Non-invasive investigation of Polychromophilus parasite infections in bat populations in Serbia using bat flies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Haemosporidian parasites of the genus Polychromophilus infect bats worldwide. They are vectored by obligate ectoparasitic bat flies of the family Nycteribiidae. Despite their global distribution, only five Polychromophilus morphospecies have been described to date. The two predominant species, Polychromophilus melanipherus and Polychromophilus murinus, are broadly distributed and mainly infect miniopterid and vespertilionid bats, respectively. In areas where species from different bat families aggregate together, the infection dynamics and ability of either Polychromophilus species to infect other host families is poorly characterized.

Methods

We collected 215 bat flies from two bat species, Miniopterus schreibersii and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, which sometimes f

SUBMITTER: Bajic B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10214537 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature