title: Serological evidence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in five species of bats in China.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that can infect almost all warm-blooded animals and humans with a worldwide distribution. Bats are reservoirs for an increasing number of emerging zoonotic viruses, such as henipaviruses and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). However, little is known of T. gondii infection in bats. The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in bats in China. A total of 217 serum samples from 5 species of bats were collected between April, 2010, and August, 2011, from 4 provinces in China. Antibodies to T. gondii were determined using the modified agglutination test (MAT, 1:25 or higher). Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 26.5% (18/68) Megaderma lyra, 13.6% (12/88) Rousettus leschenaulti, 13.6% (3/22) Cynopterus sphinx, 20% (4/20) Vespertilio superaus, and 15.8% (3/19) Pipistrellus javanicus. Antibody titers ranged from 1:25 to 1:400, with titers of 1:200 detected in 4 of the 5 bat species. The present study suggests the likely occurrence of T. gondii infection in bats in China, and these bats are new putative hosts for T. gondii, which may pose a threat to human health.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zi-Guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Sheng-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jitender P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: Dong-Hui
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yan-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xian-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiu-Xiang
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xing-Quan
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan