Molecular detection and characterization of pathogenic <i>Leptospira</i> species in bats (Chiroptera) roosting in human habitats in Nigeria, West Africa

Kamani, Joshua; Harrus, Shimon; Ocholi, R. A.; Yague, Irene I.; Nyango, Patrick G.; González‐Miguel, Javier; Koizumi, Nobuo

doi:10.1111/zph.12880

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Roosting habitat plays a more important role than feeding habits (Gomard et al., 2016; Kamani et al., 2021; Mateus et al., 2019; Mayer et al., 2017). The Leptospira sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Leptospira sp. infection in bats: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Gaeta

Dias

Heinemann

2022

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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Bats are the only flying mammalian animals and are distributed worldwide. Bats are well-known hosts of several zoonotic viruses and bacteria, including Leptospira sp.Here, we performed a systematic review and a meta-analysis of evidence of Leptospira sp. infection in bats by examining studies published between 1964 and 2021. We reported the frequencies of various species and serogroups on all continents, several species and feeding habits of bats, and different diagnostic tools. Together, 33 papers from all continents with seven to 2077 individuals from one to 31 species were included. Molecular detection was conducted in most studies, followed by MAT (Microscopic Agglutination Test) and isolation and identification. Molecular characterization of Leptospira sp. revealed L. borgpetersenii as the most frequent species. Moreover, 179 positive samples for MAT contained the most likely infecting serogroups described, particularly the Australis serogroup. The percentage of positive tests in isolation and identification ranged between 0% and 0.5%. The highest frequency of Leptospira infection among the continents was observed in Asia, whereas South America had the lowest percentage. Finally, Nycteridae and Rhinonycteridae were the most frequently infected bat families. Our study provides valuable information about the epidemiology of Leptospira sp. infection in bats.

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“…Roosting habitat plays a more important role than feeding habits (Gomard et al., 2016; Kamani et al., 2021; Mateus et al., 2019; Mayer et al., 2017). The Leptospira sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…host association appears to vary and has a stronger association with the roosting site. Different bat species roosting in synanthropic day roost sites would share the same Leptospira infection (Kamani et al., 2021; Lagadec et al., 2012). Habitat preference and geographic origin might influence the colonization of bats with leptospires.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leptospira sp. infection in bats: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Gaeta

Dias

Heinemann

2022

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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“…in the patient and in soft ticks (Ornithodoros faini) and bats collected in the cave that the patient had visited [27]. Finally, Leptospira bacteria closely related to the human-pathogenic L. interrogans occur in bats [37,88]. Clearly, a broad diversity of bat-associated bacterial pathogens are likely infecting humans, but the link to bats is often not recognized.…”

Section: Zoonotic Potential Of Bat-associated Bacterial Pathogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Only limited data are available that explore the drivers of bacterial pathogen occurrence and transmission in bats. Studies have showed that Leptospira infection in bats is associated with roost type, with higher prevalence in human-made structures [88], and is synchronized with the reproductive cycle of bats, showing an infection peak during late pregnancy and two months after the birth pulse [35]. Peaks in bat-associated virus shedding have also been shown to be afected by reproductive cycles [125].…”

Section: Ecological and Demographic Drivers Of Pathogen Occurrence An...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in Bacterial Pathogens of Bats: Global Distribution and Knowledge Gaps

