# Detection of Bartonella spp. in a Pipistrellus Pipistrellus Bat from Portugal

## TL;DR

This study found a pathogenic Bartonella bacterium in a bat from Portugal, suggesting bats may contribute to its spread.

## Contribution

The detection of Bartonella spp. in a Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat in Portugal expands knowledge of zoonotic pathogens in southern Europe.

## Key findings

- One out of 71 bats tested positive for Bartonella spp. via PCR and DNA sequencing.
- The detected Bartonella strain is genetically similar to a known pathogenic strain affecting humans and animals.

## Abstract

The Bartonella genus includes several already known pathogenic species, capable of infecting humans and animals. Bats can be reservoirs for Bartonella spp., and various cases of this have been reported around the world. In order to expand the current knowledge of Bartonella in these reservoirs in Portugal, 71 bats were tested using PCR and bidirectional DNA sequencing, with one being positive. This finding may give new insights about the pathogens present in bat populations in southern Europe.

In recent years, zoonotic pathogens have become increasingly more relevant in scientific research due to their implications on public health. Understanding their pathogenic potential, the pathways they use to infect and their reservoirs enables better care for both human and animal patients, and possible infection outbreaks can be more easily contained. Bartonella belongs to a vast list of zoonotic pathogens that can infect mammals, including humans, but also companion animals and wildlife, and is capable of causing disease. Bats are a possible source and reservoir of this bacterial genus, and Bartonella spp. has already been identified in these animals in several countries. Using these premises, skin samples of the pinna and wing of 71 bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) collected from southern Portugal were tested through PCR for the presence of Bartonella spp., and positive results were found in 1.41% (1/71). The sequence obtained shared genetic proximity with an already known pathogenic Bartonella strain that affects both humans and animals. From the public health perspective, these findings suggest that bats may play a role in the transmission of this pathogen and provides new insights into the presence of this agent in Portugal.