Sialolith in Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae): case report

Abstract

Sialoliths are calcified structures that develop into the salivary duct system, they have a round or oval shape and are usually asymptomatic. They result from the deposition of calcium salts around focal areas of organic matter and grow continuously, with the possibility of causing obstruction and reduced salivary flow. Commonly reported in humans, sialoliths may also affect, less frequently, the salivary glands of domestic and wild animals. This paper aimed to describe the histopathological characteristics of a sialolith affecting the excretory duct in the salivary gland of an adult male specimen of the tropical bat Artibeus lituratus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). This specimen was collected in the urban area of Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil. Histological preparations were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and histochemical techniques with Schiff-periodic acid (PAS) and Alcian blue (pH 1.0 and 2.5) were applied for a better characterization and description of the sialolith. Although the formation of sialoliths is very common in the salivary glands of mammals, its occurrence in bats had not been reported before.

Keywords

• Bat
• Salivary glands
• Sialoliths