Record of alopecia in the bat Artibeus jamaicensis in Córdoba, Veracruz, México

Abstract

Alopecia is the partial or total loss of hair in a mammal.  This condition has been reported in 38 species of bats from 6 families.  This report documents the presence of alopecia in an individual of Artibeus jamaicensis in the state of Veracruz, southeastern México.  On September 25, 2022, during a field trip as part of a project to assess areas of zoonotic risk in the Mexican Neotropics, rodents and bats were captured in a medium semi-evergreen forest with shaded coffee plants in the peri-urban town of Berlín, municipality of Córdoba, Veracruz, México.  Forty bats of different species were captured, including 1 adult male of A. jamaicensis with no evidence of reproductive activity and with alopecia in the head, neck, right shoulder, and chest.  The area of the chest with alopecia also had a gelatinous lesion with a yellowish crust at the edges.  This report represents the first record of alopecia in bats in Veracruz and the second for A. jamaicensis in México.  In the A. jamaicensis individual examined, alopecia probably occurred as a result of a thoracic injury that spread to other parts of the body, likely due to a bacterial or fungal infection.