Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jul 2025)

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

  • Taylor B. Verrett,
  • Caylee A. Falvo,
  • Evelyn Benson,
  • Devin N. Jones-Slobodian,
  • Daniel E. Crowley,
  • Adrienne S. Dale,
  • Tamika J. Lunn,
  • Manuel Ruiz-Aravena,
  • Agnieszka Rynda-Apple,
  • Clifton D. McKee,
  • Kerry L. Clark,
  • Alexander W. Gofton,
  • Alison J. Peel,
  • Raina K. Plowright,
  • Daniel J. Becker

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3107.241864
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 31, no. 7
pp. 1415 – 1420

Abstract

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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.

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