Different Species Of Bats Research Articles

Description of the echolocation pulses of insectivorous bats with new records for Southwest Colombia

Despite the high diversity of bats in neotropics, traditional methods such as mist nets, harp traps and roost detection have limitations in capturing that diversity in a landscape, with most detected species restricted to those that forage in the undergrowth or enclosed spaces. Therefore, acoustic records become a tool that complements and enhances the efforts to get more complete bat inventories while avoiding alterations in usual foraging activities and disruption in their life cycles. This study describes the acoustic parameters (spectral and temporal variables) of the echolocation pulses of insectivorous bats to characterise different species of bats in Southwest Colombia acoustically. We recorded echolocation calls between December 2017 and May 2020 in the Andean and Pacific regions of the Department of Nariño. We analysed 81 sequences of echolocation calls from eight bat species belonging to three families: Vespertilionidae, Molossidae and Emballonuridae. We perform recordings on free-flying bats with identity corroboration by capture for recording in flight rooms and examination in the hand. Myotis riparius and Lasiurus blossevillii were recorded for the first time in the Nariño Department. M. albescens, M. keaysi, M. riparius and L. blossevillii (Vespertilionidae) had pulses of frequency modulated (FM) with a quasi-constant frequency (QCF) ending; Molossus molossus, Tadarida brasiliensis and Promops centralis (Molossidae) had pulses with constant frequency (CF) and QCF; and Saccopteryx bilineata (Emballonuridae) had pulses with QCF. This study contributes to the efforts to facilitate the identification of insectivorous bats of the Neotropics using the acoustic monitoring approaches, represents a reference to compare the acoustic studies in Southwestern Colombia and contributes to increasing our knowledge of the bat diversity in the region.

Leptospira spp. detection in bats from the Peninsula of Yucatán, México

The records of Leptospira spp. in bats from México are scarce. It is known that several species of bats are hosts of pathogenic Leptospira spp.; therefore, they participate in the epidemiological cycle and can generate transmission scenarios to people and animals. The aim was to detect the DNA of Leptospira spp. in bats captured in four sites from the Yucatán Peninsula, México. A kidney fragment was collected from the bats and used to extract genomic DNA. Using a PCR, the DNA of Leptospira spp. was detected. Fifty–four bats of the species Desmodus rotundus, Mimon cozumelae, Pteronotus mesoamericanus, Pteronotus fulvus, Nyctinomops laticaudatus, Peropteryx macrotis, Molossus nigricans, Molossus aztecus, Noctilio leporinus, Saccopteryx bilineata and Mormoops megalophylla were studied. The PCR yielded a total frequency of Leptospira spp. of 44.4% (24/54, 95% CI 36.2–71.7%). Species with at least one positive individual were D. rotundus, M. cozumelae, P. mesoamericanus, N. laticaudatus, P. macrotis, M. nigricans, N. leporinus, M. aztecus, and S. bilineata. A high frequency of Leptospira spp. was found in different species of bats belonging to several trophic guilds. The presence of Leptospira spp. in bats is relevant for Public and Animal Health because the evidence indicates that they can generate zoonotic transmission cycles.

The difference in the composition of gut microbiota is greater among bats of different phylogenies than among those with different dietary habits.

Bats have a very long evolutionary history and are highly differentiated in their physiological functions. Results of recent studies suggest effects of some host factors (e.g., phylogeny and dietary habit) on their gut microbiota. In this study, we examined the gut microbial compositions of 18 different species of bats. Results showed that Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were dominant in all fecal samples of bats. However, the difference in the diversity of gut microbiota among bats of different phylogenies was notable (p = 0.06). Various species of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria were found to contribute to the majority of variations in gut microbiota of all bats examined, and Aeromonas species were much more abundant in bats that feed on both insects and fish than in those of insectivores. The abundance of various species of Clostridium, Euryarchaeota, and ancient bacterial phyla was found to vary among bats of different phylogenies, and various species of Vibrio varied significantly among bats with different dietary habits. No significant difference in the number of genes involved in various metabolic pathways was detected among bats of different phylogenies, but the abundance of genes involved in 5 metabolic pathways, including transcription; replication, recombination, and repair; amino acid transport and metabolism; and signal transduction mechanisms, was different among bats with different dietary habits. The abundance of genes in 3 metabolic pathways, including those involved in stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid, and gingerol biosynthesis, was found to be different between insectivorous bats and bats that feed on both insects and fish. Results of this study suggest a weak association between dietary habit and gut microbiota in most bats but a notable difference in gut microbiota among bats of different phylogenies.

