Microorganism Diversity Found in Blatta orientalis L. (Blattodea: Blattidae) Cuticle and Gut Collected in Urban Environments

Pest cockroaches share urban habitats with us; their prevalence in urban areas prompts concerns regarding their effect on human health, as synanthropic cockroaches often host pathogenic microorganisms. Nonetheless, microbial associates in these insects can also be related to their biology, contributing to their physiological homeostasis and reproductive success. In this article, we present in detail, for the first time, the bacterial community associated with the oriental cockroach <i>Blatta orientalis,</i> one of the world's five most prominent pest cockroaches. We report the composition of the communities of bacteria found over the exoskeleton and inside the gut of this global pest. We collected <i>B. orientalis</i> in Santiago, Chile's capital city, and the urban nucleus in this country. We conducted DNA extractions and metabarcoding analysis. We found diverse bacterial lineages, including mutualist symbiotic strains, and microorganisms considered pathogenic to humans. We also analyzed the metabolic functions of the bacterial communities identified and discussed the role of <i>B. orientalis</i> as a reservoir and vector of pathogens in urban areas. We discuss to what extent the diversity of functions of the microbial community associated with cockroaches may contribute to emergent properties enabling these insects to inhabit human-modified habitats.