Serological Survey of Rabies Virus Infection among Bats in Brazil

Kappaphycus alvarezii which is endemic to the Indo-Pacific region is the main raw material for kappa carrageenan production. A seedling that was cultivated in Japan (originally from the Philippines) was introduced in a trial, for aquaculture purpose, in 1995, in Sao Paulo State, southeastern region of Brazil. It was later introduced in Santa Catarina State, in Southern Brazil. In 1998, another seedling that was brought from Venezuela, also originally from the Philippines, was commercially introduced at Ilha Grande Bay and later on at Sepetiba Bay, both in Rio de Janeiro State. The aim of this study was to characterize 21 samples from different farms (Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina States) and verify if they are K. alvarezii or other species. Based on the intergenic spacer cox2-3 sequences, phylogenetic relationships were inferred through neighbor joining, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses. The topology of the trees suggests that all samples from the different farms form a monophyletic group of K. alvarezii. Statistical analysis of the cox2-3 marker calculated with median-joining network showed 38 variable positions defining 15 haplotypes for the studied samples of Kappaphycus. The most frequent K. alvarezii haplotype grouped the samples cultivated worldwide with the Brazilian samples. These results are important for better productivity and are environmentally desirable for introduction purposes since the species introduced is known and will help focusing the research on this species. This knowledge can be of assistance to the government in setting up environmental and cultivation protocols to achieve sustainability in macroalgae aquaculture.

A restinga is an ecosystem of the Atlantic Forest biome that occurs along the Brazilian coastal plains. The restinga areas studied here occur in the states of Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Alagoas, Paraíba and Maranhão. Honey, bee pollen, propolis and geopropolis produced by Apis mellifera and native stingless bees are characterised through the pollen morphology of bee plants. The main nectariferous sources in honey samples are Schinus terebinthifolia, Euterpe edulis and Syagrus romanzoffiana in São Paulo state; Burseraceae and Myrtaceae in Bahia state; Copaifera, Humiria balsamifera and mangrove plants in Maranhão state. The main polliniferous sources are Myrtaceae and Solanaceae in bee pollen samples in Santa Catarina state and Myrcia as monofloral samples in Rio de Janeiro state; Astrocaryum aculeatissimum is predominant and Cocos nucifera is always present in Bahia state. In propolis samples of Rio de Janeiro state Eucalyptus and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia are the most common pollen types; in Bahia state were Mimosa sensitiva and Cocos nucifera; Borreria, Cocos nucifera and Mimosa sensitiva in Alagoas state; Borreria and Symphonia globulifera in Paraíba state. Geopropolis samples from Maranhão state are strongly heterogeneous. Trees and shrubs in the resting areas considered here dominate over herbaceous plants and are predominant in the use by both Apis and native stingless bees. The wide presence of Eugenia catharinae pollen in the southern region samples, of Schinus terebinthifolia pollen in the south-eastern region, and of Avicennia, Cocos, Copaifera and Humiria pollen in samples of the north-eastern region are highlighted.

The aims of the current study were to monitor the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in the serum of slaughtered swine and to investigate its distribution in 4 major geographical regions of Brazil. A total of 400 samples of serum were collected from 4 major states of Brazil (100 samples each). Ochratoxin A concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. In Santa Catarina State, 60% of the samples had OTA concentrations ranging from 4.01 to 75.4 mg/l. In Mato Grosso State, 75% of the samples had OTA concentrations ranging from 0.17 to 46.79 mg/l. Bahia State samples had OTA concentrations ranging from 2.72 to 4.13 mg/l in 36% of the samples, whereas 68% of the samples from Rio de Janeiro State had OTA concentrations ranging from 0.16 to 115 mg/l. Only Santa Catarina State and Rio de Janeiro State had serum samples that exceeded 75 mg/l OTA in 20% and 2% of the samples, respectively. A direct relationship between the higher concentrations of OTA in serum from the States of Santa Catarina and Rio de Janeiro and the highest concentrations of OTA in food intended for animal consumption in the same 2 Brazilian states was found in the present study. Ochratoxin A distribution in foodstuffs is very heterogeneous, and an alternative method by which to monitor the presence of OTA in feed includes analyzing swine serum samples, which reflect the toxin content of the ingested feed. This strategy could prevent the occurrence of ochratoxicosis in animal production, reduce economic losses, and minimize hazards to human health.

