ABSTRACT
Bats may be important in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii because they can be sentinels and can spread infection. Most bats are herbivores and some are insectivores. Insectivorous bats can consume up to twice of their weight daily and need large amounts of water. In a study in China, T. gondii DNA was detected in tissues of 49 of 608 bats tested. 682 DNA from 5 of these 49 samples was genotyped using 10 PCR-RFLP markers; ToxoDB genotypes were #9 in 1 and genotype #10 in 4. Viable T. gondii was isolated from pools of tissues from bats. T. gondii DNA was detected in pepsin digested muscles of bats. Fatal toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in 2 juvenile captive bats of the genus Pipistrellus in 2 different facilities in Australia. Bat 1 had rear limb paralysis, respiratory distress and was vocal. Tissue cysts were detected in the heart and skeletal muscle and diagnosis was confirmed by IHC testing.
