Abstract
Bats can harbor zoonotic pathogens, but their status as reservoir hosts for Leptospira bacteria is unclear. During 2015–2017, kidneys from 47 of 173 bats captured in Grenada, West Indies, tested PCR-positive for Leptospira. Sequence analysis of the Leptospira rpoB gene from 31 of the positive samples showed 87–91% similarity to known Leptospira species. Pairwise and phylogenetic analysis of sequences indicate that bats from Grenada harbor as many as eight undescribed Leptospira genotypes that are most similar to known pathogenic Leptospira, including known zoonotic serovars. Warthin-Starry staining revealed leptospiral organisms colonizing the renal tubules in 70% of the PCR-positive bats examined. Mild inflammatory lesions in liver and kidney observed in some bats were not significantly correlated with renal Leptospira PCR-positivity. Our findings suggest that Grenada bats are asymptomatically infected with novel and diverse Leptospira genotypes phylogenetically related to known pathogenic strains, supporting the hypothesis that bats may be reservoirs for zoonotic Leptospira.
Highlights
Leptospirosis, caused by spirochete bacteria, is the most frequently reported zoonosis worldwide with an estimated 1.03 million cases each year
Leptospirosis is a worldwide disease of humans and animals caused by pathogenic strains of Leptospira spp
These bacteria are transmitted in urine from infected and usually asymptomatic reservoir hosts
Summary
Leptospirosis, caused by spirochete bacteria, is the most frequently reported zoonosis worldwide with an estimated 1.03 million cases each year. Leptospirosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with tropical areas accounting for the majority of all human cases and deaths [1]. There are at least 35 recognized species and 250 serovars of Leptospira, and depending on the convention used, these species have been clustered into either three [2,3] or four [4] major monophyletic groups that correspond with their pathogenicity and niche. At least seventeen species have been described in Group I, previously known as the “pathogenic” group. Several of these species cause severe disease and/or death in some animals and humans, while chronically infected reservoir hosts can be asymptomatic or have few symptoms of infection [5]. Non-pathogenic, saprophytic Leptospira comprise either one or two clades depending on the convention used [3,4]
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