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Weinberg M, Yovel Y. Revising the paradigm: Are bats really pathogen reservoirs or do they possess an efficient immune system? iScience 2022; 25:104782. [PMID: 35982789 PMCID: PMC9379578 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While bats are often referred to as reservoirs of viral pathogens, a meta-analysis of the literature reveals many cases in which there is not enough evidence to claim so. In many cases, bats are able to confront viruses, recover, and remain immune by developing a potent titer of antibodies, often without becoming a reservoir. In other cases, bats might have carried an ancestral virus that at some time point might have mutated into a human pathogen. Moreover, bats exhibit a balanced immune response against viruses that have evolved over millions of years. Using genomic tools, it is now possible to obtain a deeper understanding of that unique immune system and its variability across the order Chiroptera. We conclude, that with the exception of a few viruses, bats pose little zoonotic danger to humans and that they operate a highly efficient anti-inflammatory response that we should strive to understand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Weinberg
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Corresponding author
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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2
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Papies J, Sieberg A, Ritz D, Niemeyer D, Drosten C, Müller MA. Reduced IFN-ß inhibitory activity of Lagos bat virus phosphoproteins in human compared to Eidolon helvum bat cells. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264450. [PMID: 35259191 PMCID: PMC8903296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Eidolon helvum bats are reservoir hosts for highly pathogenic lyssaviruses often showing limited disease upon natural infection. An enhanced antiviral interferon (IFN) response combined with reduced inflammation might be linked to the apparent virus tolerance in bats. Lyssavirus phosphoproteins inhibit the IFN response with virus strain-specific efficiency. To date, little is known regarding the lyssavirus P-dependent anti-IFN countermeasures in bats, mainly due to a lack of in vitro tools. By using E. helvum bat cell cultures in a newly established bat-specific IFN-promoter activation assay, we analyzed the IFN-ß inhibitory activity of multiple lyssavirus P in E. helvum compared to human cells. Initial virus infection studies with a recently isolated E. helvum-borne Lagos bat virus street strain from Ghana showed enhanced LBV propagation in an E. helvum lung cell line compared to human A549 lung cells at later time points suggesting effective viral countermeasures against cellular defense mechanisms. A direct comparison of the IFN-ß inhibitory activity of the LBV-GH P protein with other lyssavirus P proteins showed that LBV-GH P and RVP both strongly inhibited the bat IFN-β promotor activation (range 75–90%) in EidLu/20.2 and an E. helvum kidney cell line. Conversely, LBV-GH P blocked the activation of the human IFN-β promoter less efficiently compared to a prototypic Rabies virus P protein (range LBV P 52–68% vs RVP 71–95%) in two different human cell lines (HEK-293T, A549). The same pattern was seen for two prototypic LBV P variants suggesting an overall reduced LBV P IFN-ß inhibitory activity in human cells as compared to E. helvum bat cells. Increased IFN-ß inhibition by lyssavirus P in reservoir host cells might be a result of host-specific adaptation processes towards an enhanced IFN response in bat cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Papies
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Sieberg
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Ritz
- Institute of Virology, Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniela Niemeyer
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcel A. Müller
- Institute of Virology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail:
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3
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Serum Neutralization Profiles of Straw-Colored Fruit Bats ( Eidolon helvum) in Makurdi (Nigeria), against Four Lineages of Lagos Bat Lyssavirus. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122378. [PMID: 34960647 PMCID: PMC8706175 DOI: 10.3390/v13122378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lagos bat lyssavirus (LBV) comprising four lineages (A, B, C and D) can potentially cause the fatal disease rabies. Although LBV-B was initially isolated in Nigeria in 1956, there is no information on LBV lineages circulating in Nigeria. This study was undertaken for the first time to measure the neutralizing antibodies against four lineages of LBVs in straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) in Makurdi, Nigeria. Serum samples (n = 180) collected during two periods (November 2017-March 2018 and November 2018-March 2019) from terminally bled bats captured for human consumption were tested using a modified fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (mFAVN) assay. A high proportion of bat sera (74%) neutralized at least one lineage of LBV (with reciprocal titers from 9 to >420.89) and most of them neutralized LBV-A (63%), followed by LBV-D (49%), LBV-C (45%) and LBV-B (24%). The majority of positive sera (75%, n = 100) neutralized multiple LBV lineages while the remaining 25% (n = 33) neutralized only a single lineage, i.e., LBV-A (n = 23), LBV-D (n = 8) and LBV-C (n = 2). None exclusively neutralized LBV-B. The results suggest that exposure to LBV is common in E. helvum and that LBV-A (but not LBV-B) is likely to be circulating in this region of Nigeria.
