Host conservation through their parasites: molecular surveillance of vector-borne microorganisms in bats using ectoparasitic bat flies

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.

Reservoir host studies of Lloviu virus: first isolation, sequencing and serology in Schreiber’s bats in Europe

“…This would provide the opportunity to conduct wide scale geographic surveillance to discover LLOV endemic regions and obtain a more detailed distribution map of LLOV infection among M. schreibersii populations. The reliability of ectoparasite-based surveillance strategy of bats was already reported for multiple bacterial species 45 .…”

Autochthonous Trypanosoma spp. in European Mammals: A Brief Journey amongst the Neglected Trypanosomes

“…In Europe, Megatrypanum species, often morphologically described as T. theileri -like, were also reported in wild ruminants such as roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ), fallow deer ( Dama dama ), and red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) [ 114 , 148 , 150 , 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 , 166 ]. T. theileri -like strains were also detected by molecular biology in vectors (i.e., tabanid flies) in Russia [ 149 ] and Poland [ 147 ].…”

“…Vectors of bat trypanosomes are Cimex spp. and bat flies ( Nycterida schmidlii ) [ 75 , 152 ]. No report of clinical manifestation has thus far been notified.…”

“…In the same year, a survey about the presence of Trypanosoma spp. in bats (9 subjects from Hungary, 16 from Italy, and 10 from Spain) and the flies Nycteribia schmidlii scotti (71 subjects) parasitizing them, found that in Hungary the prevalence of infection was 33.3% in bats and 35.3% in bat flies, while in Italy it was 43.8% and 11.6%, and in Spain it was 30% and 81.8%, respectively; no species identification was performed [ 152 ].…”

Investigations on Vector-Borne and Aerosol Transmission Potential of Kaeng Khoi Virus in Cave-Dwelling Wrinkle-Lipped Free-Tailed Bats (Chaerephon plicatus) in Thailand

“…The study of viral transmission among bats by arthropod ectoparasites is a burgeoning field and has recently been reviewed by Fagre and Kading [ 16 ]. Wingless bat flies in the family Nycteribiidae have been found infected with a diversity of ledanteviruses (Family: Rhabdoviridae ) [ 17 , 18 ], apicomplexan parasites in the genus Polychromophilus [ 19 , 20 ], and bacterial species in the genus Bartonella [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Schuh et al [ 24 ] recently demonstrated the role of soft ticks in circulating Kasokero virus (Order: Bunyavirales , Family: Nairoviridae ) among Egyptian rousette bats ( Rousettus aegyptiacus ) in Uganda.…”