere. Results Polychromophilus infection was restricted to Miniopterus spp. (Miniopteridae), Myotis goudoti (Vespertilionidae), and Paratriaenops furculus (Rhinonycteridae), with an overall infection rate of 13.5%. Polychromophilus melanipherus was found infecting Miniopterus spp. and P. furculus, whereas Polychromophilus murinus was only recovered from M. goudoti. These two protozoan parasites species were also detected in bat flies species known to parasitize Miniopterus spp. and M. goudoti, respectively. Generalized linear model analyses were conducted to elucidate the effect of species and sex on haemoparasites infection in Miniopterus spp., which revealed that males have higher risk of infection than females and prevalence differed according to the considered Miniopterus host. Molecular screening of nycteribiid flies revealed three positive species for Polychromophilus spp., including Penicillidia sp. (cf. fulvida), Penicillidia leptothrinax, and Nycteribia stylidiopsis. These three fly species are known to parasitize Miniopterus spp. and M. goudoti and should be considered as potential vectors of Polychromophilus spp. Conclusion Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated the existence of at least four distinct clades within the genus Polychromophilus, two of which were documented in the present study. The screening of nycteribiid flies overlaid on the highly diversified genus Miniopterus, provides considerable insight into parasite transmission, with bat infection being associated with their roosting behaviour and the occurrence of specific arthropod vectors. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2461-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beza Ramasindrazana
- UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97490, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France. .,Association Vahatra, BP 3972, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar. .,Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, BP 1274, Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
| | - Steven M Goodman
- Association Vahatra, BP 3972, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Najla Dsouli
- UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97490, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Yann Gomard
- UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97490, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Erwan Lagadec
- UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97490, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Milijaona Randrianarivelojosia
- Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, BP 1274, Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Faculté des Sciences, Université de Toliara, 601, Toliara, Madagascar
| | - Koussay Dellagi
- UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97490, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France.,Institut Pasteur (International Division), 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Université de La Réunion, 97490, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
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Ramanantsalama RV, Andrianarimisa A, Raselimanana AP, Goodman SM. Rates of hematophagous ectoparasite consumption during grooming by an endemic Madagascar fruit bat. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:330. [PMID: 29859123 PMCID: PMC5984742 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2918-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few details are available on the consumption of ectoparasites, specifically bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae), by their chiropteran hosts while grooming. Such details are important to document consumption rates of ectoparasites by their bat host provide details on the dynamics of host-parasite interactions. We present data on ectoparasite consumption rates for an endemic Malagasy fruit bat (Pteropodidae: Rousettus madagascariensis) occupying a cave day roost colony in northern Madagascar. Using quantified behavioral analyses, grooming and associated ingestion rates were measured from infrared videos taken in close proximity to day-roosting bats. The recorded individual bats could be visually identified to age (adult, juvenile) and sex (male, female), allowing analyses of the proportion of time these different classes allocated to consuming ectoparasites via auto-grooming (self) or allo-grooming (intraspecific) per 10 min video recording session. These figures could then be extrapolated to estimates of individual daily consumption rates. RESULTS Based on video recordings, adults spent significantly more time auto-grooming and allo-grooming than juveniles. The latter group was not observed consuming ectoparasites. Grooming rates and the average number of ectoparasites consumed per day did not differ between adult males and females. The mean extrapolated number consumed on a daily basis for individual adults was 37 ectoparasites. When these figures are overlaid on the estimated number of adult Rousettus occurring at the roost site during the dry season, the projected daily consumption rate was 57,905 ectoparasites. CONCLUSIONS The details presented here represent the first quantified data on bat consumption rates of their ectoparasites, specifically dipterans. These results provide new insights in host-parasite predation dynamics. More research is needed to explore the mechanism zoonotic diseases isolated from bat flies might be transmitted to their bat hosts, specifically those pathogens that can be communicated via an oral route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riana V Ramanantsalama
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, (101), Antananarivo, Madagascar. .,Association Vahatra, BP 3972, (101), Antananarivo, Madagascar.
