Abstract:
Despite their relatively long life-spans, reports of neoplasia in bats are rare and are limited
to a handful of cases. In this report, we describe a 2-year-old female wild Cape serotine bat
(Laephotis capensis) that had been caught by a domestic cat and presented with a skin mass over the
chest area. Histopathological analysis of a subsequent biopsy revealed proliferating sheets of neoplastic
round cells, occasionally appearing to form packets, supported by a fine, fibrovascular stroma.
Marked nuclear pleomorphism was seen, as well as a high mitotic count. Immunohistochemistry
displayed positive labelling for MUM1 in the neoplastic cells. The diagnosis was extramedullary
plasmacytoma (EMP); a neoplasm consisting of plasma cells derived from B lymphocytes. Due to a
deteriorating condition, the bat was anaesthetised, and the mass was surgically removed two weeks
later. However, the bat succumbed under the anaesthetic. Histopathological examination of the
mass showed the same neoplastic cell population as observed in the biopsy; in addition, there was a
locally extensive infiltration of neoplastic cells in the spleen and a mild presence of neoplastic cells in
circulation. This is the first report of an EMP in a bat, and we compare the findings with that seen in
dogs and cats.
