Polymerase chain reaction assay and conventional isolation of Salmonella spp. from Philippine bats

Reyes, Alisha Wehdnesday BernardoRovira, Hope GuerreroMasangkay, Joseph SaavedraRamirez, Teresita JuanYoshikawa, YasuhiroBaticados, Waren Navarra

Salmonellae are important food and waterborne pathogens and the leading causes of the most widespread acute gastrointestinal illnesses around the globe. The organism has been detected in a wide range of host species such as mites, insects, crustaceans, mussels, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals including wildlife animals. Salmonellae have been isolated in many species of bats in other countries. In the Philippines, there are 70 species of Philippine bats reported of which nine are considered as endemic. Although human salmonellosis (typhoid, paratyphoid and other Salmonella-associated infections) was the primary cause of illnesses and death from the 60 reported foodborne outbreaks (1995 to 2004), no case was ever reported involving Philippine bats. Since transmission of Salmonella from wildlife to humans is possible, as advocated by previous reports, the present study endeavored to isolate and molecularly detect Salmonella spp. from Philippine bats captured from Aklan, Laguna and Quezon City using conventional isolation method and polymerase chain reaction assay respectively.[...](AU)

1. Miniopterus australis
2. Bats
3. Miniopterus schreibersi
4. PCR
5. Salmonella