Ecology of Bats, Their Ectoparasites, and Associated Pathogens on Saint Kitts Island

Will K Reeves; Jason Beck; Maria V Orlova; Jennifer L Daly; Kristi Pippin; Floyd Revan; Amanda D Loftis

doi:10.1093/jme/tjw078

Ecology of Bats, Their Ectoparasites, and Associated Pathogens on Saint Kitts Island

J Med Entomol. 2016 Sep 1;53(5):1218-1225. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjw078.

Authors

Will K Reeves¹, Jason Beck², Maria V Orlova³, Jennifer L Daly⁴, Kristi Pippin⁴, Floyd Revan⁴, Amanda D Loftis⁴

Affiliations

¹ USASAM/PHR, 2510 5th St., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, US Air Force, Dayton, OH (will.reeves@us.af.mil).
² Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1345 Barton Rd., Pocatello, ID 83204 (jason.beck@idfg.idaho.gov).
³ National Research Tomsk State University, 36, Lenina str., Tomsk 634050, Russia (masha_orlova@mail.ru).
⁴ Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P O Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis (jobrosky20@gmail.com; kpippin@spcaflorida.org; floydrevan@gmail.com; adloftis@gmail.com).

PMID: 27282816
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw078

Abstract

Ectoparasites of bats and bat-associated pathogens are poorly studied in the Lesser Antilles Islands. We report on an 11-mo field study on Saint Kitts Island of bat populations, their associated ectoparasites, and pathogens. We report on five ectoparasite species, including four Streblidae (Diptera) and a Spinturnicidae (Acari). Several genotypes of unnamed Bartonella were isolated from bats and ectoparasites. Microfilaria of an undetermined Litomosoides spp. were detected in blood from Artibeus jamaicensis Leach (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) (and associated ectoparasites: Trichobius intermedius Peterson and Hurka (Diptera: Streblidae) and Periglischrus iheringi Oudemans (Acari: Spinturnicidae)). In addition, an Ehrlichia sp. and Rickettsia africae were detected in the blood of several bat species. Our study is one of the first surveys of ectoparasite-borne pathogens in wild mammals from St. Kitts.

Keywords: Bartonella; Litomosoides; Chiroptera; Spinturnicidae; Streblidae.

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the United States.