Isolation and characterization of mammalian orthoreovirus from bats in the United States.

Mammalian orthoreovirus (MRV) infects many mammalian species including humans, bats, and domestic animals. To determine the prevalence of MRV in bats in the United States, we screened more than 900 bats of different species collected during 2015 to 2019 by a real-time RT-PCR assay; 4.4% bats tested MRV-positive and 13 MRVs were isolated. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these isolates belonged to four different strains/genotypes of viruses in serotypes 1 or 2, which contain genes similar to those of MRVs detected in humans, bats, bovine, and deer. Further characterization showed that these four MRV strains replicated efficiently on human, canine, monkey, ferret and swine cell lines. The 40/Bat/USA/2018 strain belonging to the serotype 1 demonstrated the ability to infect and transmit in pigs without prior adaptation. Taken together, this is evidence for different genotypes and serotypes of MRVs circulating in U.S. bats, which can be a mixing vessel of MRVs that may spread to other species, including humans, resulting in cross-species infections. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The Threat of Potentially Pathogenic Bacteria in the Feces of Bats.

Bats have attracted global attention because of their zoonotic association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Previous and ongoing studies have predominantly focused on bat-borne viruses; however, the prevalence or abundance of bat-borne pathogenic bacteria and their potential public health significance have largely been neglected. For the first time, this study used both metataxonomics (16S rRNA marker gene sequencing) and culturomics (traditional culture methods) to systematically evaluate the potential public health significance of bat fecal pathogenic bacteria. To this end, fecal samples were obtained from five bat species across different locations in China, and their microbiota composition was analyzed. The results revealed that the bat microbiome was most commonly dominated by Proteobacteria, while the strictly anaerobic phylum Bacteroidetes occupied 35.3% of the relative abundance in Rousettus spp. and 36.3% in Hipposideros spp., but less than 2.7% in the other three bat species (Taphozous spp., Rhinolophus spp., and Myotis spp.). We detected 480 species-level phylotypes (SLPs) with PacBio sequencing, including 89 known species, 330 potentially new species, and 61 potentially higher taxa. In addition, a total of 325 species were identified by culturomics, and these were classified into 242 named species and 83 potentially novel species. Of note, 32 of the 89 (36.0%) known species revealed by PacBio sequencing were found to be pathogenic bacteria, and 69 of the 242 (28.5%) known species isolated by culturomics were harmful to people, animals, or plants. Additionally, nearly 40 potential novel species which may be potential bacterial pathogens were identified. IMPORTANCE Bats are one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of mammals living in close proximity to humans. In recent years, bat-borne viruses and the viral zoonotic diseases associated with bats have been studied in great detail. However, the prevalence and abundance of pathogenic bacteria in bats have been largely ignored. This study used high-throughput sequencing techniques (metataxonomics) in combination with traditional culture methods (culturomics) to analyze the bacterial flora in bat feces from different species of bats in China, revealing that bats are natural hosts of pathogenic bacteria and carry many unknown bacteria. The results of this study can be used as guidance for future investigations of bacterial pathogens in bats.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of biosonar in navigating Bornean Rhinolophid and Hipposiderid bats

