Hepatocystis and Nycteria (Haemosporida) parasite infections of bats in the Central Region of Cameroon

Hepatocystis and Nycteria (Haemosporida) parasite infections of bats in the Central Region of Cameroon

Mammalian haemosporidian parasites are classified in ten genera, including Plasmodium, Hepatocystis and Nycteria. A high diversity of haemosporidian parasites has been described from bats, but our understanding of their prevalence, distribution and use of hosts remain fragmented. The haemosporidian...

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Published in:Parasitology Vol. 149; no. 1; pp. 51 - 58
Main Authors: Tsague, K. J. A., Bakwo Fils, E. M., Atagana, J. P., Dongue, N. V., Mbeng, D. W., Schaer, J., Tchuinkam, T.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-01-2022
Subjects:
Animals
Bats
Bird Diseases
Cameroon - epidemiology
Chiroptera
Chiroptera - parasitology
Cytochrome
Genera
Genes
Haemosporida - genetics
Hepatocystis
Host specificity
Infections
Malaria
Morphology
Parasites
Parasitic Diseases
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Protozoan Infections, Animal - epidemiology
Protozoan Infections, Animal - parasitology
Software
Cameroon
Bats
Hepatocystis
Haemosporidia
Chiroptera
Nycteria
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Summary:Mammalian haemosporidian parasites are classified in ten genera, including Plasmodium, Hepatocystis and Nycteria. A high diversity of haemosporidian parasites has been described from bats, but our understanding of their prevalence, distribution and use of hosts remain fragmented. The haemosporidian parasites of bats in Cameroon have been largely understudied, but here, bats, sampled from different habitat types of the Central Region of Cameroon, were investigated for haemosporidian infections with a combination of microscopic and molecular phylogenetic analysis. An overall prevalence of 18.1% of haemosporidian infections was detected in a total of 155 investigated bats belonging to 14 bat species. For the first time Hepatocystis and Nycteria parasites were detected in bats from Cameroon and molecularly characterized. Hepatocystis infections were exclusively identified in the epauletted fruit bat host species Epomophorus pusillus with a high prevalence of 65.5%, whereas Nycteria infections could be detected in several hosts, namely: Doryrhina cyclops (60.0%), Rhinolophus landeri (20.0%) and one Nycteris grandis. This study unveils evidence that habitat types may play a role in transmission of Hepatocystis parasites on a local scale and it adds important information on the distribution and host specificity of the neglected haemosporidian genus Nycteria.
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ISSN:0031-1820
1469-8161
DOI:10.1017/S0031182021001542