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Mathias BDS, Minozzo GA, Biondo AW, Costa JDOJ, Soares HS, Marcili A, Guimarães LDO, Anjos CCD, Santos APD, Riediger IN, Fecchio A, Bueno MG, Pinho JB, Kirchgatter K. Molecular Investigation Confirms Myotis Genus Bats as Common Hosts of Polychromophilus in Brazil. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1531. [PMID: 37375033 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium spp. and some other blood parasites belonging to the order Haemosporida are the focus of many epidemiological studies worldwide. However, haemosporidian parasites from wild animals are largely neglected in scientific research. For example, Polychromophilus parasites, which are exclusive to bats, are described in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, but little is known about their presence and genetic diversity in the New World. In this study, 224 samples of bats from remaining fragments of the Atlantic Forest and Pantanal biomes, as well as urbanized areas in southern and southeastern Brazil, were analyzed for the presence of haemosporidian parasites by PCR of the mitochondrial gene that encodes cytochrome b (cytb). The PCR fragments of the positive samples were sequenced and analyzed by the Bayesian inference method to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between Polychromophilus parasites from bats in Brazil and other countries. Sequences from Brazilian lineages of Polychromophilus were recovered in a clade with sequences from Polychromophilus murinus and close to the one Polychromophilus sequence obtained in Panama, the only available sequence for the American continent. This clade was restricted to bats of the family Vespertilionidae and distinct from Polychromophilus melanipherus, a parasite species mainly found in bats of the family Miniopteridae. The detection of Polychromophilus and the genetic proximity to P. murinus were further confirmed with the amplification of two other genes (clpc and asl). We also found a Haemosporida parasite sequence in a sample of Noctilio albiventris collected in the Pantanal biome, which presents phylogenetic proximity with avian Haemoproteus sequences. Morphological and molecular studies are still needed to conclude and describe the Polychromophilus species in Brazilian Myotis bats in more detail and to confirm Haemoproteus parasites in bats. Nevertheless, these molecular results in Brazilian bats confirm the importance of studying these neglected genera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno da Silva Mathias
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Alexander Welker Biondo
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 80035-050, PR, Brazil
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Herbert Sousa Soares
- Programa de Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal e Saúde Única, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo 04829-300, SP, Brazil
| | - Arlei Marcili
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, SP, Brazil
- Programa de Medicina e Bem-Estar Animal e Saúde Única, Universidade Santo Amaro, São Paulo 04829-300, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Carolina Clares Dos Anjos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alan Fecchio
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica (CIEMEP), CONICET, Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Esquel 9200, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Marina Galvão Bueno
- Laboratório de Virologia Comparada e Ambiental (LVCA), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Batista Pinho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá 78060-900, MT, Brazil
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Instituto Pasteur, São Paulo 01027-000, SP, Brazil
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Rosyadi I, Shimoda H, Takano A, Yanagida T, Sato H. 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. [PMID: 35819494 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07592-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [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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Minozzo GA, da Silva Mathias B, Riediger IN, de Oliveira Guimarães L, dos Anjos CC, Monteiro EF, dos Santos AP, Biondo AW, Kirchgatter K. First Molecular Detection of Polychromophilus Parasites in Brazilian Bat Species. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061240. [PMID: 34200516 PMCID: PMC8230147 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood parasites of the Haemosporida order, such as the Plasmodium spp. responsible for malaria, have become the focus of many studies in evolutionary biology. However, there is a lack of molecular investigation of haemosporidian parasites of wildlife, such as the genus Polychromophilus. Species of this neglected genus exclusively have been described in bats, mainly in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but little is known about its presence and genetic diversity on the American continent. Here, we investigated 406 bats from sites inserted in remnant fragments of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes and urbanized areas from southern Brazil for the presence of Polychromophilus species by PCR of the mitochondrial cytochrome b encoding gene. A total of 1.2% of bats was positive for Polychromophilus, providing the first molecular information of these parasites in Myotis riparius and Eptesicus diminutus, common vespertilionid bats widely distributed in different Brazilian biomes, and Myotis ruber, an endangered species. A Bayesian analysis was conducted to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between Polychromophilus recovered from Brazilian bats and those identified elsewhere. Sequences of Brazilian Polychromophilus lineages were placed with P. murinus and in a clade distinct from P. melanipherus, mainly restricted to bats in the family Vespertilionidae. However, the sequences were split into two minor clades, according to the genus of hosts, indicating that P. murinus and a distinct species may be circulating in Brazil. Morphological observations combined with additional molecular studies are needed to conclude and describe these Polychromophilus species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Augusto Minozzo
- Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Paraná, São José dos Pinhais 83060-500, PR, Brazil; (G.A.M.); (I.N.R.)