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Vora NM, Osinubi MOV, Davis L, Abdurrahman M, Adedire EB, Akpan H, Aman-Oloniyo AF, Audu SW, Blau D, Dankoli RS, Ehimiyein AM, Ellison JA, Gbadegesin YH, Greenberg L, Haberling D, Hutson C, Idris JM, Kia GSN, Lawal M, Matthias SY, Mshelbwala PP, Niezgoda M, Ogunkoya AB, Ogunniyi AO, Okara GC, Olugasa BO, Ossai OP, Oyemakinde A, Person MK, Rupprecht CE, Saliman OA, Sani M, Sanni-Adeniyi OA, Satheshkumar PS, Smith TG, Soleye MO, Wallace RM, Yennan SK, Recuenco S. Bat and Lyssavirus Exposure among Humans in Area that Celebrates Bat Festival, Nigeria, 2010 and 2013. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:1399-1408. [PMID: 32568051 PMCID: PMC7323560 DOI: 10.3201/eid2607.191016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Using questionnaires and serologic testing, we evaluated bat and lyssavirus exposure among persons in an area of Nigeria that celebrates a bat festival. Bats from festival caves underwent serologic testing for phylogroup II lyssaviruses (Lagos bat virus, Shimoni bat virus, Mokola virus). The enrolled households consisted of 2,112 persons, among whom 213 (10%) were reported to have ever had bat contact (having touched a bat, having been bitten by a bat, or having been scratched by a bat) and 52 (2%) to have ever been bitten by a bat. Of 203 participants with bat contact, 3 (1%) had received rabies vaccination. No participant had neutralizing antibodies to phylogroup II lyssaviruses, but >50% of bats had neutralizing antibodies to these lyssaviruses. Even though we found no evidence of phylogroup II lyssavirus exposure among humans, persons interacting with bats in the area could benefit from practicing bat-related health precautions.
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Coertse J, Geldenhuys M, le Roux K, Markotter W. Lagos Bat Virus, an Under-Reported Rabies-Related Lyssavirus. Viruses 2021; 13:576. [PMID: 33805487 PMCID: PMC8067007 DOI: 10.3390/v13040576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lagos bat virus (LBV), one of the 17 accepted viral species of the Lyssavirus genus, was the first rabies-related virus described in 1956. This virus is endemic to the African continent and is rarely encountered. There are currently four lineages, although the observed genetic diversity exceeds existing lyssavirus species demarcation criteria. Several exposures to rabid bats infected with LBV have been reported; however, no known human cases have been reported to date. This review provides the history of LBV and summarizes previous knowledge as well as new detections. Genetic diversity, pathogenesis and prevention are re-evaluated and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Coertse
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Services, Sandringham 2192, South Africa;
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Marike Geldenhuys
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Kevin le Roux
- Epidemiology Unit, Allerton Veterinary Laboratory, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal 3200, South Africa;
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
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Begeman L, Suu-Ire R, Banyard AC, Drosten C, Eggerbauer E, Freuling CM, Gibson L, Goharriz H, Horton DL, Jennings D, Marston DA, Ntiamoa-Baidu Y, Riesle Sbarbaro S, Selden D, Wise EL, Kuiken T, Fooks AR, Müller T, Wood JLN, Cunningham AA. Experimental Lagos bat virus infection in straw-colored fruit bats: A suitable model for bat rabies in a natural reservoir species. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008898. [PMID: 33320860 PMCID: PMC7771871 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabies is a fatal neurologic disease caused by lyssavirus infection. Bats are important natural reservoir hosts of various lyssaviruses that can be transmitted to people. The epidemiology and pathogenesis of rabies in bats are poorly understood, making it difficult to prevent zoonotic transmission. To further our understanding of lyssavirus pathogenesis in a natural bat host, an experimental model using straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) and Lagos bat virus, an endemic lyssavirus in this species, was developed. To determine the lowest viral dose resulting in 100% productive infection, bats in five groups (four bats per group) were inoculated intramuscularly with one of five doses, ranging from 100.1 to 104.1 median tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50). More bats died due to the development of rabies after the middle dose (102.1 TCID50, 4/4 bats) than after lower (101.1, 2/4; 101.1, 2/4) or higher (103.1, 2/4; 104.1, 2/4) doses of virus. In the two highest dose groups, 4/8 bats developed rabies. Of those bats that remained healthy 3/4 bats seroconverted, suggesting that high antigen loads can trigger a strong immune response that abrogates a productive infection. In contrast, in the two lowest dose groups, 3/8 bats developed rabies, 1/8 remained healthy and seroconverted and 4/8 bats remained healthy and did not seroconvert, suggesting these doses are too low to reliably induce infection. The main lesion in all clinically affected bats was meningoencephalitis associated with lyssavirus-positive neurons. Lyssavirus antigen was detected in tongue epithelium (5/11 infected bats) rather than in salivary gland epithelium (0/11), suggesting viral excretion via the tongue. Thus, intramuscular inoculation of 102.1 TCID50 of Lagos bat virus into straw-colored fruit bats is a suitable model for lyssavirus associated bat rabies in a natural reservoir host, and can help with the investigation of lyssavirus infection dynamics in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lineke Begeman