To investigate the active sensing strategies used by echolocating bats of the genera Rhinolophus and Hipposideros, we have constructed a 9-meter long flight tunnel, which incorporates an array of 32 ultrasonic microphones distributed throughout the tunnel. Rhinolophus and Hipposideros are of special interest because of their highly flexible biosonar system; these bats emit pulses from their nasal cavities, using complex noseleaf structures to quickly and precisely alter the beam-form and direction of emissions. Additionally, each species utilizes a unique combination of constant-frequency (CF) and frequency-modulated (FM) ultrasonic signals with varying durations, repetition rates, and frequencies. We plan to trap several species of wild Bornean bats of these genera and fly individual bats through the tunnel; a time-of-arrival algorithm will be used to localize the position of each bat at the time of each biosonar pulse emission, and an amplitude-comparison method to measure the horizontal and vertical direction of each emission from the bat’s noseleaf. We will also incorporate relatively simple foliage obstacles into the tunnel; this will create complex acoustic clutter and allow us to determine how bats of different species adjust their biosonar sampling strategies in order to navigate around novel obstacles in a cluttered environment.

DNA damage as indicator of the environmental vulnerability of bats in Brazil's Caatinga drylands.

Brazil's Caatinga drylands is under extensive environmental deterioration, with 38% of its natural cover already lost. There is a need for a better understanding of the effects of such degradation on Caatinga's rich and singular biota. Bats form a large part of this biota, and are pointed as good bioindicators. Here, we used the micronucleus test-an easy-to-use, accessible and cost-effective in vivo approach-to detect DNA damage in cells from bats of different species and feeding habits in three protected areas in the Caatinga, comparing them with samples from an industrial sugarcane plantation. We hypothesized that environmental disturbance would reflect in DNA damage, with lower levels of damage in the less disturbed protected areas. The frequency of micronucleated cells differed significantly between sites and feeding habits (carnivores > insectivores > frugivores > nectarivores > hematophagous) but did not differ between sexes. Alarmingly, the highest levels of DNA damage were in two strictly protected areas (Seridó and Raso da Catarina Ecological Stations). Glossophaga and Anoura were the genera with more damaged cells, and had, respectively, 1.48 and 3.53 times more micronucleated cells (average of 19.33 and 22.67 cells, respectively) than individuals from the same genera from the area with least damaged cells (average of 7.80 and 5.00 cells, respectively). Our analysis is a warning call for an in-depth investigation on the effects of both genotoxic contamination and environmental stressors on bats and other species in Brazil's Caatinga, including the role that historical human-induced processes-like the intense use of agrochemicals-may have had in the region.

Circulation of coronavirus in bats from northern and central Argentina: preliminary study

PurposeBats have proven throughout history to be the reservoir and disseminator of a wide variety of viruses in nature, where they have sometimes been linked to important infections in public health, such is the case of coronaviruses causing SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Considering the importance of these previous events and due to the lack of information on the coronavirus present in the bat population in Argentina, we decided to monitor their circulation in two provinces in which there is continuous contact of these animals with others (domestic and wild) and human beings.Methods & MaterialsSamples of pharyngeal swabs and fecal matter were collected from different species of bats from the provinces of Jujuy (northern Argentina) and La Pampa (central Argentina), and from other wild and domestic animals that cohabitated with bats. The samples were stored in RNA Shield® 1X until processing. The viral RNA extraction was performed with Quick-RNA Viral Kit (ZYMO RESEARCH®) and the cDNA with EasyScript First-Strand cDNA Synthesis SuperMix (TRANS®). Each sample was analyzed individually by nested PCR directed to a conserved 440 bp fragment located within the viral polymerase gene (Chu et al., 2006).ResultsPreliminary results from 43 stool samples and 53 pharyngeal swabs from insectivorous and hematophagous bats demonstrated the presence of alfacoronavirus sequences in four fecal samples (3 insectivorous bats and 1 hematophagous bat) and in one pharyngeal swab sample from an insectivorous bat. Through comparison with GenBank sequences, the closest relatives identified were alphacoronaviruses of the species Myotis riparius/ nigricans, Molossus rufus and Desmodus rotundus. Interestingly, we found alphacoronavirus sequences of one species present in another bat species since the colonies were in close contact. Samples from other animal species are in the process of being analyzed.ConclusionThe identification of new coronaviruses that naturally inhabit bat populations and in animal species that share the biological niche, contributes to the knowledge of viral evolution and the biology behind the jump between animal species.