Szentiványi

McKee

Jones

et al. 2023

Transboundary and Emerging Diseases

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Bats have received considerable recent attention for infectious disease research because of their potential to host and transmit viruses, including Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, and multiple coronaviruses. These pathogens are occasionally transmitted from bats to wildlife, livestock, and to humans, directly or through other bridging (intermediate) hosts. Due to their public health relevance, zoonotic viruses are a primary focus of research attention. In contrast, other emerging pathogens of bats, such as bacteria, are vastly understudied despite their ubiquity and diversity. Here, we describe the currently known host ranges and geographic distributional patterns of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats, using published presence-absence data of pathogen occurrence. We identify apparent gaps in our understanding of the distribution of these pathogens on a global scale. The most frequently detected bacterial genera in bats are Bartonella, Leptospira, and Mycoplasma. However, a wide variety of other potentially zoonotic bacterial genera are also occasionally found in bats, such as Anaplasma, Brucella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia, Francisella, Neorickettsia, and Rickettsia. The bat families Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, and Pteropodidae are most frequently reported as hosts of bacterial pathogens; however, the presence of at least one bacterial genus was confirmed in all 15 bat families tested. On a spatial scale, molecular diagnostics of samples from 58 countries and four overseas departments and island states (French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, and Réunion Island) reported testing for at least one bacterial pathogen in bats. We also identified geographical areas that have been mostly neglected during bacterial pathogen research in bats, such as the Afrotropical region and Southern Asia. Current knowledge on the distribution of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats is strongly biased by research effort towards certain taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Identifying these biases can guide future surveillance efforts, contributing to a better understanding of the ecoepidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in bats.

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“…According to studies, the observed prevalence of leptospiral infections in bats varied from a low of 3.4% in the Peruvian Amazon (Matthias et al., 2005) to a high of 66.8% in Australia (Tulsiani, Graham, et al., 2011), mainly diagnosed by PCR from kidney or urine samples. Pathogenic leptospires were notably detected within the Pteropodidae family—for instance, in all three species tested in Australia, two of three from Madagascar, and the one studied in Nigeria (Cox et al., 2005; Gomard et al., 2016; Kamani et al., 2021). The Leptospira spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

OriginalLeptospiraspp. in island's native terrestrial mammals: A case study inPteropusspp. bats of New Caledonia

Soupé‐Gilbert

Oedin

Kainiu

et al. 2022

Transbounding Emerging Dis

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Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis that occurs in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Chiroptera are known to be a formidable reservoir of zoonotic pathogens, including leptospires. The epidemiology of leptospirosis in bats in the Pacific Islands is poorly known, both in terms of prevalence and in terms of the bacterial strains involved. A strong host specificity between leptospiral strains and their mammalian reservoir is recognized. This phenomenon has notably been studied recently in bat communities, providing strong evidence of co‐evolution. In New Caledonia, a biodiversity hotspot where leptospirosis is endemic and enzootic, Chiroptera are the only indigenous terrestrial mammals. In this study, we aimed to investigate leptospires associated with three flying fox species in New Caledonia. Kidneys and urine samples of Pteropus spp. from captures and seizures were analysed. Among 254 flying foxes analysed, 24 harboured pathogenic leptospires corresponding to an observed prevalence of 9.45% with 15.8% on the Main Island and 4.3% on Loyalty Islands. The analysis of the rrs gene, lfb1, and MLST sequences evidenced four distinct clusters of undescribed strains, likely corresponding to undescribed species. All four strains belong to the Group I of pathogenic Leptospira spp., which includes Leptospira interrogans, Leptospira noguchii, and Leptospira kirschneri. We detected pathogenic leptospires in all three Pteropus spp. studied (including two endemic species) with no evidence of host specificity in two co‐roosting species. For a better understanding of Leptospira–host co‐evolution, notably to genetically characterize and evaluate the virulence of these original bat‐associated leptospires, it is essential to improve isolation techniques. Flying foxes are traditionally hunted and eaten in New Caledonia, a massive cause of bat–human interactions. Our results should encourage vigilance during these contacts to limit the spillover risk of these pathogens to humans.

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Molecular detection and characterization of pathogenic Leptospira species in bats (Chiroptera) roosting in human habitats in Nigeria, West Africa

Cited by 7 publications

References 45 publications

Leptospira sp. infection in bats: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Leptospira sp. infection in bats: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Trends in Bacterial Pathogens of Bats: Global Distribution and Knowledge Gaps

OriginalLeptospiraspp. in island's native terrestrial mammals: A case study inPteropusspp. bats of New Caledonia

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