Litomosoides sp. (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae) Infection in Frugivorous Bats (Artibeus spp.): Pathological Features, Molecular Evidence, and Prevalence.

Emilio Rendón-Franco,Guiehdani Villalobos,María Martha García Flores,Jorge Alberto Alfonso-Toledo,Alvaro Aguilar Setién,Fernando Martínez-Hernández,Nidia Aréchiga-Ceballos,Osvaldo López-Díaz,Claudia Irais Muñoz-García

doi:10.3390/tropicalmed4020077

Abstract

Bats can host pathogenic organisms such as viruses and fungi, but little is known about the pathogenicity of their parasites. Hemoparasites are frequently recorded in Neotropical bats, particularly Litomosoides (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae), but their pathogenic effect on bats is scarcely known. In this work, Litomosoides microfilariae were identified in four (8%) out of 51 sampled frugivorous bats belonging to three different species: Artibeus aztecus, Artibeus jamaicensis, and Artibeus lituratus, which are located in Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico. Two infected animals showed weakness, tachypnoea, and ecchymosis on their wings. In these animals, histopathology revealed microfilariae in the blood vessels of the lung, liver, and spleen. Both animals presented exudative pneumonia with congestion and concomitant edema, in addition to moderate arterial hypertrophy. Parasitemia was quantified in blood samples of the infected animals (>3000 parasites/mL). Phylogenetic analysis placed the obtained sequence inside the Litomosoides genus, reaching over 98% identity to the related species. Due to the relevance of bats in ecosystems, any new record of their parasite repertoire offers noteworthy insights into our understanding of the ecology and impact of new parasite species in bats.

Highlights

Bats are currently recognized for hosting a large biodiversity of microorganisms that can affect humans [1] or their own health [2]
The case of hemoparasites is interesting as they are frequently recorded in Neotropical bats, in filarial nematodes (Onchocercidae) of the genus Litomosoides [5]
Tissue pathologies caused by filarial nematodes are known in wild mammals [6], there have been no records in bats

Summary

Introduction

Bats are currently recognized for hosting a large biodiversity of microorganisms that can affect humans [1] or their own health [2]. Some studies have shown that Lyssaviruses (the viral genus where Rabies virus belongs) evolved first in the order Chiroptera and spread to other mammals [3]. Many studies have focused on Pseudogymnoascus destructans, an emergent lethal fungus that has killed millions of North American bats [2]. Few studies have focused on the relationship between parasites and bats, and little is known about their pathology [4]. The case of hemoparasites is interesting as they are frequently recorded in Neotropical bats, in filarial nematodes (Onchocercidae) of the genus Litomosoides [5]. Tissue pathologies caused by filarial nematodes are known in wild mammals [6], there have been no records in bats. Molecular detection for bat filarial parasites has never been used

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