Diversity of filariae circulating in South Caucasian bats and their ectoparasites.

ABSTRACT: Recent research on chiropteran parasites suggests a high prevalence and diversity, and extensive spatial distribution of filarial species; however, ecological and phylogenetic studies are still in their infancy. We sampled blood from 78 bat specimens, collected 1181 ectoparasites at summer colonies in Armenia and Georgia, and used nested-PCR targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene to detect and genotype filarial parasites. The overall prevalence of filarial DNA was 17.9% in blood samples from Myotis blythii, Myotis emarginatus, Miniopterus schreibersii, and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, and 8.5% in ectoparasites, including two mite species (Eyndhovenia euryalis and Spinturnix myoti) and two bat flies (Nycteribia kolen

SUBMITTER: Bednarikova S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12392314 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature