Previous studies have indicated that the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria most commonly dominated the bat microbiome, while the phylum Bacteroidetes is relatively rare in the bat microbiome this is very similar to the microbiome makeup of other flying animals, but distinct from the microbiome compositions of other terrestrial mammals (especially humans and mice) ( 16, 17). Single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing from Pacific Bioscience (PacBio) has been used to gain a higher taxonomic resolution and identify specific effects (species level) within certain bacterial groups by providing near full-length reads of the 16S rRNA gene ( 15). The Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform has been used to identify the microbiota at the genus level based on the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene ( 14). Other bat intestinal and fecal microbes have not shown obvious pathogenicity but may be considered opportunistic pathogens ( 4), underscoring the importance of exploring the bat microbiota in more detail.Īmplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (containing nine variable regions, V1 to V9) is the most commonly used method and has proven to be a powerful strategy for the taxonomic classification of bacterial communities ( 13). These potential pathogens include Campylobacter ( 5, 6), Clostridium ( 7), Salmonella ( 8, – 10), Shigella ( 11), and Bartonella ( 12) species. Thus far, prior and current studies have primarily focused on viruses borne by bats, while the prevalence and abundance of pathogenic bacteria in bats and their associated potential public health significance have largely been neglected ( 3, 4).Īpart from viruses, research has shown that bat feces and intestines contain potential pathogens which can cause serious disease to their hosts or other animals. Recently, bats have attracted attention globally because of their zoonotic association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ( 2). They are also referred to as mobile “virus banks” ( 1).
The results of this study can be used as guidance for future investigations of bacterial pathogens in bats.īats (order Chiroptera) are the only flying mammals and have been identified as a natural reservoir of emerging and reemerging infectious pathogens. This study used high-throughput sequencing techniques (metataxonomics) in combination with traditional culture methods (culturomics) to analyze the bacterial flora in bat feces from different species of bats in China, revealing that bats are natural hosts of pathogenic bacteria and carry many unknown bacteria. However, the prevalence and abundance of pathogenic bacteria in bats have been largely ignored. In recent years, bat-borne viruses and the viral zoonotic diseases associated with bats have been studied in great detail. IMPORTANCE Bats are one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of mammals living in close proximity to humans. Additionally, nearly 40 potential novel species which may be potential bacterial pathogens were identified. Of note, 32 of the 89 (36.0%) known species revealed by PacBio sequencing were found to be pathogenic bacteria, and 69 of the 242 (28.5%) known species isolated by culturomics were harmful to people, animals, or plants. In addition, a total of 325 species were identified by culturomics, and these were classified into 242 named species and 83 potentially novel species. We detected 480 species-level phylotypes (SLPs) with PacBio sequencing, including 89 known species, 330 potentially new species, and 61 potentially higher taxa. and 36.3% in Hipposideros spp., but less than 2.7% in the other three bat species ( Taphozous spp., Rhinolophus spp., and Myotis spp.). The results revealed that the bat microbiome was most commonly dominated by Proteobacteria, while the strictly anaerobic phylum Bacteroidetes occupied 35.3% of the relative abundance in Rousettus spp. To this end, fecal samples were obtained from five bat species across different locations in China, and their microbiota composition was analyzed. For the first time, this study used both metataxonomics (16S rRNA marker gene sequencing) and culturomics (traditional culture methods) to systematically evaluate the potential public health significance of bat fecal pathogenic bacteria. Previous and ongoing studies have predominantly focused on bat-borne viruses however, the prevalence or abundance of bat-borne pathogenic bacteria and their potential public health significance have largely been neglected. Bats have attracted global attention because of their zoonotic association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
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