Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background. Bats are associated with the emergence and reemergence of pathogenic microorganisms that cause diseases important to public or animal health. Therefore, research is conducted worldwide with these mammals to understand their role in the transmission cycles of pathogens. Most studies are conducted on viruses; however, studies on other pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, have significantly increased in recent decades. In Mexico, these studies have focused on genera of public or animal health importance, such as Leptospira, Rickettsia, and Bartonella, among others. Objective. To present a descriptive and updated review of the literature on bats from Mexico and bacteria genera of public and animal health importance, including general characteristics of these animals and the identified bacterial genera. Methodology. A search was conducted in the databases Pubmed, Science Direct, Wiley Library, and Scielo, and in the search engines Google and Google Scholar. Combinations of Spanish and English keywords related to the objective were used. The years considered in the search were 2010 to 2024. For each database and search engine, the number of items returned that were evaluated using different inclusion and exclusion criteria was recorded. Implications. Ten manuscripts related to the objective were selected. The information allowed the identification of bat species as hosts or reservoirs of bacterial genera important to public and animal health in Mexico. It also identified the need to conduct epidemiological studies with these animals to determine the risk of transmission of pathogenic bacteria to other susceptible hosts, including humans. Conclusions. Bat species from different trophic guilds have been associated with members of bacterial genera important to public and animal health in Mexico, including Leptospira, Borrelia, Bartonella, Rickettsia, Salmonella, Shigella, Legionella y Streptococcus. Records of bats as hosts of these bacteria are found in nine states of Mexico, which indicates the need for research in other regions of the country to understand the transmission cycles of the bacteria and the epidemiology of the diseases they cause. Most studies are descriptive, so epidemiological research is needed to explore the risk of transmission of bacteria to susceptible hosts, including humans, companion animals, and farm animals.
DOI: 10.56369/tsaes.5878
Institution: Autonomous University of Yucatán
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $150
OpenAlex ID: W4409908618