BACKGROUND: Babesia spp. are hemoparasites which infect the red blood cells of a large variety of mammals. In bats, the only known species of the genus is Babesia vesperuginis. However, except a few old reports, the host range and geographical distribution of this bat parasite have been poorly studied. This study aimed to investigate the presence of piroplasms in tissues of bats collected in four different countries from eastern and central Europe: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. METHODS: A total of 461 bat carcasses (24 species) were collected between 2001 and 2016 from caves, mines and buildings. PCR was performed using specific primers targeting a portion of the 18S rDNA nuclear gene and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene, followed by sequencing. RESULTS: The results of this study show for the first time the presence of B. vesperuginis in bats in central and eastern Europe. The phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rDNA nuclear gene revealed no variability between the sequences and the phylogenetic analysis of the cox1 mitochondrial gene proved that B. vesperuginis could be divided into two subclades. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a broad geographical distribution of B. vesperuginis in European bats, reporting its presence in five new host species (M. cf. alcathoe, M. bechsteinii, M. myotis, Pi. nathusii and V. murinus) and three new countries.

Biology Centre Institute of Parasitology Czech Academy of Sciences České Budějovice Czech Republic

CEITEC VFU University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Czech Republic

Department of Infection Diseases University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest Romania

Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj Napoca Cluj Napoca Romania

Department of Parasitology and Zoology University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest Hungary

Department of Pathology and Parasitology University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Czech Republic

Department of Virology Veterinary Research Institute Hudcova 296 70 621 00 Brno Czech Republic

Faculty of Biology and Geology University Babes Bolyai Cluj Napoca Romania

Institute for Veterinary Disease Control Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety Robert Koch Gasse 17 2340 Mödling Austria

Institute of Parasitology Department of Pathobiology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Austria

Institute of Speleology 'Emil Racoviţă' Cluj Napoca Romania

Museum of Natural History Vienna Austria

Romanian Bat Protection Association Central Branch Odorheiu Secuiesc Romania

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