Borrelia Lineages Adjacent to Zoonotic Clades in Black Flying Foxes (Pteropus alecto), Australia, 2018–2020

Abstract

We explored the role of black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto) in Australia as reservoirs of Borrelia bacteria. We found bats infected with 2 Borrelia haplotypes phylogenetically distinct from Lyme or relapsing fever clades. Efforts to sample black flying foxes and their ectoparasites are needed to evaluate zoonotic potential of those Borrelia lineages.