| | - Bruno da Silva Mathias
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil; (B.d.S.M.); (C.C.d.A.); (E.F.M.)
| | - Irina Nastassja Riediger
- Laboratório Central de Saúde Pública do Paraná, São José dos Pinhais 83060-500, PR, Brazil; (G.A.M.); (I.N.R.)
| | - Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo 01027-000b, SP, Brazil;
| | - Carolina Clares dos Anjos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil; (B.d.S.M.); (C.C.d.A.); (E.F.M.)
| | - Eliana Ferreira Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil; (B.d.S.M.); (C.C.d.A.); (E.F.M.)
| | | | - Alexander Welker Biondo
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba 80035-050, PR, Brazil;
| | - Karin Kirchgatter
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, SP, Brazil; (B.d.S.M.); (C.C.d.A.); (E.F.M.)
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Superintendência de Controle de Endemias, São Paulo 01027-000b, SP, Brazil;
- Correspondence:
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Chumnandee C, Pha-obnga N, Werb O, Matuschewski K, Schaer J. Molecular characterization of Polychromophilus parasites of Scotophilus kuhlii bats in Thailand. Parasitology 2021; 148:495-499. [PMID: 33256862 PMCID: PMC7938340 DOI: 10.1017/s003118202000222x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Parasites of the haemosporidian genus Polychromophilus have exclusively been described in bats. These parasites belong to the diverse group of malaria parasites, and Polychromophilus presents the only haemosporidian taxon that infects mammalian hosts in tropical as well as in temperate climate zones. This study provides the first information of Polychromophilus parasites in the lesser Asiatic yellow bat (Scotophilus kuhlii) in Thailand, a common vespertilionid bat species distributed in South and Southeast Asia. The gametocyte blood stages of the parasites could not be assigned to a described morphospecies and molecular analysis revealed that these parasites might represent a distinct Polychromophilus species. In contrast to Plasmodium species, Polychromophilus parasites do not multiply in red blood cells and, thus, do not cause the clinical symptoms of malaria. Parasitological and molecular investigation of haemosporidian parasites of wildlife, such as the neglected genus Polychromophilus, will contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chatree Chumnandee
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, Nakhon Phanom University, Nakhon Phanom48000, Thailand
| | - Nawarat Pha-obnga
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, Nakhon Phanom University, Nakhon Phanom48000, Thailand
| | - Oskar Werb
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, 10115Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Matuschewski
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, 10115Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Schaer
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, 10115Berlin, Germany
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Szentiványi T, Markotter W, Dietrich M, Clément L, Ançay L, Brun L, Genzoni E, Kearney T, Seamark E, Estók P, Christe P, Glaizot O. Host conservation through their parasites: molecular surveillance of vector-borne microorganisms in bats using ectoparasitic bat flies. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 27:72. [PMID: 33306024 PMCID: PMC7731914 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2020069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Most vertebrates host a wide variety of haematophagous parasites, which may play an important role in the transmission of vector-borne microorganisms to hosts. Surveillance is usually performed by collecting blood and/or tissue samples from vertebrate hosts. There are multiple methods to obtain samples, which can be stored for decades if properly kept. However, blood sampling is considered an invasive method and may possibly be harmful to the sampled individual. In this study, we investigated the use of ectoparasites as a tool to acquire molecular information about the presence and diversity of infectious microorganism in host populations. We tested the presence of three distinct vector-borne microorganisms in both bat blood and bat flies: Bartonella bacteria, malaria-like Polychromophilus sp. (Apicomplexa), and Trypanosoma sp. (Kinetoplastea). We detected the presence of these microorganisms both in bats and in their bat flies, with the exception of Trypanosoma sp. in South African bat flies. Additionally, we found Bartonella sp. in bat flies from one population in Spain, suggesting its presence in the host population even if not detected in bats. Bartonella and Polychromophilus infection showed the highest prevalence in both bat and bat fly populations. Single, co- and triple infections were also frequently present in both. We highlight the use of haematophagous ectoparasites to study the presence of infectious microorganism in host blood and its use as an alternative, less invasive sampling method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Szentiványi
- Museum of Zoology, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland - Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa - AfricanBats NPC, 0157 Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Muriel Dietrich
- UMR Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, 97490 Sainte-Clotilde, Reunion Island, France
| | - Laura Clément
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurie Ançay
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Brun
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eléonore Genzoni
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Teresa Kearney
