Wide Distribution and Diversity of Malaria-Related Haemosporidian Parasites (Polychromophilus spp.) in Bats and Their Ectoparasites in Eastern Europe.

Attila D Sándor,Alexandra Corduneanu,Áron Péter,Zsuzsa Kalmár,Jenő Kontschán,Andrei D Mihalca,István Csősz,Levente Barti,Sándor Hornok

doi:10.3390/microorganisms9020230

Abstract

Malaria is responsible for major diseases of humans, while associated haemosporidians are important factors in regulating wildlife populations. Polychromophilus, a haemosporidian parasite of bats, is phylogenetically close to human-pathogenic Plasmodium species, and their study may provide further clues for understanding the evolutionary relationships between vertebrates and malarial parasites. Our aim was to investigate the distribution of Polychromophilus spp. in Eastern Europe and test the importance of host ecology and roost site on haemosporidian parasite infection of bats. We sampled bats and their ectoparasites at eight locations in Romania and Bulgaria. DNA was extracted from blood samples and ectoparasites and tested individually for the presence of DNA of Polychromophilus spp. using a nested PCR targeting a 705 bp fragment of cytB. Two species of Polychromophilus were identified: Po. melanipherus in Miniopterus schreibersii and associated ectoparasites and Po. murinus in rhinolophid and vespertilionid bats (6 species) and their ticks and nycteribiid flies. Only cave-dwelling bat species (and their ectoparasites) showed infections, and we found a strong correlation between infections with Polychromophilus parasites and Nycteribiidae prevalence. We report the high genetic diversity of Polychromophilus spp. in Eastern Europe, suggesting that the simultaneous presence of varied host and vector assemblages enhances bat haemosporidian parasite diversity.

Highlights

Haemosporidians causing malaria are responsible for major diseases of humans
The impact of malaria parasites was considered crucial in the extinction of Maclear’s rat (Rattus macleari) on Christmas Island [2], and it should be blamed for the extinction of up to endemic Hawaiian bird species [3]
Avian malaria parasites were suggested to be the cause of the widespread decline of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Europe [4]

Summary

Introduction

Haemosporidians causing malaria are responsible for major diseases of humans (e.g., malarial infections in humans resulted in an estimated 228 million cases and 405,000 deaths in 2018 [1]). The impact of malaria parasites was considered crucial in the extinction of Maclear’s rat (Rattus macleari) on Christmas Island [2], and it should be blamed for the extinction of up to endemic Hawaiian bird species [3]. Avian malaria parasites were suggested to be the cause of the widespread decline of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Europe [4]. Host switching was recorded for several haemosporidian parasites [5,6], with even the most pathogenic human malaria species, Plasmodium falciparum, being suggested as a recent pathogen with a chimpanzee origin [7].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion