Baseline of Physiological Body Temperature and Hematological Parameters in Captive Rousettus aegyptiacus and Eidolon helvum Fruit Bats

• DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.910157
• Publication Date: 2022-08-29T07:26:48Z
• Authors: Melanie Rissmann; Virginia Friedrichs; Nils Kley; Martin Straube; Balal Sadeghi; Anne Balkema-Busc...
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Eidolon helvum; hematology; Physiology; exotic animal husbandry; Rousettus aegyptiacus; bats; bat; Biodiversity; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being; Chiroptera; fruit bat; physiology; Mammalia; QP1-981; Animalia; Chordata

The discovery of bats as reservoir hosts for a number highly pathogenic zoonotic agents has led to an increasing interest infectious disease research in experimental studies with bats. Therefore, we established breeding colonies Rousettus aegyptiacus and Eidolon helvum fruit bats, which both have been identified relevant agents, such Marburg virus Lagos bat virus. Since 2013, individuals species recruited the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) from zoological gardens Europe, where these had introduced wild several decades ago. aviaries designed according national recommendations published by Federal Ministry Agriculture. Under conditions, reproducing years. To better understand physiology animals, generate baseline knowledge infection experiments, monitored body core temperatures R. aviaries, found circadian variation between 34°C 41.5°C. We also determined hematological parameters species, detected specific differences species. For values clinical chemistry, no correlation age or sex was observed. However, species-specific were since ALT, BUN CREA be significantly higher GLU TP E. A hematocrit, hemoglobin red blood cell level observed subadult , cells being increased compared . Lymphocytes dominant white are female Neutrophil granulocytes This underlines necessity define profiles each prior their use challenge.