Prevalence and phylogeny of Chlamydiae and hemotropic mycoplasma species in captive and free-living bats

• Published in: BMC microbiology Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 1 - 182
• Main Authors: Fritschi, Janine, Marti, Hanna, Seth-Smith, Helena M. B, Aeby, Sébastien, Greub, Gilbert, Meli, Marina L, Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina, Mühldorfer, Kristin, Stokar-Regenscheit, Nadine, Wiederkehr, Danja, Pilo, Paola, Van Den Broek, Peggy Rüegg, Borel, Nicole
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 26.06.2020; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; Bacteria; Bats; Bats (Animals); Chiroptera; Chlamydia; Chlamydiales; Cloning; Cost analysis; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Genetic testing; Hemoplasmas; Hemotropic mycoplasmas; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Pathogens; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; qPCR; Studies; Germany; Costa Rica; Mexico; Malaysia; Switzerland; Finland
• ISSN: 1471-2180; 1471-2180
• DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01872-x

Bats are hosts for a variety of microorganisms, however, little is known about the presence of Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas. This study investigated 475 captive and free-living bats from Switzerland, Germany, and Costa Rica for Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas by PCR to determine the prevalence and phylogeny of these organisms. Screening for Chlamydiales resulted in a total prevalence of 31.4%. Positive samples originated from captive and free-living bats from all three countries. Sequencing of 15 samples allowed the detection of two phylogenetically distinct groups. These groups share sequence identities to Chlamydiaceae, and to Chlamydia-like organisms including Rhabdochlamydiaceae and unclassified Chlamydiales from environmental samples, respectively. Bats can harbor Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas and the newly described sequences in this study indicate that the diversity of these bacteria in bats is much larger than previously thought. Both, Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas are not restricted to certain bat species or countries and captive and free-living bats can be colonized. In conclusion, bats represent another potential host or vector for novel, previously unidentified, Chlamydiales and hemotropic mycoplasmas.