Sanches Gustavo Seron, Rodrigues Luísa, Torrejón Estefania, Bassini-Silva Ricardo, Calchi Ana Cláudia, Lee Daniel Antônio Braga, Arantes Paulo Vitor Cadina, Barbier Eder, Barros-Battesti Darci Moraes, Graciolli Gustavo, Machado Rosangela Zacarias, Antunes Sandra, Domingos Ana, André Marcos Rogério
Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), Jaboticabal 14884-900, SP, Brazil.
Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
Pathogens. 2025 Mar 12;14(3):273. doi: 10.3390/pathogens14030273.
Bats and their ectoparasites play a crucial role in understanding the ecology and transmission of vector-borne pathogens, yet these dynamics remain poorly studied in Portugal. This study aimed to investigate the molecular occurrence of vector-borne bacteria ( spp., spp., spp., and spp.) and protozoa ( spp. and spp.) in ectoparasites of cave-dwelling bats. Bats were sampled from two caves in Portugal, and their ectoparasites included wing mites (), ticks (), and bat flies ( and ). Molecular analyses revealed the presence of spp. in and . Phylogenetic inference based on the gene positioned the detected genotypes close to those previously reported in bats and Nycteribiidae flies in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Notably, no DNA from Anaplasmataceae, spp., or piroplasmids was detected. The prevalence of was high, with all examined bats being infested, showing notable differences in ectoparasite diversity concerning sex and cave-specific location. These findings suggest that host behavior, environmental conditions, and ectoparasite lifecycles play critical roles in shaping pathogen transmission dynamics. This study advances the understanding of bat ectoparasite-pathogen interactions in a region with limited data and highlights the need for continued research to assess the zoonotic potential and ecological impacts of the genotypes detected herein.
蝙蝠及其体外寄生虫在理解媒介传播病原体的生态学和传播方面发挥着关键作用，但在葡萄牙，这些动态仍未得到充分研究。本研究旨在调查穴居蝙蝠体外寄生虫中媒介传播细菌（种、种、种和种）和原生动物（种和种）的分子存在情况。从葡萄牙的两个洞穴中采集蝙蝠样本，其体外寄生虫包括翼螨（）、蜱（）和蝙蝠蝇（和）。分子分析显示在和中存在种。基于基因的系统发育推断将检测到的基因型定位在与之前在欧洲、亚洲和非洲的蝙蝠及蝠蝇科苍蝇中报道的基因型相近的位置。值得注意的是，未检测到无形体科、种或梨形虫的DNA。的感染率很高，所有检查的蝙蝠都受到感染，在体外寄生虫多样性方面，性别和洞穴特定位置存在显著差异。这些发现表明，宿主行为、环境条件和体外寄生虫生命周期在塑造病原体传播动态中起着关键作用。本研究增进了对数据有限地区蝙蝠体外寄生虫与病原体相互作用的理解，并强调需要持续研究以评估本文检测到的基因型的人畜共患病潜力和生态影响。
