PREVALENCE OF ECTOPARASITES IN BATS FOUND IN GULUMBE AND MASAMA AREA, KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA

By Mahmud Muhammad Bello, P.A Vantsawa, K.B. Dikwa, D. Dibal
DOI: 10.37550/tdmu.EJS/2025.04.685

Abstract
Bats are ecologically valuable and may spur disease transmission; thus, this study aimed to investigate prevalence and identify common ectoparasites in bats in Gulumbe and Masama District in Birnin Kebbi and Danko Wasagu Local Government Areas of Kebbi State. A total of 300 bats were collected. Ectoparasites were investigated with the aid of a dissecting microscope and identified with various identification keys using standard methods. Result shows that Penicillidia conspicua as the only ectoparasite detected in the infected bats from both communities. More broad studies should be done to provide more details about possible parasitism with various ectoparasites. More current methodologies in identifying both ectoparasites such as PCR, Molecular characterization and ELISA are needed.