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We captured, ectoparasite-combed, and blood-sampled cave-roosting Madagascan fruit bats (Eidolon dupreanum) and tree-roosting Madagascan flying foxes (Pteropus rufus) in four single-species roosts within a sympatric geographic foraging range for these species in central Madagascar. We describe infection with novel Bartonella spp. in sampled Eidolon dupreanum and associated bat flies (Cyclopodia dubia), which nest close to or within major known Bartonella lineages; simultaneously, we report the absence of Bartonella spp. in Thaumapsylla sp. fleas collected from these same bats. This represents the first documented finding of Bartonella infection in these species of bat and bat fly, as well as a new geographic record for Thaumapsylla sp. We further relate the absence of both Bartonella spp. and ectoparasites in sympatrically sampled Pteropus rufus, thus suggestive of a potential role for bat flies in Bartonella spp. transmission. These findings shed light on transmission ecology of bat-borne Bartonella spp., recently demonstrated as a potentially zoonotic pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which examined the population genetic structure of the pteropodid fruit bat Eidolon (E.) dupreanum. Topics discussed include the divergence between E. dupreanum and E. helvum, the demographic history of the two species and the dispersal process for E. dupreanum. Also discussed is the potential of E. dupreanum as a reservoir host for human-infecting pathogens.

Previous and ongoing studies have incriminated bats as reservoirs of several emerging and re-emerging zoonoses. Most of these studies, however, have focused on viral agents and neglected important bacterial pathogens. To date, there has been no report investigating the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in bats and bat flies from Nigeria, despite the fact that bats are used as food and for cultural ritual purposes by some ethnic groups in Nigeria. To elucidate the role of bats as reservoirs of bartonellae, we screened by molecular methods 148 bats and 34 bat flies, Diptera:Hippoboscoidea:Nycteribiidae ( Cyclopodia greeffi) from Nigeria for Bartonella spp. Overall, Bartonella spp. DNA was detected in 76 out of 148 (51.4%) bat blood samples tested and 10 out of 24 (41.7%) bat flies tested by qPCR targeting the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) locus. Bartonella was isolated from 23 of 148 (15.5%) bat blood samples, and the isolates were genetically characterized. Prevalence of Bartonella spp. culture-positive samples ranged from 0% to 45.5% among five bat species. Micropterus spp. bats had a significantly higher relative risk of 3.45 for being culture positive compared to Eidolon helvum, Epomophorus spp., Rhinolophus spp., and Chaerephon nigeriae. Bartonella spp. detected in this study fall into three distinct clusters along with other Bartonella spp. isolated from bats and bat flies from Kenya and Ghana, respectively. The isolation of Bartonella spp. in 10.0-45.5% of four out of five bat species screened in this study indicates a widespread infection in bat population in Nigeria. Further investigation is warranted to determine the role of these bacteria as a cause of human and animal diseases in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats, a globally distributed group of mammals with high ecological importance, are increasingly recognized as natural reservoir hosts for viral agents of significance to human and animal health. In the present study, we evaluated pools of blood samples obtained from two phylogenetically distant bat families, in particular from flying foxes (Pteropodidae), Eidolon helvum in West Africa, and from two species of New World leaf-nosed fruit bats (Phyllostomidae), Artibeus jamaicensis and Artibeus lituratus in Central America. A sequence-independent virus discovery technique (VIDISCA) was used in combination with high throughput sequencing to detect two novel parvoviruses: a PARV4-like virus named Eh-BtPV-1 in Eidolon helvum from Ghana and the first member of a putative new genus in Artibeus jamaicensis from Panama (Aj-BtPV-1). Those viruses were circulating in the corresponding bat colony at rates of 7-8%. Aj-BtPV-1 was also found in Artibeus lituratus (5.5%). Both viruses were detected in the blood of infected animals at high concentrations: up to 10E8 and to 10E10 copies/ml for Aj-BtPV-1 and Eh-BtPV-1 respectively. Eh-BtPV-1 was additionally detected in all organs collected from bats (brain, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and intestine) and spleen and kidneys were identified as the most likely sites where viral replication takes place. Our study shows that bat parvoviruses share common ancestors with known parvoviruses of humans and livestock. We also provide evidence that a variety of Parvovirinae are able to cause active infection in bats and that they are widely distributed in these animals with different geographic origin, ecologies and climatic ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors determined the ability of two old-world non-echolocating bats, Eidolon helvum and Cynopterus brachyotis, to use binaural time and intensity difference cues for localization. The bats were trained to localize pure tones throughout most of their hearing range from loudspeakers located 30° to the left and right of midline. Both species easily localized high frequency tones, indicating they could use the interaural intensity difference cue. However, neither was able to localize low frequency tones even when the tones were amplitude modulated thereby indicating that they could not use ongoing phase difference cues. The authors now know of eight mammals that do not use binaural phase cues for localization, and some possible reasons for this inability are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the diet of the endemic fruit bat Eidolon dupreanum (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in eastern Madagascar. We collected faecal and ejecta samples under day roosts and at nocturnal feeding trees. Eidolon dupreanum ate mainly fruit, although Eucalyptus spp. flowers were also consumed. In total, 30 plant species (fourteen identified and sixteen unidentified) were recorded in the diet, including six introduced taxa. Polyscias spp. trees, which occurred in humid forest at least 5 km from the roost, were the most frequently recorded plant in the diet. Fruits of Psidium spp. were abundant near to the roost but relatively uncommon in the faeces. Passage through the alimentary canal was limited to seeds <7 mm and there was some evidence for a positive effect on germination after passage through bats’ stomachs. The role of fruit bats as seed dispersers in forest ecosystems in Madagascar should be used as an additional leverage for their conservation. Résumé Nous avons étudié le régime alimentaire de la roussette endémique Eidolon dupreanum (Chiroptères: Pteropodidae) dans l'est de Madagascar. Nous avons récolté des échantillons de crottes et d’éjections sous les perchoirs diurnes et les arbres qui les nourrissent pendant la nuit. Eidolon dupreanum mange principalement des fruits même s'il consomme aussi des fleurs d’ Eucalyptus spp. Au total, on a relevé 30 espèces végétales (14 identifiées et 16 non identifiées), y compris six taxons introduits, dans les matières consommées. Les arbres de Polyscias spp. qui poussent dans la forêt humide située à cinq kilomètres, au moins, des abris diurnes étaient l'espèce la plus souvent rapportée dans le régime alimentaire. Les fruits de Psidium spp. étaient abondants près de l'abri mais relativement peu communs dans les excréments. Le passage dans le tube digestif était limitéà des semences de moins de 7 mm, et il semblait y avoir des preuves d'un effet positif de leur passage par l'estomac des chauves-souris sur leur germination. On pourrait invoquer le rôle des roussettes dans la dispersion des semences dans les écosystèmes forestiers de Madagascar pour justifier davantage leur conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specimens were obtained from the 3 Malagasy fruit bats, Pteropus rufus, Eidolon dupreanum, and Rousettus madagascariensis. Antibodies against Nipah, Hendra, and Tioman viruses were detected by immunoassay in 23 and by serum neutralization tests in 3 of 427 serum samples, which suggests that related viruses have circulated in Madagascar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]