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- * E-mail: (LB); (AAC)
| | - Richard Suu-Ire
- School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ashley C. Banyard
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisa Eggerbauer
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Island of Riems, Germany
- Thüringer Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz, Bad Langensalza, Thüringen, Germany
| | - Conrad M. Freuling
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Island of Riems, Germany
| | - Louise Gibson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hooman Goharriz
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel L. Horton
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Daisy Jennings
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Denise A. Marston
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu
- Centre for African Wetlands / Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Silke Riesle Sbarbaro
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Selden
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Emma L. Wise
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Thijs Kuiken
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anthony R. Fooks
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Müller
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Island of Riems, Germany
| | | | - Andrew A. Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (LB); (AAC)
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Markotter W, Coertse J, De Vries L, Geldenhuys M, Mortlock M. Bat-borne viruses in Africa: a critical review. J Zool (1987) 2020; 311:77-98. [PMID: 32427175 PMCID: PMC7228346 DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In Africa, bat‐borne zoonoses emerged in the past few decades resulting in large outbreaks or just sporadic spillovers. In addition, hundreds of more viruses are described without any information on zoonotic potential. We discuss important characteristics of bats including bat biology, evolution, distribution and ecology that not only make them unique among most mammals but also contribute to their potential as viral reservoirs. The detection of a virus in bats does not imply that spillover will occur and several biological, ecological and anthropogenic factors play a role in such an event. We summarize and critically analyse the current knowledge on African bats as reservoirs for corona‐, filo‐, paramyxo‐ and lyssaviruses. We highlight that important information on epidemiology, bat biology and ecology is often not available to make informed decisions on zoonotic spillover potential. Even if knowledge gaps exist, it is still important to recognize the role of bats in zoonotic disease outbreaks and implement mitigation strategies to prevent exposure to infectious agents including working safely with bats. Equally important is the crucial role of bats in various ecosystem services. This necessitates a multidisciplinary One Health approach to close knowledge gaps and ensure the development of responsible mitigation strategies to not only minimize risk of infection but also ensure conservation of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Markotter
- Department of Medical Virology Centre for Viral Zoonoses Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - J Coertse
- Department of Medical Virology Centre for Viral Zoonoses Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - L De Vries
- Department of Medical Virology Centre for Viral Zoonoses Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - M Geldenhuys
- Department of Medical Virology Centre for Viral Zoonoses Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - M Mortlock
- Department of Medical Virology Centre for Viral Zoonoses Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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8
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Hayman DTS, Luis AD, Restif O, Baker KS, Fooks AR, Leach C, Horton DL, Suu-Ire R, Cunningham AA, Wood JLN, Webb CT. Maternal antibody and the maintenance of a lyssavirus in populations of seasonally breeding African bats. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198563. [PMID: 29894488 PMCID: PMC5997331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens causing acute disease and death or lasting immunity require specific spatial or temporal processes to persist in populations. Host traits, such as maternally-derived antibody (MDA) and seasonal birthing affect infection maintenance within populations. Our study objective is to understand how viral and host traits lead to population level infection persistence when the infection can be fatal. We collected data on African fruit bats and a rabies-related virus, Lagos bat virus (LBV), including through captive studies. We incorporate these data into a mechanistic model of LBV transmission to determine how host traits, including MDA and seasonal birthing, and viral traits, such as incubation periods, interact to allow fatal viruses to persist within bat populations. Captive bat studies supported MDA presence estimated from field data. Captive bat infection-derived antibody decayed more slowly than MDA, and while faster than estimates from the field, supports field data that suggest antibody persistence may be lifelong. Unobserved parameters were estimated by particle filtering and suggest only a small proportion of bats die of disease. Pathogen persistence in the population is sensitive to this proportion, along with MDA duration and incubation period. Our analyses suggest MDA produced bats and prolonged virus incubation periods allow viral maintenance in adverse conditions, such as a lethal pathogen or strongly seasonal resource availability for the pathogen in the form of seasonally pulsed birthing.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T. S. Hayman
