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What's the risk? Identifying potential human pathogens within grey-headed flying foxes faeces
Rebekah Henry1, Penelope Galbraith1, Scott Coutts2
1Environmental and Public Health Microbiology Laboratory (EPHM Lab), Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Plos One
|January 24, 2018
Summary
Grey-headed flying foxes carry zoonotic bacteria, posing a human health risk. This study identified specific bacterial pathogens in their feces, like Haemophilus and Salmonella, highlighting potential disease transmission routes.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Zoonotic Diseases
- Wildlife Health
Background:
- Pteropus poliocephalus (grey-headed flying foxes) are known vectors for human pathogens, but research has mainly focused on viruses, neglecting bacterial risks.
- Bacterial zoonoses from flying foxes represent a significant, understudied public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize fecal-derived zoonotic bacteria in grey-headed flying foxes.
- To assess the potential human health risks associated with bacterial pathogens carried by these bats.
Main Methods:
- 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to analyze bacterial communities in flying fox feces.
- Community analysis and a multi-tiered database approach were employed for OTU picking.
- Two colonies of P. poliocephalus in Victoria, Australia, were sampled.
Main Results:
- Enterobacteriaceae, Pasteurellaceae, and Moraxellaceae were the dominant bacterial families found in feces.
- 34 potential bacterial pathogens from 15 genera were identified.
- Pathogenic species clusters like Haemophilus and Salmonella were present at high proportions, indicating a greater human disease risk.
Conclusions:
- Flying fox feces harbor diverse zoonotic bacteria, with specific genera posing a higher risk due to low infectious doses and transmission modes.
- This research advances understanding of bacterial disease risks from flying foxes, informing future risk assessments.
- Further epidemiological and quantitative microbial risk assessments are needed to fully define health risks.
