{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,4]],"date-time":"2026-03-04T19:37:04Z","timestamp":1772653024933,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":46,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,4]],"date-time":"2026-03-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772582400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003107","name":"Bundesministerium f\u00fcr Gesundheit","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["ZMVI1-2517-GHP-703 (TP01)"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["ZMVI1-2517-GHP-703 (TP01)"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003107","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosntds.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS Negl Trop Dis"],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n \n The genus\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n , classified under the phylum Spirochaetes, includes saprophytic, intermediate, and pathogenic species. Pathogenic\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n spp. are the causative agents of leptospirosis, a widespread and often neglected zoonotic disease that causes severe illness in humans, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. In Sri Lanka, leptospirosis causes annual outbreaks, especially during the monsoon seasons. While rodents are recognized as primary reservoirs, bats have also been identified as potential reservoir hosts. This study aimed to detect and characterize\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n species in bats roosting in Wavulgalge cave, Sri Lanka.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methodology\/Principal Findings<\/jats:title>\n \n Urine samples (n\u2009=\u2009148) were collected during natural urination from four bat species:\n Miniopterus fuliginosus<\/jats:italic>\n (n\u2009=\u2009117),\n Hipposideros speoris<\/jats:italic>\n (n\u2009=\u20098),\n Rousettus leschenaultii<\/jats:italic>\n (n\u2009=\u200910), and\n Rhinolophus rouxii<\/jats:italic>\n (n\u2009=\u200913). DNA was extracted and screened for\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n using real-time PCR targeting the\n lipL32<\/jats:italic>\n gene. Sixteen samples tested positive, including 14 from\n M. fuliginosus<\/jats:italic>\n , one from\n H. speoris<\/jats:italic>\n , and one from\n R. leschenaultii<\/jats:italic>\n . Positive samples were further analyzed by amplifying additional loci (\n flaB<\/jats:italic>\n ,\n secY<\/jats:italic>\n , and\n rrs2<\/jats:italic>\n ) for Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Sequences were obtained from 12 samples.\n Leptospira borgpetersenii<\/jats:italic>\n was identified in\n M. fuliginosus<\/jats:italic>\n , while the sequence from\n R. leschenaultii<\/jats:italic>\n represented a genetically distinct\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n species. Phylogenetic analysis showed clustering with sequences from the same bat host genera reported in other countries, and one\n L. borgpetersenii<\/jats:italic>\n sequence clustered with strains previously detected in Sri Lankan hosts, including humans.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions\/Significance<\/jats:title>\n \n This study provides the first molecular evidence of\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n in Sri Lankan bats and highlights their potential role as reservoirs contributing to the environmental circulation of pathogenic\n Leptospira<\/jats:italic>\n .\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0012576","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,4]],"date-time":"2026-03-04T18:28:52Z","timestamp":1772648932000},"page":"e0012576","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pntd.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["First report of pathogenic Leptospira in Sri Lankan bats: A potential reservoir risk?"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4667-6466","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Thejanee","family":"Perera","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Franziska","family":"Schwarz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Therese","family":"Muzeniek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sahan","family":"Siriwardana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Beate","family":"Becker-Ziaja","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Inoka","family":"Perera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shiroma","family":"Handunnetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jagathpriya","family":"Weerasena","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gayani","family":"Premawansa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sunil","family":"Premawansa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wipula","family":"Yapa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Claudia","family":"Kohl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andreas","family":"Nitsche","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"pntd.0012576.ref001","volume-title":"Human leptospirosis: guidance for diagnosis, surveillance and control","author":"World Health Organization, International Leptospirosis Society","year":"2003"},{"key":"pntd.0012576.ref002","year":"2019"},{"key":"pntd.0012576.ref003","author":"Epidemiology Unit M of H Sri Lanka"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0012576.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1553283","DOI":"10.1080\/16549716.2018.1553283","article-title":"The correlation between local weather and leptospirosis incidence in Kandy district, Sri Lanka from 2006 to 2015","volume":"12","author":"NDB Ehelepola","year":"2019","journal-title":"Glob Health Action"},{"issue":"3","key":"pntd.0012576.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"471","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2011.11-0276","article-title":"Leptospirosis outbreak in Sri Lanka in 2008: lessons for assessing the global burden of disease","volume":"85","author":"SB Agampodi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am J Trop Med Hyg"},{"issue":"5","key":"pntd.0012576.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1111\/tbed.14589","article-title":"Leptospira sp. infection in bats: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"69","author":"SB Esteves","year":"2022","journal-title":"Transbound Emerg Dis"},{"issue":"1","key":"pntd.0012576.ref007","first-page":"47","article-title":"Leptospirosis in Tingo Maria, Huanuco Department, Peru. 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