Ochieng James Robert, Kato Charles Drago, Kisakye John Joseph M
Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
J Parasitol Res. 2025 Aug 15;2025:9972163. doi: 10.1155/japr/9972163. eCollection 2025.
Bat guano may contain zoonotic parasites that contaminate the environment and/or serve as a potential source of infection to humans and animals. Repeated bat-human exposure could be a risk factor for zoonosis. To date, knowledge on the status of bat gastrointestinal parasites (GIPs) in Uganda is limited. We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of bat GIP species in communities contiguous to Semuliki National Park (SNP), Bundibugyo district in western Uganda. We purposively collected faecal samples of micro- ( = 242) and megabats ( = 242) from bat roosts in communities contiguous to SNP during the rainy months of October to December 2023 and the dry months of January to March 2024. Standard faecal floatation and sedimentation techniques were used for laboratory examination. Microscopic examination revealed that 224 (46%) samples tested positive for more than one parasite species. Thirteen GIPs, including protozoa ( = 3), trematode ( = 1), cestode ( = 1) and nematodes ( = 8), were detected. The most prevalent parasites were (57%), hookworm (33%), sp. (33%) and (32%), and the least prevalent were the two unidentified nematodes (1%). Seventy-seven percent ( = 10) of the detected GIPs are responsible for zoonosis and are of significant public health importance. Statistically, there was a significant difference ( < 0.05) in the overall parasite prevalence across the four studied bat groups. Also, parasite prevalence was significantly higher in microbats compared to megabats ( < 0.05) and in Burondo subcounty compared to Ntandi town council ( < 0.05), though seasonality did not have a significant impact. The detected zoonotic parasites pose a potential source of zoonosis in communities contiguous to the conservation area of SNP, Uganda. This calls for awareness creation on the risks of bat-mediated zoonotic parasitosis and the use of good sanitary practices to prevent chances of zoonotic parasite spillover from bats to humans.
蝙蝠粪便可能含有人畜共患寄生虫，这些寄生虫会污染环境和/或成为人类和动物潜在的感染源。蝙蝠与人类的反复接触可能是人畜共患病的一个风险因素。迄今为止，关于乌干达蝙蝠胃肠道寄生虫（GIPs）状况的知识有限。我们开展了一项横断面研究，以调查乌干达西部本迪布焦区塞穆利基国家公园（SNP）周边社区蝙蝠GIP物种的流行情况。我们在2023年10月至12月的雨季以及2024年1月至3月的旱季，从SNP周边社区的蝙蝠栖息地有目的地收集了小型蝙蝠（n = 242）和大型蝙蝠（n = 242）的粪便样本。采用标准的粪便漂浮和沉淀技术进行实验室检查。显微镜检查显示，224份（46%）样本检测出感染了一种以上的寄生虫物种。共检测到13种GIPs，包括原生动物（n = 3）、吸虫（n = 1）、绦虫（n = 1）和线虫（n = 8）。最常见的寄生虫是粪类圆线虫（57%）、钩虫（33%）、溶组织内阿米巴（33%）和结肠小袋纤毛虫（32%），最不常见的是两种未鉴定的线虫（1%）。检测到的GIPs中有77%（n = 10）可导致人畜共患病，具有重大的公共卫生意义。从统计学上看，在四个研究的蝙蝠组中，总体寄生虫流行率存在显著差异（P < 0.05）。此外，小型蝙蝠的寄生虫流行率显著高于大型蝙蝠（P < 0.05），布伦多乡的寄生虫流行率显著高于恩坦迪镇议会（P < 0.05），不过季节性没有显著影响。检测到的人畜共患寄生虫在乌干达SNP保护区周边社区构成了人畜共患病的潜在来源。这就需要提高人们对蝙蝠介导的人畜共患寄生虫病风险的认识，并采用良好的卫生习惯来预防人畜共患寄生虫从蝙蝠传播给人类的可能性。
