Dataset Information

The movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in sub-Saharan Africa assessed by stable isotope ratios.

ABSTRACT: Flying foxes (Pteropodidae) are key seed dispersers on the African continent, yet their migratory behavior is largely unknown. Here, we studied the movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, and other fruit bats by analyzing stable isotope ratios in fur collected from museum specimens. In a triple-isotope approach based on samples of two ecologically similar non-migratory pteropodids, we first confirmed that a stable isotope approach is capable of delineating between geographically distinct locations in Sub-Saharan Africa. A discriminant function analysis assigned 84% of individuals correctly to their capture site. Further, we assessed how well hydrogen stable isotope ratios (?(2)H) of fur keratin collected from non-migratory species (n = 191 individuals) records variation in ?(2)H of precipitation water in sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, we found positive, negative and no correlations within the six studied species. We then developed a reduced major axis regression equation based on individual data of non-migratory species to predict where potentially migratory E. helvum (n = 88) would come from based on their keratin ?(2)H. Across non-migratory species, ?(2)H of keratin and local water correlated positively. Based on the isoscape origin model, 22% of E. helvum were migratory, i.e. individuals had migrated over at least 250 km prior to their capture. Migratory individuals came from locations at a median distance of about 860 km from the collection site, four even from distances of at least 2,000 km. Ground-truthing of our isoscape origin model based on keratin ?(2)H of extant E. helvum (n = 76) supported a high predictive power of assigning the provenance of African flying foxes. Our study highlights that stable isotope ratios can be used to explain the migratory behavior of flying foxes, even on the isotopically relatively homogenous African continent, and with material collected by museums many decades or more than a century ago.

SUBMITTER: Ossa G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3448674 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in sub-Saharan Africa assessed by stable isotope ratios.

Ossa Gonzalo G Kramer-Schadt Stephanie S Peel Alison J AJ Scharf Anne K AK Voigt Christian C CC

PloS one 20120921 9

Flying foxes (Pteropodidae) are key seed dispersers on the African continent, yet their migratory behavior is largely unknown. Here, we studied the movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, and other fruit bats by analyzing stable isotope ratios in fur collected from museum specimens. In a triple-isotope approach based on samples of two ecologically similar non-migratory pteropodids, we first confirmed that a stable isotope approach is capable of delineating between geogra ...[more]

PMID: 23029206

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Project description:Bats are economically important animals and serve as food sources in some African regions. They can be colonized with the Staphylococcus aureus complex, which includes Staphylococcus schweitzeri and Staphylococcus argenteus. Fecal carriage of S. aureus complex in the straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) has been described. However, data on their transmission and adaptation in animals and humans are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the population structure of the S. aureus complex in E. helvum and to assess the geographical spread of S. aureus complex among other animals and humans. Fecal samples were collected from E. helvum in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, spa typing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Isolates were screened for the presence of lukS/lukF-PV and the immune evasion cluster (scn, sak, chp) which is frequently found in isolates adapted to the human host. A Neighbor-Joining tree was constructed using the concatenated sequences of the seven MLST genes. A total of 250 fecal samples were collected and 53 isolates were included in the final analysis. They were identified as S. aureus (n = 28), S. schweitzeri (n = 11) and S. argenteus (n = 14). Only one S. aureus was resistant to penicillin and another isolate was intermediately susceptible to tetracycline. The scn, sak, and chp gene were not detected. Species-specific MLST clonal complexes (CC) were detected for S. aureus (CC1725), S. argenteus (CC3960, CC3961), and S. schweitzeri (CC2463). STs of S. schweitzeri from this study were similar to STs from bats in Nigeria (ST2464) and Gabon (ST1700) or from monkey in Côte d'Ivoire (ST2058, ST2072). This suggests host adaptation of certain clones to wildlife mammals with a wide geographical spread in Africa. In conclusion, there is evidence of fecal carriage of members of S. aureus complex in E. helvum. S. schweitzeri from bats in Nigeria are closely related to those from bats and monkeys in West and Central Africa suggesting a cross-species transmission and wide geographical distribution. The low antimicrobial resistance rates and the absence of the immune evasion cluster suggests a limited exposure of these isolates to humans.

Project description:UnlabelledBats have been implicated as reservoirs of emerging viruses. Bat species forming large social groups and roosting in proximity to human communities are of particular interest. In this study, we sampled a colony of ca. 350,000 individuals of the straw-colored fruit bat Eidolon helvum in Kumasi, the second largest city of Ghana. A novel rhabdovirus (Kumasi rhabdovirus [KRV]) was isolated in E. helvum cell cultures and passaged to Vero cells as well as interferon-competent human and primate cells (A549 and MA104). Genome composition was typical for a rhabdovirus. KRV was detected in 5.1% of 487 animals, showing association with the spleen but not the brain. Antibody prevalence was 11.5% by immunofluorescence and 6.4% by plaque reduction virus neutralization test (PRNT). Detection throughout 3 sampling years was pronounced in both annual wet seasons, of which only one overlaps the postparturition season. Juvenile bats showed increased viral prevalence. No evidence of infection was obtained in 1,240 female mosquitos (6 different genera) trapped in proximity to the colony to investigate potential vector association. Antibodies were found in 28.9% (5.4% by PRNT) of 107 swine sera but not in similarly large collections of sheep, goat, or cattle sera. The antibody detection rate in human subjects with occupational exposure to the bat colony was 11% (5/45 persons), which was significantly higher than in unexposed adults (0.8% [1/118]; chi square, P < 0.001). KRV is a novel bat-associated rhabdovirus potentially transmitted to humans and swine. Disease associations should be investigated.ImportanceBats are thought to carry a huge number of as-yet-undiscovered viruses that may pose epidemic threats to humans and livestock. Here we describe a novel dimarhabdovirus which we isolated from a large colony of the straw-colored fruit bat Eidolon helvum in Ghana. As these animals are exposed to humans and several livestock species, we looked for antibodies indicating infection in humans, cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. Signs of infection were found in swine and humans, with increased antibody findings in humans who are occupationally exposed to the bat colony. Our data suggest that it is worthwhile to look for diseases caused by the novel virus in humans and livestock.

Dataset Information

The movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in sub-Saharan Africa assessed by stable isotope ratios.

Publications

The movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in sub-Saharan Africa assessed by stable isotope ratios.

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