Diversity of filariae circulating in South Caucasian bats and their ectoparasites

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081766%3A_____%2F25%3A00638515" target="_blank" >RIV/68081766:_____/25:00638515 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/60460709:41210/25:102420 RIV/00216224:14310/25:00142271 RIV/62157124:16270/25:43882610

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X25000640?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667114X25000640?via%3Dihub</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100304" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100304</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Diversity of filariae circulating in South Caucasian bats and their ectoparasites

Original language description

Recent research on chiropteran parasites suggests a high prevalence and diversity, and extensive spatial distribution of filarial species, however, ecological and phylogenetic studies are still in their infancy. We sampled blood from 78 bat specimens, collected 1181 ectoparasites at summer colonies in Armenia and Georgia, and used nested-PCR targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene to detect and genotype filarial parasites. The overall prevalence of filarial DNA was 17.9% in blood samples from Myotis blythii, Myotis emarginatus, Miniopterus schreibersii, and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, and 8.5% in ectoparasites, including two mite species (Eyndhovenia euryalis and Spinturnix myoti) and two bat flies (Nycteribia kolenatii and Penicillidia dufouri). The prevalence of microfilarial infection was significantly higher in mite samples (13.8%) than in bat fly samples (4.1%). Bats with ectoparasites positive for filarial DNA had a significantly higher total number of ectoparasites. Phylogenetic analysis placed the 18 sequences obtained into different closely related clades of onchocercid nematodes, with four different species recorded: two belonging to the genus Litomosa and two to a newly observed genus of the family Onchocercidae. Additionally, two new species of these parasites, one Litomosa sp. and one Onchocercid sp., were genetically recognised. As predicted, the diversity of filarial parasites reflects the diversity of bat hosts in the Caucasus. Extending the sampling effort to more Caucasian bat species will likely reveal previously unknown filarial species. Non-lethal and non-invasive sampling of blood and ectoparasites for molecular screening proved effective for gaining insights into parasite diversity and phylogenetic relationships of bat-infecting filarial nematodes.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10613 - Zoology

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Current Research in Parasitology and Vector-Borne Diseases

ISSN

2667-114X

e-ISSN

2667-114X

Volume of the periodical

8

Issue of the periodical within the volume

100304

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

9

Pages from-to

100304

UT code for WoS article

001555781900001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105013152729