- AfricanBats NPC, 0157 Pretoria, South Africa - Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, 0001 Pretoria, South Africa - Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, 0083 Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Peter Estók
- Department of Zoology, Eszterházy Károly University, 3300 Eger, Hungary
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Glaizot
- Museum of Zoology, 1014 Lausanne, Switzerland - Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Arnuphapprasert A, Riana E, Ngamprasertwong T, Wangthongchaicharoen M, Soisook P, Thanee S, Bhodhibundit P, Kaewthamasorn M. First molecular investigation of haemosporidian parasites in Thai bat species. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2020; 13:51-61. [PMID: 32904325 PMCID: PMC7452641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasites in the phylum Apicomplexa (Order: Haemosporida) infect diverse vertebrates and invertebrate hosts. At least seven genera of haemosporidian parasites have been described to exclusively infect bats. Most of these parasites remain enigmatic with a poorly known host range. Here, we investigated 271 bats belonging to 21 species and seven families from six provinces of Thailand. Overall, 124 out of 271 bats (45.8%) were positive for haemosporidian parasites, while none had Plasmodium, based on microscopic examination of blood smears and PCR amplification. We obtained 19 distinct cytochrome b (cytb) nucleotide haplotypes of Hepatocystis from seven bat species (families: Craseonycteridae, Hipposideridae, Pteropodidae, and Rhinolophidae). Nycteria was found in four bat species (Craseonycteridae, Emballonuridae, Megadermatidae, and Pteropodidae) and Polychromophilus in two species (Emballonuridae, Vespertilionidae). Phylogenetic analysis inferred from cytb sequences placed Hepatocystis into 2 different clades. Most Hepatocystis infections were found in insectivorous bats and clustered together with a sequence from Hipposideros larvatus in Cambodia (in subclade 1a). A single sequence of Hepatocystis obtained from a frugivorous bat, Cynopterus brachyotis, was placed in the same clade with Hepatocystis from the same bat species previously reported in Malaysia (clade 2). Nycteria in these Thai bats were clearly separated from the African isolates previously reported in bats in the family Rhinolophidae. Polychromophilus murinus from Myotis siligorensis was placed in a distinct clade (clade 2) from Polychromophilus melanipherus isolated from Taphozous melanopogon (clade 1). These results confirmed that at least two distinct species of Polychromophilus are found in Thailand. Collectively, Hepatocystis presented no host specificity. Although Megaderma spasma seemed to be infected by only Nycteria, its respective parasite does not show specificity to only a single bat host. Polychromophilus murinus and P. melanipherus seem to infect a narrower host range or are somehow restricted to bats in the families Vespertilionidae and Emballonuridae, respectively. First molecular analysis of haemosporidian parasites in 21 bat species across Thailand. Diverse bat species in Thailand are hosts of various haemosporidian parasites. High prevalence of haemosporidians in bats (124/271 bats; 45.8%). Hepatocystis, Nycteria, and Polychromophilus were discovered in Thai bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apinya Arnuphapprasert
- Veterinary Pathobiology Graduate Program, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Elizabeth Riana
- The International Graduate Course of Veterinary Science and Technology (VST), Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | | | | | - Pipat Soisook
- Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Suchansa Thanee
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Group, Veterinary Parasitology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Phanaschakorn Bhodhibundit
- Sai Yok National Park, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Kanchanaburi, 71150, Thailand
| | - Morakot Kaewthamasorn
- Veterinary Parasitology Research Group, Veterinary Parasitology Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.,Wildlife Exotic and Aquatic Pathology-Research Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
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9
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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. Infect Genet Evol 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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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10
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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11
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Abstract
Malaria parasites belong to the diverse apicomplexan order Haemospororida and use a variety of vertebrate and dipteran hosts worldwide. Recently, the utilization of molecular methods has resulted in a burst of newly discovered and rediscovered taxa infecting mammalian hosts, particularly in apes, ungulates, and bats. Additional study of these diverse mammal-infecting taxa is crucial for better understanding the evolutionary history of malaria parasites, especially given that most previous comparative phylogenetic analyses have tended to use both limited taxon sampling and a small set of genetic loci, resulting in weakly supported (and sometimes hotly contested) hypotheses. The ability to generate genomic data from these mammalian parasites, even from subpatent infections, will open up exciting prospects for research on malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Perkins
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, NY, NY 10024, USA.
| | - Juliane Schaer
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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12
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Obame-Nkoghe J, Rahola N, Bourgarel M, Yangari P, Prugnolle F, Maganga GD, Leroy EM, Fontenille D, Ayala D, Paupy C. Bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) infesting cave-dwelling bats in Gabon: diversity, dynamics and potential role in Polychromophilus melanipherus transmission. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:333. [PMID: 27286888 PMCID: PMC4902993 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1625-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Evidence of haemosporidian infections in bats and bat flies has motivated a growing interest in characterizing their transmission cycles. In Gabon (Central Africa), many caves house massive colonies of bats that are known hosts of Polychromophilus Dionisi parasites, presumably transmitted by blood-sucking bat flies. However, the role of bat flies in bat malaria transmission remains under-documented. Methods An entomological survey was carried out in four caves in Gabon to investigate bat fly diversity, infestation rates and host preferences and to determine their role in Polychromophilus parasite transmission. Bat flies were sampled for 2–4 consecutive nights each month from February to April 2011 (Faucon and Zadie caves) and from May 2012 to April 2013 (Kessipoughou and Djibilong caves). Bat flies isolated from the fur of each captured bat were morphologically identified and screened for infection by haemosporidian parasites using primers targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Results Among the 1,154 bats captured and identified as Miniopterus inflatus Thomas (n = 354), Hipposideros caffer Sundevall complex (n = 285), Hipposideros gigas Wagner (n = 317), Rousettus aegyptiacus Geoffroy (n = 157, and Coleura afra Peters (n = 41), 439 (38.0 %) were infested by bat flies. The 1,063 bat flies recovered from bats belonged to five taxa: Nycteribia schmidlii scotti Falcoz, Eucampsipoda africana Theodor, Penicillidia fulvida Bigot, Brachytarsina allaudi Falcoz and Raymondia huberi Frauenfeld group. The mean infestation rate varied significantly according to the bat species (ANOVA, F(4,75) = 13.15, P < 0.001) and a strong association effect between bat fly species and host bat species was observed. Polychromophilus melanipherus Dionisi was mainly detected in N. s. scotti and P. fulvida and less frequently in E. africana, R. huberi group and B. allaudi bat flies. These results suggest that N. s. scotti and P. fulvida could potentially be involved in P. melanipherus transmission among cave-dwelling bats. Sequence analysis revealed eight haplotypes of P. melanipherus. Conclusions This work represents the first documented record of the cave-dwelling bat fly fauna in Gabon and significantly contributes to our understanding of bat fly host-feeding behavior and their respective roles in Polychromophilus transmission. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1625-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judicaël Obame-Nkoghe
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Nil Rahola
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Mathieu Bourgarel
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon.,Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), UPR AGIRS, F-34398, Montpellier, France
| | - Patrick Yangari
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Franck Prugnolle
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Gael Darren Maganga
- Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Eric-Maurice Leroy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Didier Fontenille
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Diego Ayala
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Christophe Paupy
- Laboratoire MIVEGEC, UMR 224-5290 CNRS-IRD-UM, IRD Montpellier, Montpellier, France. .,Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon.
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