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory (EpiLab), Infectious Disease Research Centre, Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Angela D. Luis
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, Montana, United States of America
| | - Olivier Restif
- Disease Dynamics Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kate S. Baker
- Institute for Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony R. Fooks
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), New Haw, Surrey, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Clint Leach
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Daniel L. Horton
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | | | - Andrew A. Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - James L. N. Wood
- Disease Dynamics Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Colleen T. Webb
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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Suu-Ire R, Begeman L, Banyard AC, Breed AC, Drosten C, Eggerbauer E, Freuling CM, Gibson L, Goharriz H, Horton DL, Jennings D, Kuzmin IV, Marston D, Ntiamoa-Baidu Y, Riesle Sbarbaro S, Selden D, Wise EL, Kuiken T, Fooks AR, Müller T, Wood JLN, Cunningham AA. Pathogenesis of bat rabies in a natural reservoir: Comparative susceptibility of the straw-colored fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) to three strains of Lagos bat virus. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006311. [PMID: 29505617 PMCID: PMC5854431 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabies is a fatal neurologic disease caused by lyssavirus infection. People are infected through contact with infected animals. The relative increase of human rabies acquired from bats calls for a better understanding of lyssavirus infections in their natural hosts. So far, there is no experimental model that mimics natural lyssavirus infection in the reservoir bat species. Lagos bat virus is a lyssavirus that is endemic in straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) in Africa. Here we compared the susceptibility of these bats to three strains of Lagos bat virus (from Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana) by intracranial inoculation. To allow comparison between strains, we ensured the same titer of virus was inoculated in the same location of the brain of each bat. All bats (n = 3 per strain) were infected, and developed neurological signs, and fatal meningoencephalitis with lyssavirus antigen expression in neurons. There were three main differences among the groups. First, time to death was substantially shorter in the Senegal and Ghana groups (4 to 6 days) than in the Nigeria group (8 days). Second, each virus strain produced a distinct clinical syndrome. Third, the spread of virus to peripheral tissues, tested by hemi-nested reverse transcriptase PCR, was frequent (3 of 3 bats) and widespread (8 to 10 tissues positive of 11 tissues examined) in the Ghana group, was frequent and less widespread in the Senegal group (3/3 bats, 3 to 6 tissues positive), and was rare and restricted in the Nigeria group (1/3 bats, 2 tissues positive). Centrifugal spread of virus from brain to tissue of excretion in the oral cavity is required to enable lyssavirus transmission. Therefore, the Senegal and Ghana strains seem most suitable for further pathogenesis, and for transmission, studies in the straw-colored fruit bat. Rabies is a neurologic disease that causes severe suffering and is almost always fatal. The disease is caused by infection with a virus of the genus Lyssavirus, of which 16 species are known. These viruses replicate in neurons, are excreted in the mouth, and are transmitted by bites. Dogs are the most important source of rabies for humans, but recently there is a relative increase in people contracting the disease from bats. To better understand the development of human rabies caused by these bat-acquired viruses, we need to study this disease in its bat host under controlled circumstances. To do so, we chose a naturally occurring lyssavirus–host combination: Lagos bat virus in straw-colored fruit bats. We compared three available strains of Lagos bat virus (all isolated from brains of this bat species) for their ability to mimic a natural infection. We used intracranial inoculation to ensure infection of the brain. All three strains infected brain neurons, resulting in fatal neurologic disease, however only two of the strains showed the ability to reach the site of excretion—the mouth—and were considered a suitable virus to use for further studies of this disease in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Suu-Ire
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Veterinary Services Department, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Accra, Ghana
- Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, Accra, Ghana
| | - Lineke Begeman
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ashley C. Banyard
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew C. Breed
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisa Eggerbauer
