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

84 Views

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.

References

[1]Kotpal RL. Modern Text Book of Zoology Invertebrates. Rastogi Publications; 2011.

[2]Thompson L. Adult Bug Bites, Rashes and Symptoms. The University of Chicago; 2012.

[3]Brown CR, Brown MB. Ectoparasitism as a cause of natal dispersal in Cliff Swallows. Ecology. 1992; 73(5): 1718-1723. doi: 10.2307/1940023

[4]Brown CR, Brown MB. Coloniality in the Cliff Swallow: The Effect of Group Size on Social Behavior. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL; 1996.

[5]Goddard J, de Shazo R. Rapid rise in bed bug populations: the need to include them in the differential diagnosis of mysterious skin rashes. Southern Medical Journal. 2008; 101(8): 854-855. doi: 10.1097/smj.0b013e31817be9db

[6]Goddard J, de Shazo R. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) and clinical consequences of their bites. Journal of American Medical Association. 2009; 301(13): 1358-1366.

[7]Goddard J, de Shazo R. Psychological Effects of Bed Bug Attacks (Cimex lectularius L.). The American Journal of Medicine. 2012; 125(1): 101-103. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.08.010

[8]Pritchard MJ, Hwang SW. Severe anemia from bedbugs. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2009; 181(5): 287-288. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.090482

[9]Paulke-Korinek M, Széll M, Laferl H, et al. Bed bugs can cause severe anaemia in adults. Parasitology Research. 2011; 110(6): 2577-2579. doi: 10.1007/s00436-011-2777-6

[10]Sheele JM, Pritt BS, Libertin CR, et al. Bed bugs are associated with anemia. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2021; 46: 482-488. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.10.070

[11]Izri A, Marteau A, Ferreira T, et al. Severe anemia due to bed bugs hyperinfestation. Microbial Pathogenesis. 2020; 149: 104564. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104564

[12]Usinger RL. Monograph of Cimicidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera). Washington, D. C., The Thomas Say Foundation; 1996. pp. 585.

[13]Ueshima N. New species and records of Cimicidae with keys (Hemiptera). Pan Pacific Entomology. 1968; 44 (4): 269-279.

[14]Jordon K, Rothschild NC. Notes on Clinocoridae, a family of Rhynchota, with the descriptions of a new genus and species. Novitates Zoologicae. 1912; 19: 352-356.

[15]Patton WS, Cragg FW. A Textbook of Medical Entomology. Published online 1913. doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.101563

[16]Horváth G. Description of a new bat-bug from India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India. 1925; 27(3): 191. doi: 10.26515/rzsi/v27/i3/1925/163451

[17]Mathur RN. A new species of bat-bug Aphraniola from Dehra Dun Cimicidae Hemip-tera. Indian Journal of Entomology. 1953; 14: 257-261.

[18]Hiregoudar LS, Bal DV. Some ectoparasites of bats from India. Agra University of Journal Research (Science). 1956; 5: 1-134.

[19]Bhat HR, Sreenivasan MA, Ilkal MA. Cimex usingeri, sp. nov. (hemiptera: cimicidae) from a colony of Rhinolophus rouxii Temminck, 1835 (chiroptera: rhinolophidae) in India. Oriental Insects. 1973; 7(1): 79-82. doi: 10.1080/00305316.1973.10434206

[20]Bhat HR. Cimex himalayanus, sp. nov. (Hemiptera : Cimicidae) infesting a bat, Myotis Siligorensisin the Himalayan region of Uttar Pradesh, India. Oriental Insects. 1974; 8(2): 181-184. doi: 10.1080/00305316.1974.10434457

[21]Bhat HR. A review of Indian Cimicidae (Hemiptera—Heteroptera). Oriental Insects. 1974; 8(4): 545-550. doi: 10.1080/00305316.1974.10434891

[22]Advani R, Vazirani TG. Studies on ectoparasites of bats of Rajasthan and Gujarat (India). Records of Zoological Survey of India. 1981; 22: 1-155.

[23]Burton GJ. Bedbugs in Relation to Transmission of Human Diseases: Review of the Literature. Public Health Reports (1896-1970). 1963; 78(6): 513. doi: 10.2307/4591852

[24]Blow JA, Turell MJ, Silverman AL, et al. Stercorarial shedding and transtadial transmission of hepatitis B virus by common bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology. 2001; 38(5): 694-700. doi: 10.1603/0022-2585-38.5.694

[25]Goddard J, Varela-Stokes A, Smith W, et al. Artificial infection of the bed bug with Rickettsia parkeri. Journal of Medical Entomology. 2012; 49(4): 922-926. doi: 10.1603/me11282

[26]Zorrilla-Vaca A. Bedbugs and vector-borne diseases. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2014; 59(9): 1351-1352. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciu575

[27]Barbarin AM, Hu B, Nachamkin I, et al. Colonization of Cimex lectularius with methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Environmental Microbiology. 2014; 16(5): 1222-1224. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.12384

[28]Salazar R, Castillo-Neyra R, Tustin AW, et al. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) as vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 2015; 92(2): 331-335. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0483

[29]Leulmi H, Bitam I, Berenger JM, et al. Correction: Competence of Cimex lectularius bed bugs for the transmission of Bartonella quintana, the agent of trench fever. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2015; 9(6): e0003871. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003871

[30]Lai O, Ho D, Glick S, et al. Bed bugs and possible transmission of human pathogens: a systematic review. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2016; 308(8): 531-538. doi: 10.1007/s00403-016-1661-8

[31]Boyles JG, Cryan PM, McCracken GF, et al. Economic importance of bats in agriculture. Science. 2011; 332(6025): 41-42. doi: 10.1126/science.1201366

[32]Boyles JG, Sole CL, Cryan PM, et al. On estimating the economic value of insectivorous bats: prospects and priorities for biologists. In: Bat Evolution, Ecology, and Conservation. Springer, New York, NY; 2013. pp. 501-515.

[33]Whitby MD, Kieran TJ, Glenn TC, et al. Agricultural pests consumed by common bat species in the United States corn belt: The importance of DNA primer choice. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2020; 303: 107105. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2020.107105

[34]Preciado-Benítez O, Gómez y Gómez B, Navarrete-Gutiérrez DA, et al. The use of commercial fruits as attraction agents may increase the seed dispersal by bats to degraded areas in Southern Mexico. Tropical Conservation Science. 2015; 8(2): 301-317. doi: 10.1177/194008291500800203

[35]Mahandran V, Murugan CM, Marimuthu G, et al. Seed dispersal of a tropical deciduous Mahua tree, Madhuca latifolia (Sapotaceae) exhibiting bat-fruit syndrome by pteropodid bats. Global Ecology and Conservation. 2018; 14: e00396. doi: 10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00396