Trypanosoma cruzi-like bloodstream trypomastigotes in bats from the State of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

One-hundred and thirty-five bats from 12 species were examined for thepresence of trypomastigotes by means of direct blood examination, xenodiagnosis, and hemoculture. Of those, 44 specimens (32.6%) from 8 species were infected with trypanosomes. Phyllostomus discolor discolor presented the highest rate of infection, being captured only in one locality, while Phyllostomus hastatus hastatus captured in four localities showed high rates. Two species, Anoura geoffroyii and Pteronotus (Phillodia) pamelli rubiginosa, were found infected by T. cruzi-like trypanosomes, apparently described for thefirst time. Flagellates from Artibeus jamaisensis jamaisensisa and A. geoffroyii were able toproduce detectable parasitaemia in young mice. One triatomine bug was found infected in natural conditions, Triatoma brasiliensis was associated with a P.h. hastatus colony, in which six captured bats were also found infected.

New insights into the evolution of the Trypanosoma cruzi clade provided by a new trypanosome species tightly linked to Neotropical Pteronotus bats and related to an Australian lineage of trypanosomes

“…Notably, other than T. wauwau, Pteronotus bats are apparently infected by very few other trypanosome species, despite the presence of T. cruzi in species of Pteronotus in Brazil [ 5 , 38 ] and Mexico [ 39 ]. In contrast, species of diverse genera of Phyllostomidae that shared areas and shelters with Pteronotus were infected with a wide range of trypanosomes, including T. dionisii , T. c. marinkellei and unnamed species of the clade T. spp.…”

Ecological Connectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi Reservoirs and Triatoma pallidipennis Hosts in an Anthropogenic Landscape with Endemic Chagas Disease

“…The absence of T. cruzi in our bat samples may be the result of few collections for the majority of species, and the fact that abundant species have typically large roosting populations, since other studies have found low T. cruzi prevalence in bats, including D'Alessandro and Barreto [38], who report <9% infection in 3709 individuals examined. Artibeus jamaicensis has been found infected with T. cruzi in Colombia [39], Brazil [40], and Argentina [41], and in the southern Mexican states of Chiapas and Campeche where the dimidiata complex species are present (Ramsey et al, unpublished data). This bat species is commonly found in towns or dwellings [42], where they roost or feed on Ficus or Ceiba in public parks.…”

A new genotype of Trypanosoma cruzi associated with bats evidenced by phylogenetic analyses using SSU rDNA, cytochrome b and Histone H2B genes and genotyping based on ITS1 rDNA

“…Schizotrypanum trypanosomes restricted to bats may occur exclusively in the Americas ( T. c. marinkellei ), or they may be widespread in the New and Old Worlds. Brazilian bats are commonly infected by Schizotrypanum spp., and the bat-restricted species are more prevalent than T. cruzi (Marinkelle, 1976; Pinto and da Costa Bento, 1986; Molyneux, 1991; Fabián, 1991; Cavazzana et al 2003; Maia da Silva et al 2009).…”