Detection of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi in Brazilian bats

Although bats are one of the most abundant mammals in the new world and are present in virtually all ecosystems, including urban and peri-urban environments, few studies have investigated the role of these animals in the epidemiological chain of leishmaniosis. Here, we report a study of 683 bats captured in São Paulo county (southeastern from Brazil), which were screened by serology, parasitologic methods and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for trypanosomatids. The indirect immunofluorescent antibody test demonstrated that 0.9% of bats react positively for leishmaniosis and PCR detected the presence of DNA of Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis in 18 bats and Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum chagasi in 3 specimens. These results indicate that further studies are necessary to evaluate the role of bats in maintenance of the Leishmania life cycle, especially in areas where these diseases are endemic.