| | - Aristide Andrianarimisa
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, (101), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Achille P Raselimanana
- Mention Zoologie et Biodiversité Animale, Université d'Antananarivo, BP 906, (101), Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Association Vahatra, BP 3972, (101), Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Steven M Goodman
- Association Vahatra, BP 3972, (101), Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60605, USA
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25
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Ramasindrazana B, Goodman SM, Gomard Y, Dick CW, Tortosa P. Hidden diversity of Nycteribiidae (Diptera) bat flies from the Malagasy region and insights on host-parasite interactions. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:630. [PMID: 29284533 PMCID: PMC5747079 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2582-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We present information on Nycteribiidae flies parasitizing the bat families Pteropodidae, Miniopteridae and Vespertilionidae from the Malagasy Region, contributing insight into their diversity and host preference. Results Our phylogenetic analysis identified nine clusters of nycteribiid bat flies on Madagascar and the neighbouring Comoros Archipelago. Bat flies sampled from frugivorous bats of the family Pteropodidae are monoxenous: Eucampsipoda madagascariensis, E. theodori and Cyclopodia dubia appear wholly restricted to Rousettus madagascariensis, R. obliviosus and Eidolon dupreanum, respectively. Two different host preference patterns occurred in nycteribiids infecting insectivorous bats. Flies parasitizing bats of the genera Miniopterus (Miniopteridae) and Myotis (Vespertilionidae), namely Penicillidia leptothrinax, Penicillidia sp. and Nycteribia stylidiopsis, are polyxenous and showed little host preference, while those parasitizing the genera Pipistrellus and Scotophilus (both Vespertilionidae) and referable to Basilia spp., are monoxenous. Lastly, the inferred Bayesian phylogeny revealed that the genus Basilia, as currently configured, is paraphyletic. Conclusion This study provides new information on the differentiation of nycteribiid taxa, including undescribed species. Host preference is either strict as exemplified by flies parasitizing fruit bats, or more relaxed as found on some insectivorous bat species, possibly because of roost site sharing. Detailed taxonomic work is needed to address three undescribed nycteribiid taxa found on Pipistrellus and Scotophilus, tentatively allocated to the genus Basilia, but possibly warranting different generic allocation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2582-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beza Ramasindrazana
- Centre de Recherche et de Veille sur les maladies émergentes dans l'Océan Indien, Plateforme technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France. .,Université de La Réunion, CNRS 9192, INSERM U1187, IRD 249, Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France. .,Association Vahatra, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar. .,Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Ambatofotsikely, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
| | - Steven M Goodman
- Association Vahatra, 101, Antananarivo, Madagascar.,Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
| | - Yann Gomard
- Centre de Recherche et de Veille sur les maladies émergentes dans l'Océan Indien, Plateforme technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France.,Université de La Réunion, CNRS 9192, INSERM U1187, IRD 249, Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Carl W Dick
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA.,Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY, 42101, USA
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Centre de Recherche et de Veille sur les maladies émergentes dans l'Océan Indien, Plateforme technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France.,Université de La Réunion, CNRS 9192, INSERM U1187, IRD 249, Unité Mixte Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (PIMIT), Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
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26
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Goldberg TL, Bennett AJ, Kityo R, Kuhn JH, Chapman CA. Kanyawara Virus: A Novel Rhabdovirus Infecting Newly Discovered Nycteribiid Bat Flies Infesting Previously Unknown Pteropodid Bats in Uganda. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5287. [PMID: 28706276 PMCID: PMC5509700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05236-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are natural reservoir hosts of highly virulent pathogens such as Marburg virus, Nipah virus, and SARS coronavirus. However, little is known about the role of bat ectoparasites in transmitting and maintaining such viruses. The intricate relationship between bats and their ectoparasites suggests that ectoparasites might serve as viral vectors, but evidence to date is scant. Bat flies, in particular, are highly specialized obligate hematophagous ectoparasites that incidentally bite humans. Using next-generation sequencing, we discovered a novel ledantevirus (mononegaviral family Rhabdoviridae, genus Ledantevirus) in nycteribiid bat flies infesting pteropodid bats in western Uganda. Mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that both the bat flies and their bat hosts belong to putative new species. The coding-complete genome of the new virus, named Kanyawara virus (KYAV), is only distantly related to that of its closest known relative, Mount Elgon bat virus, and was found at high titers in bat flies but not in blood or on mucosal surfaces of host bats. Viral genome analysis indicates unusually low CpG dinucleotide depletion in KYAV compared to other ledanteviruses and rhabdovirus groups, with KYAV displaying values similar to rhabdoviruses of arthropods. Our findings highlight the possibility of a yet-to-be-discovered diversity of potentially pathogenic viruses in bat ectoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony L Goldberg
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA.
- Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA.
- Department of Zoology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Andrew J Bennett
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Robert Kityo
- Department of Zoology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jens H Kuhn
- Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland, 21702, USA
| | - Colin A Chapman
- Department of Zoology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- Department of Anthropology and School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2T7, Canada
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Obame-Nkoghe J, Leroy EM, Paupy C. Diversity and role of cave-dwelling hematophagous insects in pathogen transmission in the Afrotropical region. Emerg Microbes Infect 2017; 6:e20. [PMID: 28400590 PMCID: PMC5457679 DOI: 10.1038/emi.2017.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The progressive anthropization of caves for food resources or economic purposes increases human exposure to pathogens that naturally infect cave-dwelling animals. The presence of wild or domestic animals in the immediate surroundings of caves also may contribute to increasing the risk of emergence of such pathogens. Some zoonotic pathogens are transmitted through direct contact, but many others require arthropod vectors, such as blood-feeding insects. In Africa, hematophagous insects often play a key role in the epidemiology of many pathogens; however, their ecology in cave habitats remains poorly known. During the last decades, several investigations carried out in Afrotropical caves suggested the medical and veterinary importance particularly of insect taxa of the Diptera order. Therefore, the role of some of these insects as vectors of pathogens that infect cave-dwelling vertebrates has been studied. The present review summarizes these findings, brings insights into the diversity of cave-dwelling hematophagous Diptera and their involvement in pathogen transmission, and finally discusses new challenges and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judicaël Obame-Nkoghe
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, 911, Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769 Franceville, Gabon
| | - Eric-Maurice Leroy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, 911, Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769 Franceville, Gabon
| | - Christophe Paupy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, 911, Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769 Franceville, Gabon
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28
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Exploring the diversity of blood-sucking Diptera in caves of Central Africa. Sci Rep 2017; 7:250. [PMID: 28325914 PMCID: PMC5428272 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00328-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Caves house pathogenic microorganisms, some of which are transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods. In Africa, previous studies identified mosquitoes, sand flies and biting midges as the main potential vectors of cave-dwelling pathogens. However, to understand their involvement in pathogen spillover, it is crucial to characterize their diversity, community composition and dynamics. Using CDC light traps, we collected hematophagous Diptera in six caves of Gabon during one-shot or longitudinal sampling, and investigated their species diversity and dynamics in relation with external rainfall. Overall, we identified 68 species of mosquitoes, sand flies and biting midges, including 45 new records for Gabon. The dominant species were: Uranotaenia nigromaculata, Anopheles smithii s.l., Culex. rima group and Culex quasiguiarti for mosquitoes, Spelaeophlebotomus gigas and Spelaeomyia emilii for sand flies and the Culicoides trifasciellus group and Culicoides fulvithorax for biting midges. The survey revealed that species assemblages were cave-specific and included mainly troglophilous and trogloxenous species. Both diversity and abundance varied according to the cave and sampling time, and were significantly associated with rainfall. These associations were modulated by the cave specific environmental conditions. Moreover, the presence of trogloxenous and troglophilous species could be of high significance for pathogen transfers between cave and epigeous hosts, including humans.
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29
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The effects of seasonality on host-bat fly ecological networks in a temperate mountain cave. Parasitology 2016; 144:692-697. [PMID: 27938438 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016002390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Changes in the specialization of parasite-host interactions will be influenced by variations in host species composition. We evaluated this hypothesis by comparing the composition of bats and bat flies within a roost cave over one annual. Five bat and five bat fly species occupied the cave over the course of the study. Bat species composition was 40% different in the rainy season compared with the dry-cold and dry-warm seasons. Despite the incorporation of three new bat species into the cave during the rainy season, bat fly species composition was not affected by seasonality, since the bats that arrived in the rainy season only contributed one new bat fly species at a low prevalence. Bat-bat fly ecological networks were less specialized in the rainy season compared with the dry-cold and dry-warm seasons because of the increase of host overlap among bat fly species during this season. This study suggests that seasonality promote: (1) differences in host species composition, and (2) a reduction in the specialization of host-parasite ecological networks.
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