Bugs in bats 2: Analysis of microbial communities in faecal samples obtained from bats in the Netherlands

Little is known about bacterial communities in bats and about a possible role of bats in the transmission cycle of foodborne diseases. Different wildlife species have already been associated with the transmission of foodborne diseases and previous research at the Laboratory of Food Microbiology of Wageningen University revealed the presence of Campylobacter in 2.7% of 632 investigated bat faeces samples (bugs in bats 1: Bats may be vectors for Campylobacter). Based on these findings, the microbial communities in 37 bat faecal samples, were investigated by polymerase chain reaction and denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Subsequently, 10 faecal samples from the following bat species: Common pipistrelle (3 samples), Daubenton’s bat (3 samples) and one sample each from Serotine, Whiskered bat, Geoffroy’s bat and Natterer’s bat were selected and used in bacterial 16s rDNA cloning and sequencing. The molecular approach did not reveal the presence of obligate foodborne pathogens. The microflora in bats was found to be highly diverse with major bacterial genera Carnobacterium, Enterococcus and Serratia. A relation between the members of the microflora and the bat species could not be proven. The results can be used to gain a deeper understanding of the intestinal communities in bats.