Leptospira and bats : story of an emerging friendship
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Date
Authors
Dietrich, Muriel
Muhldorfer, Kristin
Tortosa, Pablo
Markotter, Wanda
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Public Library of Science
Abstract
A growing number of recent studies have highlighted bats as a reservoir for Leptospira bacteria,
pointing out the potential role of bats in the epidemiology of the most widespread zoonotic disease
in the world [1]. Because leptospirosis is a largely neglected disease, a number of unanswered
questions remain about the ecology and evolution of Leptospira, especially those
associated with bats. Here we summarize what has been recently learned about this emerging
but enigmatic host–pathogen association. We show how this system can provide exciting new
opportunities to obtain insights into the evolutionary ecology of bat-borne pathogens and propose
future directions to disentangle the role of bats in human leptospirosis.
Description
Keywords
Bats, Leptospira bacteria, Pathogen association, Human leptospirosis
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Dietrich M, Mühldorfer K, Tortosa P,
Markotter W (2015) Leptospira and Bats: Story of an
Emerging Friendship. PLoS Pathog 11(11):
e1005176. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005176.