Rickettsiae in the common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) and the bat soft tick Argas vespertilionis (Ixodida: Argasidae) ...

• Main Authors: Zhao, Shuo, Yang, Meihua, Liu, Gang, Hornok, Sándor, Zhao, Shanshan, Sang, Chunli, Tan, Wenbo, Wang, Yuanzhi
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: figshare 2020
• Subjects: Medicine; Microbiology; FOS Biological sciences; Cell Biology; Molecular Biology; Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; Ecology; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; Infectious Diseases; FOS Health sciences; Virology; Computational Biology; Pipistrellus pipistrellus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4812267.v1; https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/Rickettsiae_in_the_common_pipistrelle_Pipistrellus_pipistrellus_Chiroptera_Vespertilionidae_and_the_bat_soft_tick_Argas_vespertilionis_Ixodida_Argasidae_/4812267/1

Abstract Background Increasing molecular evidence supports that bats and/or their ectoparasites may harbor vector-borne bacteria, such as bartonellae and borreliae. However, the simultaneous occurrence of rickettsiae in bats and bat ticks has been poorly studied. Methods In this study, 54 bat carcasses and their infesting soft ticks (n = 67) were collected in Shihezi City, northwestern China. The heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, small intestine and large intestine of bats were dissected, followed by DNA extraction. Soft ticks were identified both morphologically and molecularly. All samples were examined for the presence of rickettsiae by amplifying four genetic markers (17-kDa, gltA, ompA and ompB). Results All bats were identified as Pipistrellus pipistrellus, and their ticks as Argas vespertilionis. Molecular analyses showed that DNA of Rickettsia parkeri, R. lusitaniae, R. slovaca and R. raoultii was present in bat organs/tissues. In addition, nine of the 67 bat soft ticks (13.43%) were positive for ...