Induced bacterial sickness causes inflammation but not blood oxidative stress in Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Issue 1 (25th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costantini, David; Weinberg, Maya; Jordán, Lilla; Moreno, Kelsey R; Yovel, Yossi; Czirják, Gábor Á
• Editors: Cooke, Steven
• Is Part Of: Conservation physiology. Volume 10:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04-25
• Subjects: oxidative stress -- innate immunity -- inflammation -- infection -- extracellular pathogen -- ecoimmunology -- bats -- antioxidant; Nature -- Effect of human beings on -- Periodicals; Conservation biology -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac028
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2051-1434

Abstract

Abstract : Relying on a simulated bacterial infection in Egyptian fruit bats, we identify haptoglobin and lysozyme as potential diagnostic markers for extracellular infections in bats and find no relationships between inflammation and oxidative stress. Abstract: Bats are particularly interesting vertebrates in their response to pathogens owing to extremes in terms of tolerance and resistance. Oxidation is often a by-product of processes involved in the acute phase response, which may result in antimicrobial or self-damaging effects. We measured the immunological and oxidative status responses of Egyptian fruit bats ( Rousettus aegyptiacus ) to a simulated bacterial infection using lipopolysaccharide injection. As expected, experimental bats exhibited increases in two humoral immunological markers. However, they surprisingly did not show any effects across two markers of oxidative damage and four antioxidant markers. We propose that this lack of effects on oxidative status may be due to a reduction in cell metabolism through sickness behaviours or given life history traits, such as a long lifespan and a frugivorous diet. Finally, the consistency in the pattern of elevation in haptoglobin and lysozyme between current and previous findings highlights their utility as diagnostic markers for extracellular infections in bats.