Mortality in neonate bats infested by ectoparasite bugs in India; humans are at risk too

Shanti Lal Choubisa; Pallavi  Choubisa

doi:10.59400/ephr1778

Shanti Lal Choubisa Department of Advanced Science and Technology, National Institute of Medical Science and Research, NIMS University Rajasthan, Jaipur 303121, Rajasthan, India; Former Department of Zoology, Government Meera Girls College, Udaipur 303002, Rajasthan, India
Pallavi Choubisa Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, RNT Medical College and Pannadhay Janana Hospital, Udaipur 313001, Rajasthan, India

Article ID: 1778

Keywords: Asian yellow bats (Scotophilus kuhlii); neonate bats; bat-bugs; ectoparasite; health; humans; infestation; insects; India

Abstract

Human bed-bugs are well known and are found almost all over the world. Many types of bugs that infest various species of bats (Chiroptera: Mammalia) are found in different geographical areas or ecosystems, feeding on their blood. These small bugs, which are external parasitic insects, belong to the family Cimicidae of the order Hemiptera of the class Insecta of the phylum Arthropoda of the animal kingdom. Their bites can cause negative health effects in humans such as skin reactions, anemia, insomnia, anxiety, and panic attacks. Although their bites and bloodsucking do not kill any host. In general, bat-bugs infest adult and old bats. But, recently in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, six neonates or neonate bats of small Asiatic yellow bats (Scotophilus kuhlii) were also found infested with bat-bugs ectoparasites belonging to the genus Cimex Linnaeus, 1758 (Cimex pattoni). Such a rare and unique instance has never been observed and reported earlier from any geographical area in the world. Interestingly, out of these, three were also found dead (66.6%), two were in a dying state, and one was in a critical condition or struggling for survival. Due to our limitation, the exact cause of death in these infested bat neonates with bug parasites has not been investigated. In the present communication, details of this case have been focused on and also focus on how much people are at risk of infestation from these external parasitic bat-bugs.

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