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Island of Riems, Germany
| | - Conrad M. Freuling
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Island of Riems, Germany
| | - Louise Gibson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hooman Goharriz
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel L. Horton
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Daisy Jennings
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Ivan V. Kuzmin
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Denise Marston
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Silke Riesle Sbarbaro
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David Selden
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Emma L. Wise
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Thijs Kuiken
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anthony R. Fooks
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Borne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Müller
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Island of Riems, Germany
| | - James L. N. Wood
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew A. Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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10
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Evans JS, Selden D, Wu G, Wright E, Horton DL, Fooks AR, Banyard AC. Antigenic site changes in the rabies virus glycoprotein dictates functionality and neutralizing capability against divergent lyssaviruses. J Gen Virol 2018; 99:169-180. [PMID: 29300155 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.000998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyssavirus infection has a near 100 % case fatality rate following the onset of clinical disease, and current rabies vaccines confer protection against all reported phylogroup I lyssaviruses. However, there is little or no protection against more divergent lyssaviruses and so investigation into epitopes within the glycoprotein (G) that dictate a neutralizing response against divergent lyssaviruses is warranted. Importantly, the facilities required to work with these pathogens, including wild-type and mutated forms of different lyssaviruses, are scarcely available and, as such, this type of study is inherently difficult to perform. The relevance of proposed immunogenic antigenic sites within the lyssavirus glycoprotein was assessed by swapping sites between phylogroup-I and -II glycoproteins. Demonstrable intra- but limited inter-phylogroup cross-neutralization was observed. Pseudotype viruses (PTVs) presenting a phylogroup-I glycoprotein containing phylogroup-II antigenic sites (I, II III or IV) were neutralized by antibodies raised against phylogroup-II PTV with the site II (IIb, aa 34-42 and IIa, aa 198-200)-swapped PTVs being efficiently neutralized, whilst site IV-swapped PTV was poorly neutralized. Specific antibodies raised against PTV-containing antigenic site swaps between phylogroup-I and -II glycoproteins neutralized phylogroup-I PTVs efficiently, indicating an immunodominance of antigenic site II. Live lyssaviruses containing antigenic site-swapped glycoproteins were generated and indicated that specific residues within the lyssavirus glycoprotein dictate functionality and enable differential neutralizing antibody responses to lyssaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Evans
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Bourne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.,University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, West Midlands, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - D Selden
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Bourne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - G Wu
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Bourne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - E Wright
- Viral Pseudotype Unit, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Westminster, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - D L Horton
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, GU2 7AX, UK
| | - A R Fooks
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Bourne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.,Institute for Infection and Immunity, St. George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, London, UK
| | - A C Banyard
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector Bourne Disease Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
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11
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Abstract
With over 1200 species identified, bats represent almost one quarter of the world’s mammals. Bats provide crucial environmental services, such as insect control and pollination, and inhabit a wide variety of ecological niches on all continents except Antarctica. Despite their ubiquity and ecological importance, relatively little has been published on diseases of bats, while much has been written on bats’ role as reservoirs in disease transmission. This chapter will focus on diseases and pathologic processes most commonly reported in captive and free-ranging bats. Unique anatomical and histological features and common infectious and non-infectious diseases will be discussed. As recognition of both the importance and vulnerability of bats grows, particularly following population declines in North America due to the introduction of the fungal disease white-nose syndrome, efforts should be made to better understand threats to the health of this unique group of mammals.