Genetic identification of bat species for pathogen surveillance across France.

With more than 1400 chiropteran species identified to date, bats comprise one-fifth of all mammalian species worldwide. Many studies have associated viral zoonoses with 45 different species of bats in the EU, which cluster within 5 families of bats. For example, the Serotine bats are infected by European Bat 1 Lyssavirus throughout Europe while Myotis bats are shown infected by coronavirus, herpesvirus and paramyxovirus. Correct host species identification is important to increase our knowledge of the ecology and evolutionary pattern of bat viruses in the EU. Bat species identification is commonly determined using morphological keys. Morphological determination of bat species from bat carcasses can be limited in some cases, due to the state of decomposition or nearly indistinguishable morphological features in juvenile bats and can lead to misidentifications. The overall objective of our study was to identify insectivorous bat species using molecular biology tools with the amplification of the partial cytochrome b gene of mitochondrial DNA. Two types of samples were tested in this study, bat wing punches and bat faeces. A total of 163 bat wing punches representing 22 species, and 31 faecal pellets representing 7 species were included in the study. From the 163 bat wing punches tested, a total of 159 were genetically identified from amplification of the partial cyt b gene. All 31 faecal pellets were genetically identified based on the cyt b gene. A comparison between morphological and genetic determination showed 21 misidentifications from the 163 wing punches, representing ~12.5% of misidentifications of morphological determination compared with the genetic method, across 11 species. In addition, genetic determination allowed the identification of 24 out of 25 morphologically non-determined bat samples. Our findings demonstrate the importance of a genetic approach as an efficient and reliable method to identify bat species precisely.

Comparación del rendimiento usando iniciador genérico y específico en diferentes órganos de murciélagos para obtener ADNc

Introduction. For the different molecular biology techniques and it is necessary to have nucleic acid extraction processes that guarantee an excellent quality and quantity. Objective. Evaluate the extraction of RNA and cDNA yield different animal tissues. Materials and methods. Through a design of convenience, 186 brain, heart, lung, spleen, liver and kidney samples were taken from 37 bats of different species and geographical locations of Córdoba. The RNA was extracted and purified using Trizol™(Invitrogen). RNA concentrations were evaluated in terms of yield and was quantified using NanoDrop 2000™. For cDNA synthesis,SuperScript™ II Reverse Transcriptase (Invitrogen) was used, it was tested with random primers and the specific reverse for flavivirus FLAVI 1-. Results. The average concentration of RNA was 751,5 ng/µl with the liver being the organ yielding the concentration. Discussion. The highest concentration of cDNA with random primers was generated from the kidneys and with FLAVI 1- was in liver. Conclusion. Extraction with Trizol™ allowed a high obtaining of RNA in the different organs and the highest cDNA yields were obtained with FLAVI 1- this allowed to demonstrate the presence of pathogens of in these organs.

American Mammals Susceptibility to Dengue According to Geographical, Environmental, and Phylogenetic Distances

Many human emergent and re-emergent diseases have a sylvatic cycle. Yet, little effort has been put into discovering and modeling the wild mammal reservoirs of dengue (DENV), particularly in the Americas. Here, we show a species-level susceptibility prediction to dengue of wild mammals in the Americas as a function of the three most important biodiversity dimensions (ecological, geographical, and phylogenetic spaces), using machine learning protocols. Model predictions showed that different species of bats would be highly susceptible to DENV infections, where susceptibility mostly depended on phylogenetic relationships among hosts and their environmental requirement. Mammal species predicted as highly susceptible coincide with sets of species that have been reported infected in field studies, but it also suggests other species that have not been previously considered or that have been captured in low numbers. Also, the environment (i.e., the distance between the species' optima in bioclimatic dimensions) in combination with geographic and phylogenetic distance is highly relevant in predicting susceptibility to DENV in wild mammals. Our results agree with previous modeling efforts indicating that temperature is an important factor determining DENV transmission, and provide novel insights regarding other relevant factors and the importance of considering wild reservoirs. This modeling framework will aid in the identification of potential DENV reservoirs for future surveillance efforts.

