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Updated: Oct 4, 2025

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Microbiomes mediate host-parasite interactions.

Kelly A Speer1,2

  • 1Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.

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The skin and oral microbiome, but not the gut microbiome, correlate with parasite presence in bats. This suggests the microbiome may act as a chemical beacon guiding parasites to their hosts.

Keywords:
bacteriacoevolutioncommunity ecologyconservation biologyhost parasite interactions

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Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Parasitology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Parasites use chemical cues to find hosts, often assumed to originate directly from the host.
  • Emerging evidence suggests host microbiomes emit volatile organic compounds that attract or repel parasites.

Discussion:

  • Lutz et al. (2021) found skin and oral microbiomes differ in bats with and without parasites.
  • The study highlights the microbiome as a potential mediator in host-parasite interactions.
  • This challenges traditional views of host-parasite coevolutionary arms races.

Key Insights:

  • The skin and oral microbiomes, not the gut microbiome, are correlated with ecto- and endoparasite occurrence in Afrotropical bats.
  • The microbiome may function as a chemical beacon, attracting parasites to hosts.
  • This introduces a novel mechanism for parasite host-location and host-parasite interactions.

Outlook:

  • Future research should investigate the directionality of the microbiome-parasite relationship: does the microbiome attract parasites, or does infection alter the microbiome?
  • Understanding the microbiome's role necessitates expanding the view of host-parasite interactions to a tripartite system.
  • This research opens new avenues for exploring host-parasite coevolution dynamics.