Main causes of death of free-ranging bats in Turin province (North-Western Italy): gross and histological findings and emergent virus surveillance

Abstract

Background: Bats are recognized as reservoir species for multiple viruses. However, little is known on bats’ health and mortality. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the main causes of death of bats from Turin province (North-western Italy) and to describe gross and histopathological lesions potentially associated with the presence of selected bat viruses. Results: A total of 71 bats belonging to 9 different species of the families Vespertilionidae and Molossidae were necropsied and samples of the main organs were submitted to histopathological examination. Also, aliquots of the small intestine, liver, spleen, lung, and brain were collected and submitted to biomolecular investigation for the identification of Coronaviridae, Poxviridae, Reoviridae (Mammalian orthoreovirus species), Rhabdoviridae (Vaprio ledantevirus and Lyssavirus species) and Kobuvirus. The majority of bats died from traumatic lesions due to unknown trauma or predation (n = 40/71, 56.3%), followed by emaciation (n = 13/71,18.3%). The main observed gross lesions were patagium and skin lesions (n = 23/71, 32.4%), forelimbs fractures (n = 15/71, 21.1%) and gastric distension (n = 10/71,14.1%). Histologically, the main lesions consisted of lymphoplasmacytic pneumonia (n = 24/71, 33.8%), skin/patagium dermatitis (n = 23/71, 32.4%), liver steatosis and hepatitis (n = 12, 16.9%), and white pulp depletion in the spleen (n = 7/71, 9.8%). Regarding emergent bat viruses, only poxvirus (n = 2, 2.8%) and orthoreovirus (n = 12/71, 16.9%) were detected in a low percentage of bats. Conclusions: Trauma is the main lesion observed in bats collected in Turin province (North-western Italy) associated with forelimb fractures and the detected viral positivity rate seems to suggest that they did not represent a threat for human health.