Detection of Leishmania (Viannia) Braziliensis in Bats from Espírito Santo, Brazil (2018-2019)

Overview

Journal Parasitol Res

Specialty Parasitology

Date 2021 Sep 9

PMID 34499197

Authors

Mayara Mezabarba Riva

Felipe Martins Pastor

Yuri Vieira Almeida

Livia Martino Duarte

Ligia Isabelle Silva Souza

Marcos Santos Zanini

Maria Aparecida DA Silva

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Studying the occurrence of Leishmania in bats would help toward clarifying the role of these animals in epidemiological cycles. Therefore, the objective of this study was to detect Leishmania spp. in bats from the Brazilian State of Espírito Santo. In total, 105 bats from 11 species which had been collected from 17 municipalities of Espírito Santo were obtained from the IDAF Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory between December 2018 and June 2019. DNA was extracted from the bone marrow, skin, and spleen samples and analysed using conventional PCR, with primers specific for the kinetoplastic DNA minicircle of the parasitic species Leishmania (Viannnia) braziliensis, Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum, and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. To identify the Leishmania species, the positive PCR products were analysed using PCR-RFLP with the HaeIII enzyme and 8% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Positivity for L. (V.) braziliensis was observed in five (4.76%) bats: namely, one male Eumops glaucinus from Vitória (in a skin sample), one male Artibeus lituratus from Vila Velha and one female Eumops glaucinus from Vitória (both in bone marrow samples), and one male A. lituratus from Vitória and one male Molossus rufus from Guarapari (both in the spleen samples). To our best knowledge, this is the first report of the detection of Leishmania in bats from Espírito Santo as well as of Leishmania DNA in the bone marrow of bats.

Citing Articles

Prevalent zoonoses in Sao Paulo State, Brazil: the role of bats and molecular diagnosis.

Franca D, Langoni H Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2025; 67:e17.

PMID: 40053003 PMC: 11883767. DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946202567017.

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