Bartonella species in bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) from western Africa

S. A. Billeter; D. T.S. Hayman; A. J. Peel; K. Baker; J. L.N. Wood; A. Cunningham; R. Suu-Ire; K. Dittmar; M. Y. Kosoy

doi:10.1017/S0031182011002113

Bartonella species in bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) from western Africa

S. A. Billeter
, D. T.S. Hayman
, A. J. Peel
, K. Baker
, J. L.N. Wood
, A. Cunningham
, R. Suu-Ire
, K. Dittmar
, M. Y. Kosoy

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Animal and Plant Health Agency
University of Cambridge
Zoological Society of London Institute of Zoology
Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission
The State University of New York at Buffalo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

80 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Bat flies are obligate ectoparasites of bats and it has been hypothesized that they may be involved in the transmission of Bartonella species between bats. A survey was conducted to identify whether Cyclopodia greefi greefi (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) collected from Ghana and 2 islands in the Gulf of Guinea harbour Bartonella. In total, 137 adult flies removed from Eidolon helvum, the straw-coloured fruit bat, were screened for the presence of Bartonella by culture and PCR analysis. Bartonella DNA was detected in 91 (66·4%) of the specimens examined and 1 strain of a Bartonella sp., initially identified in E. helvum blood from Kenya, was obtained from a bat fly collected in Ghana. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report the identification and isolation of Bartonella in bat flies from western Africa.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	324-329
Number of pages	6
Journal	Parasitology
Volume	139
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182011002113
Publication status	Published - Mar 2012
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Africa
Bartonella
Cyclopodia bat fly
Eidolon helvum
PCR
bat
culture

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10.1017/S0031182011002113

Cite this

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title = "Bartonella species in bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) from western Africa",

abstract = "Bat flies are obligate ectoparasites of bats and it has been hypothesized that they may be involved in the transmission of Bartonella species between bats. A survey was conducted to identify whether Cyclopodia greefi greefi (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) collected from Ghana and 2 islands in the Gulf of Guinea harbour Bartonella. In total, 137 adult flies removed from Eidolon helvum, the straw-coloured fruit bat, were screened for the presence of Bartonella by culture and PCR analysis. Bartonella DNA was detected in 91 (66·4\%) of the specimens examined and 1 strain of a Bartonella sp., initially identified in E. helvum blood from Kenya, was obtained from a bat fly collected in Ghana. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report the identification and isolation of Bartonella in bat flies from western Africa.",

keywords = "Africa, Bartonella, Cyclopodia bat fly, Eidolon helvum, PCR, bat, culture",

author = "Billeter, \{S. A.\} and Hayman, \{D. T.S.\} and Peel, \{A. J.\} and K. Baker and Wood, \{J. L.N.\} and A. Cunningham and R. Suu-Ire and K. Dittmar and Kosoy, \{M. Y.\}",

year = "2012",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1017/S0031182011002113",

language = "English",

volume = "139",

pages = "324--329",

journal = "Parasitology",

issn = "0031-1820",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Bartonella species in bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) from western Africa

AU - Billeter, S. A.

AU - Hayman, D. T.S.

AU - Peel, A. J.

AU - Baker, K.

AU - Wood, J. L.N.

AU - Cunningham, A.

AU - Suu-Ire, R.

AU - Dittmar, K.

AU - Kosoy, M. Y.

PY - 2012/3

Y1 - 2012/3

N2 - Bat flies are obligate ectoparasites of bats and it has been hypothesized that they may be involved in the transmission of Bartonella species between bats. A survey was conducted to identify whether Cyclopodia greefi greefi (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) collected from Ghana and 2 islands in the Gulf of Guinea harbour Bartonella. In total, 137 adult flies removed from Eidolon helvum, the straw-coloured fruit bat, were screened for the presence of Bartonella by culture and PCR analysis. Bartonella DNA was detected in 91 (66·4%) of the specimens examined and 1 strain of a Bartonella sp., initially identified in E. helvum blood from Kenya, was obtained from a bat fly collected in Ghana. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report the identification and isolation of Bartonella in bat flies from western Africa.

AB - Bat flies are obligate ectoparasites of bats and it has been hypothesized that they may be involved in the transmission of Bartonella species between bats. A survey was conducted to identify whether Cyclopodia greefi greefi (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) collected from Ghana and 2 islands in the Gulf of Guinea harbour Bartonella. In total, 137 adult flies removed from Eidolon helvum, the straw-coloured fruit bat, were screened for the presence of Bartonella by culture and PCR analysis. Bartonella DNA was detected in 91 (66·4%) of the specimens examined and 1 strain of a Bartonella sp., initially identified in E. helvum blood from Kenya, was obtained from a bat fly collected in Ghana. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to report the identification and isolation of Bartonella in bat flies from western Africa.

KW - Africa

KW - Bartonella

KW - Cyclopodia bat fly

KW - Eidolon helvum

KW - PCR

KW - bat

KW - culture

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84858854852

U2 - 10.1017/S0031182011002113

DO - 10.1017/S0031182011002113

M3 - Article

C2 - 22309510

AN - SCOPUS:84858854852

SN - 0031-1820

VL - 139

SP - 324

EP - 329

JO - Parasitology

JF - Parasitology

IS - 3

ER -

Bartonella species in bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae) from western Africa

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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