L. monocytogenes is a widespread facultative intracellular pathogen. The range of natural hosts that supporting L. monocytogenes persistence in the environment has not been fully established yet. In this study, we were interested in the potential of L. monocytogenes to infect cells of bats, which are being increasingly recognized as a reservoir for microorganisms that are pathogenic to humans and domestic animals. A stable epithelial cell line was developed from the kidneys of Pipistrellus nathusii, a small bat widely distributed across Europe. The wild-type L. monocytogenes strain EGDe infected this cell line with an invasion efficiency of 0.0078 ± 0.0009%. Once it entered bat cells, L. monocytogenes doubled within about 70 min. When L. monocytogenes lacked either of the major invasion factors, InlA and InlB, invasion efficiency decreased by a factor of 10 and 25 respectively (p < 0.000001). The obtained results suggest that bat epithelial cells are susceptible to L. monocytogenes infection and that L. monocytogenes invasion of bat cells depends on the major invasion factors InlA and InlB. These results constitute the first report on in vitro studies of L. monocytogenes infection in bats.

This article presents the results of a study on the susceptibility of laboratory animals to the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). Mice weighing 15–20 g, hamsters weighing 40–60 g, guinea pigs weighing 600–1200 g, and rabbits weighing 2.5–3 kg were used in this study. Nodules were observed on the skin of rabbits and hamsters at the sites of inoculation. The virus was isolated from the affected skin areas in cell culture and examined using real-time PCR, indicating its tropism for animal skin. The production of anticapripoxvirus antibodies was detected using the neutralization reaction, starting from 10 days after infection in mice, 27 days in rabbits, and 14 days in hamsters. Some laboratory animals exhibited multiple skin nodules. This indicates that these animal species may play a role in maintaining the epizootic process.

The discovery of a significant number of viral pathogens in bat tissue samples and excrement point to a potential prominent role of chiropters in the maintenance and spread of human and animal diseases. It also indicates the potential sensitivity of bat cells to a broad spectrum of viruses. The migratory pipistrelle bat, Pipistrellus nathusii, inhabits northeastern Europe and typically migrates to the southwest. Our study revealed the sensitivity (susceptibility) of a diploid cell line, derived from the kidney of P. nathusii to several transmissible animal disease causative agents such as Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, Akabane disease, Vesicular stomatitis virus and Peste des petit ruminants. High sensitivity of the P. nathusii kidney diploid cell line to viruses from various taxonomic groups allows them to be recommend for extensive use in virological studies.