Detection of Leishmania Mexicana in the Broad-Tailed Bat Nyctinomops Laticaudatus (chiroptera: Molossidae) in Southeastern Mexico

Several bat species have been reported as hosts of Leishmania parasites in the Americas. It has been suggested that some bat species may be potential reservoirs of Leishmania species due to their contact with sand fly vectors. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of Leishmania mexicana in two populations of Nyctinomops laticaudatus in Yucatan, Mexico. Cave-dwelling bats from the municipalities of Calcehtok and Homún were captured bimonthly in 2024. Blood samples of N. laticaudatus were analyzed by PCR to amplify the ITS region. Leishmania mexicana DNA was found in 66.5% (141/212) of the bats. Logistic regression models indicate that bats captured in September and November had a lower probability of infection in comparison with those captured in January through July. In addition, bats captured in Homún had a higher probability of being infected than those captured in Calcehtok. In this study, we report L. mexicana in N. laticaudatus for the first time in the Americas. The seasonal variation of the prevalence of L. mexicana in N. laticaudatus was similar to that documented in humans, small rodents and vectors in the Yucatan Peninsula. Our findings demonstrated the presence of L. mexicana DNA in blood samples from a high proportion of bats throughout the sampling year. This may suggest a frequent interaction of bats with vectors and that N. laticaudatus may be a suitable host for L. mexicana in the region.