Detection of Leptospira species in bat cadavers, Czech and Slovak Republics

Emerg Microbes Infect. 2022 Dec;11(1):2211-2213. doi: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2117095.

Abstract

Kidney samples from 300 bat cadavers from the Czech and Slovak Republics were tested for Leptospira DNA using PCR and sequencing of three genes (lipL32, flab, and 16S ribosomal RNA). Overall detection rate was 4.7% and two bat species (Myotis myotis and Nyctalus noctula) were PCR-positive for at least one gene. Detected Leptospira sequences were similar to L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii, and included a potentially novel species related to L. weilii.

Keywords: Bats; Central Europe; Leptospira; Myotis; Nyctalus; emerging zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadaver
  • Chiroptera*
  • Czech Republic / epidemiology
  • Leptospira* / genetics
  • Leptospirosis* / epidemiology
  • Leptospirosis* / veterinary
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Slovakia / epidemiology

Substances

  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Grants and funding

The study was financially supported by the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic (No. NU21-05-00143) and FVHE/Pikula/ITA2021. The funders had no role in the study design, data analysis, and decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.