Chagas disease is still a major public health issue in many Latin American countries. One of the current major challenges is to find an association between Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units (DTUs) and clinical manifestations of the disease. In this study, we used a multilocus conventional PCR and quantitative real time PCR (qPCR) approaches to perform the molecular typing and parasite load quantification directly from blood specimens of 65 chronic Chagas disease patients. All patients were recruited at the same health center, but their place of birth were widely distributed in different geographic regions of Brazil. Of the 65 patients, 35 (53.8%) presented positive amplification by real time qPCR, being 20 (30.7%) with the clinical indeterminate form and 15 (23.1%) with the cardiac form of the disease. The parasite load median for all positive patients was 2.54 [1.43–11.14] parasite equivalents/mL (par. Eq./mL), with the load ranging from 0.12 to 153.66 par. Eq./mL. Noteworthy, the parasite load was significantly higher in patients over 70 years old (median 20.05 [18.29–86.86] par. Eq./mL). Using guanidine-EDTA blood samples spiked with reference T. cruzi strains, belonging to the six DTUs, it was possible to genotype the parasite up to 0.5 par. Eq./mL, with high specificity. Of the patients with positive qPCR, it was possible to identify the T. cruzi DTU in 28 patients (80%). For the remaining patients (20%), at least a partial result was obtained. Analysis of specimens showed prevalences of TcVI, TcII and mixed infection TcVI+TcII equal to 40%, 17.1% and 14.3%, respectively. In addition, two patients were infected by TcV, and one patient was coinfected by TcIII+TcVI, These last three patients were in stage A of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC), and they were born at the Bahia State (northeast region of Brazil). When T. cruzi genotypes were compared with the parasite load, more elevated parasite loads were observed in patients infected by TcII in general (parasite load median of 7.56 par. Eq./mL) in comparison to patients infected by TcVI (median of 2.35 par. Eq./mL). However, while the frequency of CCC was 50% in patients infected by TcVI and TcV, only 16.7% of patients infected by TcII evolved to CCC. Taking together, our results contribute to update the epidemiological knowledge of T. cruzi DTUs in Brazil, and highlight the age of patient and infection by TcII as important features that lead to the observation of higher parasitemia levels.

Bats harbor diverse groups of ectoparasites, such as insects and mites like ticks (Ixodida). Some species of ticks with records for bats and humans have already been reported with the occurrence of pathogens. This research article aims to document new geographical and host records of ticks infesting bats in Rio de Janeiro state, Southeastern Brazil, and provides a list of tick species associated with bats in Brazil. We counted 12 argasid ticks and five ixodid ticks associated with six individuals of bats. Larvae of Amblyomma sp., Ixodes sp., Ornithodoros sp., and Ornithodoros hasei and one nymph of Amblyomma sculptum parasitizing Artibeus obscurus, Phyllostomus hastatus, Micronycteris sp., Molossus fluminensis, and Carollia perspicillata in different localities of Rio de Janeiro state were studied. We carried out a systematic review with the descriptors: tick bat Brazil. We considered data from 42 articles in the systematic review. We compiled eleven records of Ixodidae, and 160 records of Argasidae. Ornithodoros cavernicolous were the most recorded tick species. Overall, we registered 171 tick-bat or roost-bat associations with 85 records of these infesting bats. The review also shows the occurrence of tick species associated with bats, and we present new records on ticks parasitizing bats in Brazil.

From a cross-sectional observational study with convenience samples, 347 blood samples from horses were collected from different physiographic regions, as follows: Santa Catarina Plateau (Santa Catarina State - SC), Médio Paraíba do Sul (São Paulo State - SP and Rio de Janeiro State RJ), Mountainous and Metropolitan regions (Rio de Janeiro State - RJ). Samples were tested for the presence of antibodies (IgG) anti Neorickettsia risticii by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The frequency obtained in this study corroborates with the ones obtained in the U.S.A., which refers to endemic regions. Fisher's exact test showed significant differences in the number of positive animals between regions, indicating that the probability of an animal becoming infected varies depending on the area. The CI 95% revealed no association between infection and geopolitical space. Moreover, Odds ratio test showed differences of an animal getting infected in different regions. This event could be influenced by the type of treatment used in each area, as the seasonal frequency of injury or even potential vectors. Therefore, there are seropositive animals for N. risticii in the studied areas, suggesting that this agent may be circulating in those regions. Future studies mainly based on molecular analyzes are needed to confirm these serological findings.

