Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, U.S.A.
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL, U.S.A.
J Vector Ecol. 2022 Dec;47(2):153-165. doi: 10.52707/1081-1710-47.2.153.
Mosquitoes affect human health and well-being globally through their roles as disease-causing pathogen vectors. Utilizing genetic techniques, we conducted a large-scale dietary study of three bat species common to the southeastern U.S.A., (Seminole bat) (evening bat), and (southeastern myotis). Through next-generation sequencing of a 180 bp portion of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) of mitochondrial DNA from 180 bat guano samples, we documented consumption of 17 species of mosquitoes by bats, including six endemic arbovirus vectors. , , , , , and were consumed by 51.3%, 43.7%, 27.2%, 22.8%, 18.0%, and 12.7% of bats sampled, respectively. Consumption of two of these mosquito species was explained by spatial variables reflecting the prevalence of mosquito larval habitat, five were explained by bat traits (bat mass, bat species), and two were explained by these factors plus temporal variables (maximum daily temperature, time since sunset, date), making it challenging to offer specific guidance on how best to promote bats as a means of reducing arbovirus vector species. Our results show that common bat species of the southeastern U.S.A. consume endemic, but not exotic, arbovirus mosquito vectors. Future studies are needed to understand the impact of bat consumption on mosquito numbers and public health.
蚊子通过作为致病病原体的载体在全球范围内影响人类健康和福祉。利用遗传技术，我们对美国东南部三种常见蝙蝠物种（塞米诺尔蝙蝠）、（夜蝙蝠）和（东南小蝙蝠）进行了大规模的饮食研究。通过对 180 个蝙蝠粪样的线粒体 DNA 细胞色素氧化酶亚基 I（COI）的 180 bp 部分进行下一代测序，我们记录了蝙蝠食用了 17 种蚊子，包括六种地方性虫媒病毒载体。分别有 51.3%、43.7%、27.2%、22.8%、18.0%和 12.7%的采样蝙蝠食用了 、 、 、 、 和 。两种蚊子的食用情况可以用反映蚊子幼虫栖息地流行程度的空间变量来解释，五种蚊子的食用情况可以用蝙蝠特征（蝙蝠体重、蝙蝠物种）来解释，两种蚊子的食用情况可以用这些因素加上时间变量（每日最高温度、日落时间、日期）来解释，因此很难提供关于如何最好地促进蝙蝠作为减少虫媒病毒载体物种的方法的具体指导。我们的研究结果表明，美国东南部常见的蝙蝠物种食用地方性的，但不是外来的，虫媒病毒蚊子载体。未来的研究需要了解蝙蝠摄食对蚊子数量和公共卫生的影响。
