title: Toxoplasma gondii: prevalence in species and genotypes of British bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus).
abstract: Few studies have investigated Toxoplasma gondii infections in bat populations and none have reported its presence in protected British bat species. Using a collection of dead/euthanased bats collected from Lancashire, UK, two species of bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus) were tested using a highly sensitive SAG1-PCR method specific for detection of T. gondii DNA (n=77; 71 P. pipistrellus and 6 P. pygmaeus). Whilst some potential bias may exist in the sampling strategy, an overall prevalence of 10.39% (±6.06%; 95%CI) was detected. All P. pipistrellus, were also genotyped using eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci to determine their local population structure. The programme STRUCTURE revealed that the majority of individuals (83%) were derived from one interbreeding population, and the remaining individuals (17%) had mixed genetic origins. There was no significant difference in the frequency of T. gondii infection or geographical distribution between subclusters. As all British bats are insectivorous, the routes of infection with T. gondii remain elusive. However, the locally large and panmictic gene pool suggests that intraspecies transmission could be applicable.
authors.affiliation: Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
authors.forename: Nicole S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.affiliation: Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK; South Lancashire Bat Group, P.O. Box 512, Bury, Lancashire BL8 9FB, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.affiliation: Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jehle
authors.affiliation: South Lancashire Bat Group, P.O. Box 512, Bury, Lancashire BL8 9FB, UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: South Lancashire Bat Group, P.O. Box 512, Bury, Lancashire BL8 9FB, UK.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK.
authors.forename: Darren R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: Ecosystems and Environment Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK; Biomedical Research Centre, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford M5 4WT, UK. Electronic address: g.hide@salford.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hide
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005828:Genetics, Population; D060005:Genotyping Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Bats; Genotyping; Pipistrellus pipistrellus; Pipistrellus pygmaeus; STRUCTURE; Toxoplasma gondii