The Ponte Nova massif is located in Serra do Mar Alkaline Province in the southeast part of Brazil. The massif is mainly composed of alkaline gabbro association, with 2 outcrops of 5km² and 1 km² areas. A detail gravimetric survey was made, resulting 98 stations, to model the subsurface mass distribution and to understand the geodynamic context of the massif. The data processing shows high gravimetric anomaly (33.3 mGal) in accordance with the Ponte Nova outcrop after removal of a first order polynomial trend line. The gravity high suggests one body with an area not much larger than the intrusion. Based on these results, a 2D preliminary mass distribution model was made. It resulted a body that extends to 5 km in depth.

A Raiva é uma grave zoonose causada por um vírus pertencente à família Rhabdoviridae, gênero Lyssavirus . A doença é caracterizada por uma encefalite aguda e letal e a transmissão ocorre pela inoculação do vírus rábico, presente na saliva de mamíferos infectados, através de mordedura, arranhadura ou lambedura de mucosas. De acordo com o seu mecanismo de transmissão e seu ciclo epidemiológico, a doença pode ser classificada em: urbana, rural, silvestre aérea e silvestre terrestre. A Raiva envolvendo animais silvestres é um grave perigo para animais domésticos, assim como para os seres humanos. Dentre os principais reservatórios da Raiva silvestre no Brasil, encontram-se os saguis de tufo branco ( Callithrix jacchus ). No Ceará, a manutenção do ciclo de Raiva entre os saguis tem sido um tema importante para as autoridades de saúde pública. Este trabalho teve como objetivo fazer uma breve abordagem epidemiológica da transmissão da Raiva por Saguis no Estado do Ceará, Brasil, visto que o histórico do número de casos de raiva em C. jacchus , confirma a sua importância epidemiológica e reforça a necessidade crescente de vigilância em saúde pública no Ceará.

Panstrongylus megistus Burmeister 1835 was the first triatomine bug species identified as being responsible for transmitting the agent of Chagas disease. It is still considered a very important vector in the Brazilian Cerrado, a biome consisting of savanna-like grasslands, and attracts the attention of local entomological surveillance agencies. The species has a widespread distribution and is found in tropical forests, the Cerrado and Caatinga, consisting of semi-arid scrubland and thorn forest, in palm trees, rodent and marsupial shelters, tree hollows, and caves (Forattini 1980). In addition, adult P. megistus can colonize anthropogenic ecotopes. The first invasions of anthropogenic landscapes by P. megistus occurred during the Brazilian post-colonial period as a result of the major impact of agricultural development on the natural habitat of this insect (Miles 1976, Dórea at al. 1982). The degree of synanthropy exhibited by P. megistus varies among regions: in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay (Lent and Wygodzinsky 1979) it is exclusively non-synanthropic; from the State of Rio Grande do Sul (in the south of Brazil) to the midwest of the state of São Paulo it is hemi-synanthropic; and in the state of Bahia and the midwest of the state of Minas Gerais it is eusynanthropic (Barbosa et al. 2004). Some authors relate this variation to physiological and ethological differences in P. megistus populations (Dórea et al. 1982, Barbosa et al. 2003, 2004, 2006, Kopp et al. 2009). Molecular markers have proven useful in understanding population genetics and in evolutionary studies of P. megistus and other triatomine species (Barbosa et al. 2003, 2006, Abad-Franch and Monteiro 2005). The mitochondrial gene cytochrome B oxidase (cytb) has provided useful information for investigations into the biogeography and evolutionary rate of triatomine species (Bargues et al. 2002, Mas-Coma and Bargues 2009). In the present study, we analyzed partial cytb sequences of twelve Brazilian P. megistus populations to infer their phylogeographic relationships. P. megistus specimens were obtained from colonies in the Triatominae Insectarium in the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNESP, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil. The number of generations of each colony was estimated based on a life cycle of 608 days/generation in accordance with Heitzmann-Fontenelle (1980) (Table 1). The colonies were originally collected from the locations shown in Figure 1. Genomic DNA was extracted from individual samples (n=10 for each colony) using the DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit (Qiagen, Crawley, United Kingdom). A 341 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytb gene was amplified as described by Lyman et al. (1999) and sequenced using ABI Prism BigDye Terminator Ready Reaction Kit (Perkin Elmer, Foster City, CA) on an ABI/Hitachi PRISM 3100 Genetic Analyzer. The sequences were deposited in the GenBank/EMBL Data Bank, and their accession numbers are shown in Table 1. Because of the high similarity between the cytb sequences found in each colony, the phylogenetic trees were constructed using consensus sequences for each population. Phylogenetic reconstructions were performed with the Neighbor Joining (NJ) algorithm with Kimura 2-parameter distance correction and 1,000 bootstrap replications and with Maximum Likelihood (ML) and the Tamura-Nei distance model with 1,000 bootstrap replications using MEGA 5.0 software (Tamura et al. 2011). A cytb sequence of P. megistus (AF045722) from a colony maintained by the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) for which no information about the origin was available was included in this analysis. Haplotypes were identified using DnaSP v. 5.0 (Librado and Rozas 2009). All phylogenies were rooted with cytb sequences from Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811) (AF045726) and Rhodnius neglectus Lent, 1954 (AF045716) from Genbank. The phylogenies inferred from the cytb data set used a T92 nucleotide substitution model, the best-fit model based on the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) score inferred from jModelTest (Posada 2008). The level of genetic structuring was estimated by means of different hierarchical analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) with Arlequin version 3.5.1.2 (Excoffier and Lischer 2010) The phylogenetic trees obtained by the NJ and ML methods had similar topologies (the ML tree is shown in Figure 2). Sequence divergence ranged from less than 1.0% to almost 3.0 % between the populations, which clustered into two groups. The first group, composed of samples from the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Alagoas, and Rio Grande do Norte, showed about 3.0% divergence (Figure 2A), whereas the other samples from the states of Paraná, São Paulo, and Bahia (Figure 2B) exhibited less than 1.0% genetic difference. The same result was observed using AMOVA, which failed to show any significant difference between the groups. Variance was 67.4% among groups and 32.6% among populations within a group. Genetic variability across populations was estimated. Haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.897 ± 0.067, and eight different haplotypes were found, as shown in the ML tree. Five different haplotypes were found in São Paulo (H2, H3, H4, H6, H7), one of which was shared with the Minas Gerais population (H6) and another of which was shared with the Paraná population (H2). Alagoas and Rio Grande do Norte shared the same haplotype (H5). There was only one haplotype for Bahia (H1) (Figure 2). According to Mas-Coma and Bargues (2009), the genetic distances between species of genus Panstrongylus can vary between 27% and 33% for nuclear genes. Analysis based on the cytb marker to determine genetic distances between triatomines from the same species but different geographic regions indicates that there must be more than 6% difference between them if they are to be considered subspecies. Therefore, the distance between the two main clusters observed in this study corresponds to a within-species polymorphism. Based on these results, we hypothesize that P. megistus disperses passively to different regions of Brazil and that São Paulo is the center where the various populations converge. This distribution reflects the human migrations from rural areas of Brazil to more economically developed urban centers that occurred mainly in the second half of the 20th century, when the state of São Paulo was the primary destination for millions of Brazilians, especially those from the northeast of the country (Brito and Carvalho 2006). The hypothesis of passive dispersal of P. megistus is reinforced by a study based on isoenzyme analysis which showed relationships between populations in Paraná (in the south of Brazil) and in the northeast and southeast of the country (Kopp et al. 2009). A previous study based on morphological analysis of eggs separated P. megistus populations into two groups, one comprising the population in Bahia (northeast Brazil) and the other formed by populations from Santa Catarina and Minas Gerais (south and southeast Brazil) (Barbosa et al. 2003). In the same study, morphometric analysis of the head and thorax of P. megistus showed that southern populations were different from midwestern populations. These differences were also noted when salivary gland proteins were analyzed and are probably due to differences in feeding habits (Barbosa et al. 2006). Here we included other populations from northeast Brazil and different locations in the state of São Paulo. Our results, which agree with those reported by Barbosa et al. (2006), show that the clades formed two distinct groups: the cluster formed by populations from Alagoas (145) and Rio Grande do Norte (145) (in the northeast) together with populations in the southeast, attributed by Barbosa et al. to the characteristics of the vegetation in these regions (Atlantic Forest), and the cluster formed by populations from Bahia (northeast) and populations from Minas Gerais and São Paulo (southeast), regions where vegetation typical of the Cerrado is found. These associations suggest the existence of sympatric populations in the past, favoring a certain degree of similarity between their genetic profiles (Barbosa et al. 2006). Our analysis highlights the importance of the cytb gene as a molecular marker in genetic population, systematics, and taxonomy studies of Triatominae species. However, the results obtained here may have been affected by the genetic homogeneity of the colonies. This homogeneity is caused by the founder effect, which results from inbreeding of populations in colonies or human dwellings, leading to reduced gene polymorphism compared with natural populations (Schofield et al. 1999). According to Heitzmann-Fontenelle (1980), inbreeding weakens the genetic vigor of triatomines, extending the nymph phase, shortening its adult life, and reducing the number of eggs, egg laying, and egg viability. Although colonies can lead to inbreeding and, consequently, low diversity among individuals in the same colony, they can increase genetic isolation between individuals from distinct populations (Fredrickson et al. 2007). In a study by Gómez-Sucerquia et al. (2009), it was shown that the structure of Rhodnius pallescens populations from colonies was very different from those of field populations. However, the results reported by Gómez-Sucerquia et al. (2009) were obtained using microsatellite markers, while our study used a molecular marker, which implies slow evolutionary rates. We therefore assumed that the number of generations of our samples (between 7 and 15) was not enough to generate significant differences between colonies and field populations. Although there are serious concerns regarding the use of colonies and the limited polymorphism associated with them, they are important in research studies as they allow comparative analyses between recently collected populations and populations originated from P. megistus species that have been eradicated in many parts of Brazil. Further studies using field populations of P. megistus are required to provide a more realistic picture of phylogeographic relationships within this species. This study was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP). We thank the Department of Biological Sciences of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNESP, for providing the specimens. DPV received a Master's scholarship from FAPESP (2010/02960–3).