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12
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Suu-Ire RD, Fooks AR, Banyard AC, Selden D, Amponsah-Mensah K, Riesle S, Ziekah MY, Ntiamoa-Baidu Y, Wood JLN, Cunningham AA. Lagos Bat Virus Infection Dynamics in Free-Ranging Straw-Colored Fruit Bats (Eidolon helvum). Trop Med Infect Dis 2017; 2:tropicalmed2030025. [PMID: 30270883 PMCID: PMC6082102 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed2030025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are key species for ecological function, but they are also reservoirs of zoonotic agents, such as lyssaviruses that cause rabies. Little is known about the maintenance and transmission of lyssaviruses in bats, although the observation of clinically sick bats, both in experimental studies and wild bats, has at least demonstrated that lyssaviruses are capable of causing clinical disease in bat species. Despite this, extensive surveillance for diseased bats has not yielded lyssaviruses, whilst serological surveys demonstrate that bats must be exposed to lyssavirus without developing clinical disease. We hypothesize that there is endemic circulation of Lagos bat virus (LBV) in the straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) in Ghana, West Africa. To investigate this further, longitudinal blood sampling was undertaken quarterly between 2012 and 2014 on wild E. helvum at two sites in Ghana. Serum samples were collected and tested for LBV-neutralizing antibodies using a modified flourescent antibody virus neutralisation (FAVN) assay (n = 294) and brains from moribund or dead bats were tested for antigen and viral RNA (n = 55). Overall, 44.7% of the 304 bats sampled had LBV-neutralising antibodies. None of the brain samples from bats contained lyssavirus antigen or RNA. Together with the results of an earlier serological study, our findings demonstrate that LBV is endemic and circulates within E. helvum in Ghana even though the detection of viral infection in dead bats was unsuccessful. Confirmation that LBV infection is endemic in E. helvum in Ghana is an important finding and indicates that the potential public health threats from LBV warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Suu-Ire
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 571, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
- Veterinary Services Department, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, P. O. Box M 161, Accra, Ghana.
- Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, P.O. Box M239, Accra, Ghana.
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK.
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool LP69 7ZX, UK.
| | - Ashley C Banyard
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - David Selden
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Kofi Amponsah-Mensah
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 571, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
| | - Silke Riesle
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 571, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
- Cambridge Infectious Diseases Consortium, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 0ES, Cambridge, UK.
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Meyir Y Ziekah
- Veterinary Services Department, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, P. O. Box M 161, Accra, Ghana.
- Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, P.O. Box M239, Accra, Ghana.
| | - Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 571, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
| | - James L N Wood
- Cambridge Infectious Diseases Consortium, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 0ES, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.
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13
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Wadhwa A, Wilkins K, Gao J, Condori Condori RE, Gigante CM, Zhao H, Ma X, Ellison JA, Greenberg L, Velasco-Villa A, Orciari L, Li Y. A Pan-Lyssavirus Taqman Real-Time RT-PCR Assay for the Detection of Highly Variable Rabies virus and Other Lyssaviruses. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005258. [PMID: 28081126 PMCID: PMC5230753 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rabies, resulting from infection by Rabies virus (RABV) and related lyssaviruses, is one of the most deadly zoonotic diseases and is responsible for up to 70,000 estimated human deaths worldwide each year. Rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis of rabies is essential for timely administration of post-exposure prophylaxis in humans and control of the disease in animals. Currently, only the direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test is recommended for routine rabies diagnosis. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based diagnostic methods have been widely adapted for the diagnosis of other viral pathogens, but there is currently no widely accepted rapid real-time RT-PCR assay for the detection of all lyssaviruses. In this study, we demonstrate the validation of a newly developed multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay named LN34, which uses a combination of degenerate primers and probes along with probe modifications to achieve superior coverage of the Lyssavirus genus while maintaining sensitivity and specificity. The primers and probes of the LN34 assay target the highly conserved non-coding leader region and part of the nucleoprotein (N) coding sequence of the Lyssavirus genome to maintain assay robustness. The probes were further modified by locked nucleotides to increase their melting temperature to meet the requirements for an optimal real-time RT-PCR assay. The LN34 assay was able to detect all RABV variants and other lyssaviruses in a validation panel that included representative RABV isolates from most regions of the world as well as representatives of 13 additional Lyssavirus species. The LN34 assay was successfully used for both ante-mortem and post-mortem diagnosis of over 200 clinical samples as well as field derived surveillance samples. This assay represents a major improvement over previously published rabies specific RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR assays because of its ability to universally detect RABV and other lyssaviruses, its high throughput capability and its simplicity of use, which can be quickly adapted in a laboratory to enhance the capacity of rabies molecular diagnostics. The LN34 assay provides an alternative approach for rabies diagnostics, especially in rural areas and rabies endemic regions that lack the conditions and broad experience required to run the standard DFA assay. Rabies is a preventable disease–but is still responsible for approximately 70,000 human deaths worldwide each year. The majority of human deaths occur in Asia and Africa where there is a lack of diagnostic resources and expertise, making it difficult to develop effective prevention and control strategies. In recent years, several real-time RT-PCR based diagnostic assays have been introduced to many developing countries in an effort to control the H1N1 pandemic flu, Ebola outbreak, and other tropical viral infections. In an effort to further improve rabies diagnostics, we developed a pan-lyssavirus Taqman real-time RT-PCR assay called LN34 for the detection of all known RABV variants and other lyssavirus species. The LN34 assay uses a combination of degenerate nucleotides, multiplex primers and probes, and unique probe modifications to achieve superior sensitivity and specificity compared to previously published RT-PCR based rabies diagnostics. Equally important, the LN34 assay is simple to set up, high throughput, combines multiple standard controls and can be used directly in widely available real-time RT-PCR systems. The LN34 assay was validated using a broad and comprehensive panel of highly diverse RABV variants and other lyssaviruses. A validated universal rabies diagnostic assay will be important in regions where RABV and other lyssaviruses co-circulate and for establishing a widely accepted diagnostic protocol. Over 200 clinical samples (including ante-mortem, post-mortem, and field derived samples) were tested with the LN34 assay, and the assay achieved 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in our laboratory. Over 300 published genome sequences from representatives of RABV and other lyssaviruses were found to contain the conserved LN34 primer and probe targeting sites in an in silico analysis. We are expanding the validation of the LN34 assay to multiple domestic and international laboratories and expect the LN34 assay will drastically improve rabies diagnostic capacities globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Wadhwa
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Kimberly Wilkins
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Jinxin Gao
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Rene Edgar Condori Condori
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Crystal M. Gigante
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Hui Zhao
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Xiaoyue Ma
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - James A. Ellison
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Lauren Greenberg
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Andres Velasco-Villa
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Lillian Orciari
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Yu Li
- Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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14
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Halczok TK, Fischer K, Gierke R, Zeus V, Meier F, Treß C, Balkema-Buschmann A, Puechmaille SJ, Kerth G. Evidence for genetic variation in Natterer's bats (Myotis nattereri) across three regions in Germany but no evidence for co-variation with their associated astroviruses. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:5. [PMID: 28056776 PMCID: PMC5217449 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0856-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As bats have recently been described to harbor many different viruses, several studies have investigated the genetic co-variation between viruses and different bat species. However, little is known about the genetic co-variation of viruses and different populations of the same bat species, although such information is needed for an understanding of virus transmission dynamics within a given host species. We hypothesized that if virus transmission between host populations depends on events linked to gene flow in the bats, genetic co-variation should exist between host populations and astroviruses. Results We used 19 nuclear and one mitochondrial microsatellite loci to analyze the genetic population structure of the Natterer’s bat (Myotis nattereri) within and among populations at different geographical scales in Germany. Further, we correlated the observed bat population structure to that of partial astrovirus sequences (323–394 nt fragments of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene) obtained from the same bat populations. Our analyses revealed that the studied bat colonies can be grouped into three distinct genetic clusters, corresponding to the three geographic regions sampled. Furthermore, we observed an overall isolation-by-distance pattern, while no significant pattern was observed within a geographic region. Moreover, we found no correlation between the genetic distances among the bat populations and the astrovirus sequences they harbored. Even though high genetic similarity of some of the astrovirus haplotypes found in several different regions was detected, identical astrovirus haplotypes were not shared between different sampled regions. Conclusions The genetic population structure of the bat host suggests that mating sites where several local breeding colonies meet act as stepping-stones for gene flow. Identical astrovirus haplotypes were not shared between different sampled regions suggesting that astroviruses are mostly transmitted among host colonies at the local scale. Nevertheless, high genetic similarity of some of the astrovirus haplotypes found in several different regions implies that occasional transmission across regions with subsequent mutations of the virus haplotypes does occur. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0856-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja K Halczok
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Fischer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Robert Gierke
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Veronika Zeus
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Frauke Meier
- Echolot GbR, Eulerstr. 12, 48155, Münster, Germany
| | - Christoph Treß
- Fledermausforschungsprojekt Wooster Teerofen e.V., Gartenstraße 4, 98617, Meiningen, Germany
| | - Anne Balkema-Buschmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Suedufer 10, 17493, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Sébastien J Puechmaille
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
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15
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Eggerbauer E, Troupin C, Passior K, Pfaff F, Höper D, Neubauer-Juric A, Haberl S, Bouchier C, Mettenleiter TC, Bourhy H, Müller T, Dacheux L, Freuling CM. The Recently Discovered Bokeloh Bat Lyssavirus: Insights Into Its Genetic Heterogeneity and Spatial Distribution in Europe and the Population Genetics of Its Primary Host. Adv Virus Res 2017; 99:199-232. [PMID: 29029727 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aivir.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In 2010, a novel lyssavirus named Bokeloh bat lyssavirus (BBLV) was isolated from a Natterer's bat (Myotis nattereri) in Germany. Two further viruses were isolated in the same country and in France in recent years, all from the same bat species and all found in moribund or dead bats. Here we report the description and the full-length genome sequence of five additional BBLV isolates from Germany (n=4) and France (n=1). Interestingly, all of them were isolated from the Natterer's bat, except one from Germany, which was found in a common Pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), a widespread and abundant bat species in Europe. The latter represents the first case of transmission of BBLV to another bat species. Phylogenetic analysis clearly demonstrated the presence of two different lineages among this lyssavirus species: lineages A and B. The spatial distribution of these two lineages remains puzzling, as both of them comprised isolates from France and Germany; although clustering of isolates was observed on a regional scale, especially in Germany. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b (CYTB) gene from positive Natterer's bat did not suggest a circulation of the respective BBLV sublineages in specific Natterer's bat subspecies, as all of them were shown to belong to the M. nattereri sensu stricto clade/subspecies and were closely related (German and French positive bats). At the bat host level, we demonstrated that the distribution of BBLV at the late stage of the disease seems large and massive, as viral RNA was detected in many different organs.
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