High Diversity of Leptospira Species Infecting Bats Captured in the Urabá Region (Antioquia-Colombia)

Abstract

Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. This zoonotic disease affects humans, domestic animals and wild animals. Colombia is considered an endemic country for leptospirosis; Antioquia is the second department in Colombia, with the highest number of reported leptospirosis cases. Currently, many studies report bats as reservoirs of Leptospira spp. but the prevalence in these mammals is unknown. The goal of this study was to better understand the role of bats as reservoir hosts of Leptospira species and to evaluate the genetic diversity of circulating Leptospira species in Antioquia-Colombia. We captured 206 bats in the municipalities of Chigorodó (43 bats), Carepa (43 bats), Apartadó (39 bats), Turbo (40 bats), and Necoclí (41 bats) in the Urabá region (Antioquia-Colombia). Twenty bats tested positive for Leptospira spp. infection (20/206—9.70%) and the species of infected bats were Carollia perspicillata, Dermanura rava, Glossophaga soricina, Molossus molossus, Artibeus planirostris, and Uroderma convexum. These species have different feeding strategies such as frugivorous, insectivores, and nectarivores. The infecting Leptospira species identified were Leptospira borgpetersenii (3/20–15%), Leptospira alexanderi (2/20–10%), Leptospira noguchii (6/20–30%), Leptospira interrogans (3/20–15%), and Leptospira kirschneri (6/20–30%). Our results showed the importance of bats in the epidemiology, ecology, and evolution of Leptospira in this host-pathogen association. This is the first step in deciphering the role played by bats in the epidemiology of human leptospirosis in the endemic region of Urabá (Antioquia-Colombia).

Etiological characterization of acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Apartadó and Villeta municipalities, Colombia, during COVID-19 pandemic

“…Transmission of leptospirosis in northern Colombia has been associated with contact with infected animals and environmental conditions [44]. Domestic and wild animals may play an important role in the eco-epidemiology of leptospirosis in these regions [45,46]. Further studies of the animal hosts and factors affecting the transmission of leptospirosis in rural areas of Colombia, such as Apartadó and Villeta municipalities, may help to create prevention measures and limit human contact with infected animals or their excreta.…”

Bat-Associated Pathogenic Leptospira spp. from Forest Fragments in Southwestern Brazilian Amazonia

“…Urban fragments provide suitable vegetation structures for roosting and feeding, which allows bat species to persist [13] and demonstrates their tolerance to landscape alterations (such as, forest fragmentation) [2]. The formation of large colonies enables transmission of the disease between bats, while their ability to fly and migrate over great distances could connect urban, rural, and wild cycles of leptospirosis [26]. Additionally, the longevity of bats could facilitate the spread of the bacteria through urine over extended periods in various environments and animals.…”

Leptospira interrogans in bats in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil: epidemiologic aspects and phylogeny

“…In Colombia, Mateus et al [ 14 ] observed 26.9% of the presence of Leptospira spp. (7/26) and 15.4% for pathogenic Leptospira (4/26) and Monroy [ 70 ], with 9.70% for the presence of DNA from Leptospira spp. (20/206).…”