Mini Elucidation on Some Parasites in bats
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Bats (Order Chiroptera) are ecologically important mammals providing pest control, pollination and seed dispersal, but they also harbor diverse parasitic fauna with zoonotic potential. This paper provides a mini elucidation on some parasites identified in bats with emphasis on epidemiology, taxonomy, life cycles and public health significance. Epidemiological surveys across Nepal, Iran, Ghana and Nigeria reveal high prevalence of gastrointestinal and haemo-parasites. In south-central Nepal (July 2018-Feb 2019), faecal analysis of frugivorous and insectivorous bats using wet mount, flotation, sedimentation, acid-fast staining and sporulation assay detected Entamoeba spp., Hymenolepis spp., Isospora spp., Oxyurid spp., Strongyle spp., Strongyloides spp., Eimeria spp., Capillarid_ spp., Cryptosporidium spp. and Ascarid spp., with higher threat in insectivorous bats. In Persian Gulf Coastal Iran, Rhinopoma muscatellum and R. microphyllum showed 26.7% helminth infection with Lecithodendrium spp. and Castoria spp. being most prevalent. In Ghana (480 bats, 2014), ectoparasites Spinturnix americana, Carpoglyphus spp., Ancystropus zeleborii dominated in adults, while haemoparasites occurred in 48%, with ticks transmitting Borrelia, Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, mites causing acariasis and bugs transmitting trypanosomes. In Amurum, Nigeria, Hepatocystis prevalence was 25-42% in fruit bats, while Anambra State survey identified Cimicidae, Nycteribiidae, Ixodes veretillomis, Leptotrombidium spp., Macronyssus spp., Plasmodium and Trypanosoma spp. This overview also details Penicillidia conspicua (Nycteribiidae), a wingless, hematophagous bat fly highly specific to Miniopterus schreibersii with obligate pseudo-placental unilarviparity, Hepatocystis spp. transmitted by Culicoides midges, Ascaridia spp., Eimeria spp. with 31 species in bats, and Cryptosporidium spp. with zoonotic species C. hominis and C. parvum reported globally at 0.7-50% prevalence. Bats play significant roles as reservoirs and vectors of zoonotic parasites.
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