Betrichia Mosely 1939 was erected to include a single species, B. zilbra Mosely 1939 from Brazil. The genus has a complicated taxonomy mainly because of the lack of diagnostic characteristics in the original description. Marshall (1979) stated that some features of the antennae, wing venation, and male genitalia are presumably diagnostic, but it remained without a precise diagnosis. Currently, Betrichia comprises 11 Neotropical species (Flint et al. 1999; Oláh & Johanson 2011; Thomson 2012; Oláh & Flint 2012), six of which have been recorded from Brazil (Santos et al. 2015): B. alibrachia Thomson 2012 (Rio de Janeiro State), B. hamulifera Flint 1983 (Pernambuco, São Paulo, and Santa Catarina states), B. kagyla Oláh & Flint 2012 (Amazonas State), B. longistyla Flint 1983 (Santa Catarina State), B. varratlana Oláh & Flint 2012 (Rondônia State), and B. zilbra Mosely 1939 (Santa Catarina State). Herein, we describe and illustrate a new species of the genus and redescribe the type-species of the genus based on topotypical specimens. We also provide new distributional records for Betrichia zilbra, reported here for the first time from Argentina (Misiones) and Bahia and Sergipe states (Brazil), and for Betrichia bispinosa Flint 1974, representing the first record of this species in Brazil (Amapá and Pará states).

Haematophagous bats exist only in Latin America, from México to the Northern provinces of Argentina. They are represented by three species, Desmodus rotundus, Diphylla ecaudata and Diaemus youngii. While two species feed only on blood of wild birds, one species, D. rotundus, causes losses feeding on livestock and could be a vector for rabies virus. The cases in which humans were bitten by the bat have increased in Brazil. Bats became a target of control activities by farming communities and local governments. Indiscriminate actions such as poisoning bats and destroying their roosts put the lives of other bat species, which are extremely important for the ecologic balance, at risk. The vaccination of exposed livestock against rabies, which would protect the endangered livestock, is not regularly carried out. The importance and current status of D. rotundus in the transmission of rabies in Brazil, the Public Health aspects, the importance for the livestock industry are shown and the consequences of reducing bat population are discussed. Alternatives to an indiscriminate bat-population reduction in the control of rabies are proposed.

In Brazil, various isolates of rabies virus (RABV) show antigenic profiles distinct from those established by the reduced panel of eight monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), utilized for the antigenic characterization of RABV in the Americas. The objective of this study was to produce MAbs from RABV isolates from insectivorous bats with an antigenic profile incompatible with the pre-established one. An isolate of RABV from the species Eptesicus furinalis that showed an antigenic profile incompatible with the panel utilized was selected. Hybridomas were produced utilizing the popliteal lymph nodes of mice immunized with ribonucleoproteins purified from the isolate. Two MAbs-producing clones were obtained, BR/IP1-3A7 and BR/IP2-4E10. Fifty-seven isolates of RABV from different species of animals and different regions of Brazil were analyzed utilizing the MAbs obtained. In the analysis of 23 RABV isolates from non-hematophagous bats, the MAbs cross-reacted with ten isolates, of which four were of the species Nyctinomops laticaudatus, one of the species Eptesicus furinalis, and five of the genus Artibeus. Of the nine isolates of non-hematophagous isolates that displayed an incompatible profile analyzed, characteristic of insectivorous bats, BR/IP1-3A7 reacted with five (55.55%) and BR/IP2-4E10 with four (44.44%). The MAbs obtained were able to recognize epitopes common between the three genera, Artibeus, Eptesicus, and Nyctinomops, thereby allowing the antigenic characterization of RABV isolates in Brazil.

Lonchocarpus castaneifolius, L. grazielae, L. longiunguiculatus, and L. montanus from Brazil are described and illustrated based on field and herbarium studies. The first species belongs to Lonchocarpus sect. Punctati and is restricted to northeastern Brazil (Bahia state). The other three are included in sect. Laxiflori. Lonchocarpus grazielae is restricted to the southern coastal region (Santa Catarina state), L. montanus is found in northeastern Brazil (Bahia and Piaui states), the west-central region (Goias and Tocantins states) and the southeast (Minas Gerais state), and L. longiunguiculatus occurs in northeastern (Bahia state) and southeastern (Minas Gerais state) Brazil.

Plant-diversity hotspots on a global scale are well established, but smaller local hotspots within these must be identified for effective conservation of plants at the global and local scales. We used the distributions of endemic and endemic-threatened species of Myrtaceae to indicate areas of plant diversity and conservation importance within the Atlantic coastal forests (Mata Atlântica) of Brazil. We applied 3 simple, inexpensive geographic information system (GIS) techniques to a herbarium specimen database: predictive species-distribution modeling (Maxent); complementarity analysis (DIVA-GIS); and mapping of herbarium specimen collection locations. We also considered collecting intensity, which is an inherent limitation of use of natural history records for biodiversity studies. Two separate areas of endemism were evident: the Serra do Mar mountain range from Paraná to Rio de Janeiro and the coastal forests of northern Espírito Santo and southern Bahia. We identified 12 areas of approximately 35 km(2) each as priority areas for conservation. These areas had the highest species richness and were highly threatened by urban and agricultural expansion. Observed species occurrences, species occurrences predicted from the model, and results of our complementarity analysis were congruent in identifying those areas with the most endemic species. These areas were then prioritized for conservation importance by comparing ecological data for each.

Macronyssid and spinturnicid mites are globally distributed ectoparasites of medical and veterinary relevance, with various species known to parasitize bats. Beyond their ecological importance, some macronyssid mites, such as Ornithonyssus bursa, are known to occasionally bite humans and cause dermatitis, highlighting the interface between wildlife, ectoparasites, and human habitats. Understanding the microorganisms harbored by bat-associated mites is therefore important from a One Health perspective, as these arthropods may act as bridge hosts for pathogens among bats, domestic animals, and humans. Although their role in pathogen transmission remains poorly understood, previous studies have reported bacterial agents in these mite groups. This study aimed to investigate the presence of several pathogens in macronyssid and spinturnicid mites collected from bats in Brazil. A total of 393 macronyssid and 210 spinturnicid mites parasitizing bats were analyzed through morphological and molecular approaches. Ehrlichia DNA was the only pathogen detected, found in 3.03% of macronyssid mites and 2.4% of spinturnicid mites from Rio de Janeiro State, previously described on bat-associated chigger mites. These findings underscore the need for further research into the ecological interactions between bats and their ectoparasites and the potential implications of these mites as vectors of zoonotic pathogens.