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Trypanosoma cruzi in Bats (Chiroptera; Mammalia) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, São Paulo State França, Danilo Alves de; Louro, Mariana; Zúquete, Sara; Zanini, Dayane da Silva; Moraes, Gustavo Nunes de; Rocha, Gabrielle dos Santos; Biondo, Leandro Meneguelli; Fornazari, Felipe; Menozzi, Benedito Donizete; Fonseca, Isabel Pereira da; Langoni, Helio

Abstract

The causative agent of Chagas disease is Trypanosoma cruzi, which is widely distributed throughout the South American continent and extends into North America. Its occurrence in bats is poorly described and may impact the disease’s maintenance and epidemiology. The aim of this study was to detect the agent by PCR assays targeting kDNA and nuclear DNA in the organs of 203 urban bats and rural vampire bats from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, São Paulo state, during the pandemic period from 2020 to 2022. In total, 6 of the 203 bats (2.97%) were positive for T. cruzi. Infection was detected in 2% (2/101) of Desmodus rotundus, 33% (1/3) of Nyctinomops laticaudatus, 25% (1/4) of Artibeus lituratus, 4% (1/24) of Eumops glaucinus and in 2% (1/41) of Molossus molossus. The gene sequences obtained were assessed for quality and deposited in a public repository. Fruit bats were statistically associated with positivity for T. cruzi. To our knowledge, this study detected T. cruzi for the first time in bats from São Paulo state and in N. laticaudatus and E. glaucinus species.

Item Metadata

Title
Trypanosoma cruzi in Bats (Chiroptera; Mammalia) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, São Paulo State
Creator
França, Danilo Alves de; Louro, Mariana; Zúquete, Sara; Zanini, Dayane da Silva; Moraes, Gustavo Nunes de; Rocha, Gabrielle dos Santos; Biondo, Leandro Meneguelli; Fornazari, Felipe; Menozzi, Benedito Donizete; Fonseca, Isabel Pereira da; Langoni, Helio
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Date Issued
2024-05-07
Description
The causative agent of Chagas disease is Trypanosoma cruzi, which is widely distributed throughout the South American continent and extends into North America. Its occurrence in bats is poorly described and may impact the disease’s maintenance and epidemiology. The aim of this study was to detect the agent by PCR assays targeting kDNA and nuclear DNA in the organs of 203 urban bats and rural vampire bats from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, São Paulo state, during the pandemic period from 2020 to 2022. In total, 6 of the 203 bats (2.97%) were positive for T. cruzi. Infection was detected in 2% (2/101) of Desmodus rotundus, 33% (1/3) of Nyctinomops laticaudatus, 25% (1/4) of Artibeus lituratus, 4% (1/24) of Eumops glaucinus and in 2% (1/41) of Molossus molossus. The gene sequences obtained were assessed for quality and deposited in a public repository. Fruit bats were statistically associated with positivity for T. cruzi. To our knowledge, this study detected T. cruzi for the first time in bats from São Paulo state and in N. laticaudatus and E. glaucinus species.
Subject
emerging disease; vampire bats; urban bats; molecular epidemiology; PCR; phylogeny
Genre
Article
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2024-05-31
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
CC BY 4.0
DOI
10.14288/1.0443827
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88398
Affiliation
Graduate Studies, College of (Okanagan); Non UBC
Citation
Microorganisms 12 (5): 945 (2024)
Publisher DOI
10.3390/microorganisms12050945
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty; Researcher
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Aggregated Source Repository
DSpace

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CC BY 4.0