Relapsing fever Borrelia puertoricensis in migratory Mexican free-tailed bats, Oklahoma, USA, 2022-2023
We detected Borrelia puertoricensis in migratory Mexican free-tailed bats sampled in Oklahoma during 2022 and 2023, representing only the second detection of this relapsing fever species in wild vertebrates. Although prevalence was low (0.79%), our findings suggest migratory bats could contribute to dispersal of tick-borne pathogens in North America.
ecology↗