Animals and Migration: The Dangers and Effects on Globalization

This research paper was inspired by the CoronaVirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. How accusations have been directed to the citizens of China for consuming bats which some people believe is the cause of the CoronaVirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. An attempt will be made to define and explain the concept of "climate change." This research study will also make attempt to define "migration and globalization." Bird Migration is almost an unknown area that needs more research. Effects of climate change and global warming have led to birds migrating from one axis of the world to another. Therefore, this research study is going to examine how "climate change and global warming" has led to the migration of animals (especially animals with wings) across continents and countries, since they have the ability to migrate for months flying to different axis of the world. In the course of this research study, the supposed origin of CoronaVirus Disease (COVID-19) will also be discussed. Just like humans migrate for one reason or the other, so also animals migrate too. Among the various animals with wings which have the tendency to migrate, this study is going to concentrate on bats. The different species of bats found in Nigeria and China. How some species of bats found in China may be poisonous for human consumption. And that in some communities in Nigeria bats have been in consistent consumption over centuries and it has actually never been a health risk to those who consume these bats. That if it becomes scientifically proven that some species of bats in China are poisonous for human consumption, and therefore the cause of the CoronaVirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, then it is no longer safe for citizens of any country to consume bats. This research study will therefore make explanations from the angle that, due to "climate change and global warming" which also causes drought, there is the possibility for the poisonous species of bats from the China axis to migrate to other parts of the world, and therefore mix-up with other non poisonous bats in other countries and continents. That when a migration of this sort happens, which of course will always happen, then it is advisable for the consumption of bats to be totally discouraged globally. To get its materials for research, this research study will access various online platforms. Online platforms such as mainstream media portals and academic journal articles. Keywords: Animals, Migration, Globalization, Bats, COVID-19, Pandemic, Climate Change. DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/99-03 Publication date: July 31 st 2020

Rapid molecular species identification of indigenous bats from Germany for surveillance purposes

Chiroptera form the second largest order of mammals and compromise >1200 species, of which only 51 species are abundant in Europe. As bats are important hosts involved in the emergence and spread of zoonotic infections, it is becoming more important to discriminate the different species of bats involved in the maintenance of causative agents. However, traditional taxonomic methods rely on morphological features and are challenging as they require long-lasting experience of an investigator and sometimes fail if the specimen is of poor condition. On the other hand, barcoding requires sequencing and is time consuming. Therefore, a versatile genetic approach for rapid species identification would be valuable.In this study, two mitochondrial loci, cytochrome b (cyt b) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) were selected for the development of two multiplex qPCRs for differentiating four very abundant bat species in Germany using DNA extracted from the patagium or organ pools. Verification of the developed assays using a set of 1000 individual bat samples belonging to 20 different European species clearly showed that the multiplex qPCRs were able to determine the four most abundant species in this collection by a COI based qPCR. All other bat species which could not be covered by this approach could be easily identified by sequencing of the amplicon generated by broad-range qPCRs for cyt B and COI, respectively. Moreover, the double-check approach with cyt B and COI makes the identification of bats into species more reliable.The new multiplex PCRs allow a fast and easy genotyping of German bats and could be useful for screening approaches.

Impact of external odor on self-grooming of lesser flat-headed bats, Tylonycteris pachypus.

