DNA evidence of Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania species in free-ranging bats from an endemic area in Veracruz, Mexico.

Abstract

The family Trypanosomatidae includes parasitic genera of medical importance, such as Leishmania and Trypanosoma, which cause leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, respectively. Although these parasites have complex life cycles involving insect vectors and mammalian hosts, the role of bats in these cycles remains poorly understood. This study aimed to identify Leishmania and Trypanosoma species associated with bats in an endemic area in southeastern Veracruz, Mexico. Bats were captured with mist nets at three tropical sites, and species were identified morphologically. Molecular detection was performed by PCR amplification of the 18S rDNA and ITS-1 regions. Overall, 43 bats belonging to eight species and three families were examined. Trypanosomatid DNA was detected in four individuals (9.3%; 4/43). Leishmania mexicana was identified in two specimens of Pteronotus fulvus (4.6%; 2/43). Leishmania infantum was detected for the first time in Pteronotus mesoamericanus (2.3%; 1/43). Trypanosoma cruzi was identified in a single specimen of Choeroniscus godmani (2.3%; 1/43). These findings expand the known host range of trypanosomatids in Mexico and suggest that bats may play an underrecognized role in maintaining these parasites in endemic tropical regions.