Hemoplasmas can cause severe hemolytic anemia in humans. To explore the genetic diversity and the potential transmission routes of hemoplasmas among bat population, bats and bat-ectoparasites including bat-flies, bat-mites, and bat-ticks were collected in Eastern and Central China from 2015 to 2021, and tested with PCR for hemoplasmas 16S rRNA gene. Based on 16S rRNA PCR, 18.0% (103/572) adult bats were positive for hemoplasmas, but none of 11 fetuses from hemoplasmas-positive pregnant bats was positive for hemoplasmas. These results indicated that adult bats had a high prevalence of hemoplasma, but vertical transmission of hemoplasmas did not occurr in the bats. Based on the 16S rRNA gene PCR, the minimum infection rate of bat-ectoparasite for hemoplasmas was 4.0% (27/676), suggesting that bat-ectoparasite also had a high prevalence for hemoplasmas. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that bat hemoplasmas from this study clustered into 4 genotypes (I-IV). Genotype I clustered together with hemoplasmas identified in bats from America. Genotype II shared high similarity with a human-pathogenic hemoplasma Candidatus Mycoplasma haemohominis. Genotype III and IV were unique, representing 2 new hemoplasma genotypes. Only genotype I was identified in both bats and all bat-ectoparasites including bat-flies, bat-mites, and bat-ticks. In conclusion, bats and bat-ectoparasites from China harbored abundant genetically diverse hemoplasmas including potential human-pathogenic hemoplasmas, indicating bats and bat-ectoparasites may play important roles in the maintenance and transmission of hemoplasmas in the natural foci.
Keywords: Bat; Ectoparasites; Genetic diversity; Hemoplasmas; Hemotropic mycoplasmas.
© 2023 The Author(s).