Grooming is a common behavior of some mammals. Previous studies have shown that grooming is a means by which animals clean themselves, remove ectoparasites, and lower their body temperature. It is also involved in olfactory communication. Bats belong to the order Chiroptera and, like most mammals, are the natural host of many ectoparasites. Bat grooming, including licking and scratching, is one of the ways to reduce the adverse effects caused by ectoparasites. Bat grooming may also be induced by exogenous odor. In this study, we used lesser flat‐headed bats (Tylonycteris pachypus) to test the hypothesis that exogenous odor affects the self‐grooming behavior of bats. Results showed that external odor from distantly related species caused lesser flat‐headed bats to spend more time in self‐grooming. Lesser flat‐headed bats that received odor from humans spent the longest time in self‐grooming, followed by those that received odor from a different species of bats (T. robustula). Lesser flat‐headed bats that received odor form the same species of bats, either from the same or a different colony, spent the least amount of time in self‐grooming. These results suggest that bats can recognize conspecific and heterospecific through body scent.

Fecal Bacterial Communities in Insectivorous Bats from the Netherlands and Their Role as a Possible Vector for Foodborne Diseases

Bats are commonly regarded as vectors for viruses, but little is known about bacterial communities in bats and the possible role of bats in the transmission cycle of foodborne diseases. To gain more insight, microbial communities in fecal samples from 37 insectivorous bats of different species from the Netherlands were investigated by polymerase chain reaction and denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Subsequently, 10 samples from the following bat species: common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus; n = 3), Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii; n = 3), serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus; n = 1), whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus; n = 1), Geoffroy's bat (Myotis emarginatus; n = 1) and Natterer's bat (Myotis nattereri; n = 1) were selected and used in bacterial 16S rDNA cloning and sequencing. The fecal microbiota in bats was found to be diverse with predominant bacterial genera Carnobacterium, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus and Yersinia. The presence of opportunistic pathogens Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Serratia fonticola and Rahnella aquatilis was also recorded. Based on cloning results, we found no proof that bats in the Netherlands are a major vector for the transmission of bacterial zoonotic diseases, although previous findings in literature reported isolation of foodborne pathogens from bats.

Chiroptera as a Potential Reservoir of Dangerous for Humans Viruses in the territory of the Republic of Guinea. Part 1

Chiroptera is one of the largest in numbers orders of mammals which can take on the role of natural host and vector of various viruses, bacteria, and pathogenic fungi. Over the period of 2007–2013, 248 new viruses pertaining to 24 families were detected in chiropterans. Lately, a range of novel infections that provoked severe diseases in humans were associated with bats-carriers. Presently they are viewed as a potential reservoir of Ebola, Marburg, and Hendra viruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome agents, as well as many other lethal diseases. Chiropterans started drawing particular attention after establishment of the fact that they are involved in circulation of ebolavirus Zaire and possibly participate in the formation of natural foci of this infection. Currently chiropterans are considered to be natural reservoirs of ebolavirus Zaire and some other filoviruses (Filoviridae). Accept from filoviruses, other significant for public healthcare viruses were isolated from chiropterans on the African continent – lyssaviruses (Rhabdoviridae, Lyssavirus), henipaviruses (Paramixoviridae, Henipavirus), and coronaviruses (Coronaviridae, Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus) that can also circulate among chiropterans in West Africa. The data available from literature sources on dissemination of chiropterans in the territory of the African continent, their species diversity, peculiarities of ecology and behavior are analyzed in this paper. The information on the infections for which chiropterans can serve as potential reservoirs is also provided. Specifics of interaction between the population residing on African continent and bats of different species are described too. The review is devoted to the assessment of results of studies on population, ecological, and epidemiological factors contributing to maintenance of circulation of a number of dangerous for humans viruses (filoviruses, lyssaviruses, henipaviruses, and coronaviruses) among African chiropterans. The need for further investigation of the mentioned factors affecting chiropteran populations in the Republic of Guinea is substantiated.

Detection and Characterization of Distinct Alphacoronaviruses in Five Different Bat Species in Denmark.

