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Relapsing fever Borrelia puertoricensis in migratory Mexican free-tailed bats, Oklahoma, USA, 2022–2023

Year: 2026

Type: preprint

Abstract: in migratory Mexican free-tailed bats sampled in Oklahoma during 2022 and 2023, representing only the second detection of this relapsing fever species in wild vertebrates. Although prevalence was low (0.79%), our findings suggest migratory bats could contribute to dispersal of tick-borne pathogens in North America.

Source: bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

DOI: 10.64898/2026.01.13.699129

Authors: Daniel J. Becker, Kristin E. Dyer, Beckett L. Olbrys, Mackenzie G. Hightower, Meagan Allira, Bret Demory, Lauren R. Lock, Kiersten N. Taylor, Nakib N. Bhata, Selena M. Hernandez, Paul A. Lawson, Noha H. Youssef, Samuel L. Miller, Mostafa S. Elshahed, Taylor B. Verrett, Kerry L. Clark

Institutions: University of Oklahoma, University of North Florida, Oklahoma State University

Language: English

Topic: Vector-borne infectious diseases

Subfield: Parasitology

Field: Immunology and Microbiology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, University of Oklahoma, Edward Mallinckrodt, Jr. Foundation, National Institutes of Health

Awards: BII: Predicting the global host-virus network from molecular foundations, G5929930863, Oklahoma Center for Microbiome Research, G9000069026

OpenAlex ID: W7124153736

Cites: 15

Cited by: 1

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