Molecular Detection ofBartonellaSpecies in Blood-Feeding Bat Flies from Mexico

Abstract

Bartonellae are emerging blood-borne bacteria that have been recovered from a wide range of mammalian species and arthropod vectors around the world. Bats are now recognized as a potential wildlife reservoir for a diverse number of Bartonella species, including the zoonotic Candidatus B. mayotimonensis. These bat-borne Bartonella species have also been detected in the obligate ectoparasites of bats, such as blood-feeding flies, which could transmit these bacteria within bat populations. To better understand this potential for transmission, we investigated the relatedness between Bartonella detected or isolated from bat hosts sampled in Mexico and their ectoparasites. Bartonella spp. were identified in bat flies collected on two bat species, with the highest prevalence in Trichobius parasiticus and Strebla wiedemanni collected from common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). When comparing Bartonella sequences from a fragment of the citrate synthase gene (gltA), vector-associated strains were diverse and generally close to, but distinct from, those recovered from their bacteremic bat hosts in Mexico. Complete Bartonella sequence concordance was observed in only one bat-vector pair. The diversity of Bartonella strains in bat flies reflects the frequent host switch by bat flies, as they usually do not live permanently on their bat host. It may also suggest a possible endosymbiotic relationship with these vectors for some of the Bartonella species carried by bat flies, whereas others could have a mammalian host.

Genetic diversity ofBartonellaspp. in vampire bats from Brazil

“…A recent work showed that the Bartonella gltA genotypes detected in bacteraemic D. rotundus bats were closely related but still distinguishable to those detected in bat flies collected from the same locations in Mexico. Indeed, only one Bartonella gltA genotype found in a D. rotundus specimen matched one genotype observed in a bat fly (Moskaluk et al, ). Thus, further investigation is required to elucidate the transmission of Bartonella strains between vampire bats and bat flies.…”

“…Hippoboscoidea flies have been incriminated as vectors of Bartonella among bats, based on phylogenetic relatedness (do Amaral et al, ; Becker, Bergner, et al, ). In fact, the high diversity of Bartonella strains in bat flies may reflect the frequent host switch driven by bat flies (Moskaluk et al, ). A recent work showed that the Bartonella gltA genotypes detected in bacteraemic D. rotundus bats were closely related but still distinguishable to those detected in bat flies collected from the same locations in Mexico.…”

“…Indeed, Bartonella spp. have been detected in vampire bats from Guatemala (Bai et al, ), Peru (Bai et al, ; Becker, Bergner, et al, ; Wray et al, ), Belize (Becker, Bergner, et al, ), and Mexico (Moskaluk et al, ; Stuckey, Chomel, et al, ) in Latin America. Becker, Bergner, et al () highlight the increasing risk of spillover of pathogenic Bartonella spp.…”

Genetic diversity, infection prevalence, and possible transmission routes of Bartonella spp. in vampire bats

“…Transmission through close contact (e.g., biting) could occur given detection of Bartonella in dog and cat saliva [ 34 , 35 ] as well as human infection following scratches from dogs and cats [ 36 ]. Phylogenetic patterns of weak Bartonella host specificity in Neotropical bat communities could not only reflect transmission through close contacts between species in multi-species roosts, but could also stem from transmission through generalist vectors [ 15 , 24 , 37 ]. Bartonella might also be transmitted through exposure to feces between bats and to humans that enter roosts or to domestic animals exposed to bat feces [ 18 , 38 ].…”

First Report of Bartonella SP. In Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) From Southern Mexico

“…In Mexico, few studies have been carried out for the detection of Bartonella in arthropods (Sánchez-Montes et al 2016, López-Pérez et al 2017, Moskaluk et al 2018. Despite 54 species of sand flies having been recorded in Mexico, no studies have been conducted to detect the presence of Bartonella in sand flies (Ibáñez-Bernal 2005, Ibáñez-Bernal et al 2015.…”