Bat populations harbour a multitude of viruses; some of these are pathogenic or potentially pathogenic in other animals or humans. Therefore, it is important to monitor the populations and characterize these viruses. In this study, the presence of coronaviruses (CoVs) in different species of Danish bats was investigated using active surveillance at different geographical locations in Denmark. Faecal samples were screened for the presence of CoVs using pan-CoV real-time RT-PCR assays. The amplicons, obtained from five different species of bats, were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a species-specific clustering with the samples from Myotis daubentonii, showing a close resemblance to coronavirus sequences obtained from the same species of bat in Germany and the United Kingdom. Our results show, for the first time, that multiple, distinct alphacoronaviruses are present in the Danish bat populations.

Morphological and histological characters of penile organization in eleven species of molossid bats

The penis is the reproductive organ that ensures efficient copulation and success of internal fertilization in all species of mammals, with special challenges for bats, where copulation can occur during flight. Comparative anatomical analyses of different species of bats can contribute to a better understanding of morphological diversity of this organ, concerning organization and function. In this study, we describe the external morphology and histomorphology of the penis and baculum in eleven species of molossid bats. The present study showed that penile organization in these species displayed the basic vascular mammalian pattern and had a similar pattern concerning the presence of the tissues constituting the penis, exhibiting three types of erectile tissue (the corpus cavernosum, accessory cavernous tissue, and corpus spongiosum) around the urethra. However, certain features varied among the species, demonstrating that most species are distinguishable by glans and baculum morphology and glans histological organization. Major variations in glans morphology were genus-specific, and the greatest similarities were shared by Eumops species and N. laticaudatus. The greatest interspecific similarities occurred between M. molossus and M. rufus and between Eumops species. Save for M. molossus and M. rufus, morphology of the baculum was species-specific; and in E. perotis, it did not occur in all specimens, indicating that it is probably under selection. In the histological organization, the most evident differences were number of septa and localization of the corpora cavernosa. In species with a baculum (Molossus, Eumops and Nyctinomops species), the corpora cavernosa predominantly occupied the dorsal region of the penile glans and is associated with the proximal (basal) portion of the baculum. In species that do not have a baculum (Cynomops, Molossops and Neoplatymops species), the corpora cavernosa predominantly occupied the ventro-lateral region of the glans.

Rabies Virus in Bats, State of Pará, Brazil, 2005-2011.

Rabies is an acute, progressive zoonotic viral infection that in general produces a fatal outcome. This disease is responsible for deaths in humans and animals worldwide and, because it can affect all mammals, is considered one of the most important viral infections for public health. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of rabies in bats of different species found in municipalities of the state of Pará from 2005 to 2011. The rabies virus was detected in 12 (0.39%) bats in a total of 3100 analyzed, including hematophagous, frugivorous, and insectivorous bats. Of these, eleven were characterized as AgV3, which is characteristic of the hematophagous bat Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy 1810); one insectivorous animal showed a different profile compatible with the Eptesicus pattern and may therefore be a new antigenic variant. This study identified the need for greater intensification of epidemiological surveillance in municipalities lacking rabies surveillance (silent areas); studies of rabies virus in bats with different alimentary habits, studies investigating the prevalence of AgV3, and prophylactic measures in areas where humans may be infected are also needed.

Pathogenic Leptospira spp. in bats: Molecular investigation in Southern Brazil.

The present study aimed to investigate the frequency of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in Brazilian bats and to determine possible risk factors associated to it. Ninety two bats of 12 species were evaluated. Whole genomic DNA from kidneys was extracted and real-time PCR specific to pathogenic Leptospira spp. was applied. Association between the frequency of specimens positive for Leptospira spp. and sex, age, bat species or family, season of collection, geographic localization and feeding habits was evaluated. The results showed that 39.13% of analyzed bats were found positive for Leptospira spp. Nine bat species had at least one positive result. There was no association among the evaluated variables and frequency of pathogenic Leptospira spp. Although the limitations due to lack of Leptospira spp. isolation, leptospiral carriage was demonstrated in bats of different species from southern Brazil, which reinforces the need for surveillance of infectious agents in wild animals.