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Price EC, Roberts A, Bennett L, Glendewar G, Wormell D. Weight as an indicator of enclosure suitability in Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii). Zoo Biol 2024. [PMID: 38529876 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Obesity is common in zoo animals, and both dietary management and the provision of adequate opportunities for exercise are needed to tackle it. We used 30 years of records from Jersey Zoo to compare the weight and forearm length of wild and captive-born Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii), and to assess the impact on weight of enclosure space. The mean capture weight of wild-caught male Livingstone's bats was 657 g, significantly higher than that of females (544 g). In both wild and captive-born bats, males had significantly longer forearms than females, but there was no effect of birth location. Males weighed more in the mating season than at other times of year. Both sexes gained more weight during development if born in enclosures that restricted flight rather than a large aviary; this was particularly noticeable in females. After reaching maturity at 3 years, weights of bats born in restricted enclosures continued to increase, reached a peak of over 1000 g at 8-10 years, and then declined in both sexes. The weight of bats born in the aviary remained more stable after the age of three. Like wild bats, adult females born in the aviary weighed less than males. However, females born in restricted enclosures weighed more than males born in the same enclosures. Enclosure designs that maximize opportunities for flight can limit excessive weight gain in captive fruit bats and may therefore improve fitness and health, essential in planning for future reintroduction programs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex Roberts
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey
| | - Laura Bennett
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey
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Wood MR, de Vries JL, Epstein JH, Markotter W. Variations in small-scale movements of, Rousettus aegyptiacus, a Marburg virus reservoir across a seasonal gradient. Front Zool 2023; 20:23. [PMID: 37464371 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00502-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bats are increasingly being recognized as important hosts for viruses, some of which are zoonotic and carry the potential for spillover within human and livestock populations. Biosurveillance studies focused on assessing the risk of pathogen transmission, however, have largely focused on the virological component and have not always considered the ecological implications of different species as viral hosts. The movements of known viral hosts are an important component for disease risk assessments as they can potentially identify regions of higher risk of contact and spillover. As such, this study aimed to synthesize data from both virological and ecological fields to provide a more holistic assessment of the risk of pathogen transmission from bats to people. RESULTS Using radiotelemetry, we tracked the small-scale movements of Rousettus aegyptiacus, a species of bat known to host Marburg virus and other viruses with zoonotic potential, in a rural settlement in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The tracked bats exhibited seasonal variations in their movement patterns including variable usage of residential areas which could translate to contact between bats and humans and may facilitate spillover. We identified a trend for increased usage of residential areas during the winter months with July specifically experiencing the highest levels of bat activity within residential areas. July has previously been identified as a key period for increased spillover risk for viruses associated with R. aegyptiacus from this colony and paired with the increased activity levels, illustrates the risk for spillover to human populations. CONCLUSION This study emphasizes the importance of incorporating ecological data such as movement patterns with virological data to provide a better understanding of the risk of pathogen spillover and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Wood
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - J Low de Vries
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jonathan H Epstein
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
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Pekar JE, Lytras S, Ghafari M, Magee AF, Parker E, Havens JL, Katzourakis A, Vasylyeva TI, Suchard MA, Hughes AC, Hughes J, Robertson DL, Dellicour S, Worobey M, Wertheim JO, Lemey P. The recency and geographical origins of the bat viruses ancestral to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.12.548617. [PMID: 37502985 PMCID: PMC10369958 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.548617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV in 2002 and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 has led to increased sampling of related sarbecoviruses circulating primarily in horseshoe bats. These viruses undergo frequent recombination and exhibit spatial structuring across Asia. Employing recombination-aware phylogenetic inference on bat sarbecoviruses, we find that the closest-inferred bat virus ancestors of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 existed just ~1-3 years prior to their emergence in humans. Phylogeographic analyses examining the movement of related sarbecoviruses demonstrate that they traveled at similar rates to their horseshoe bat hosts and have been circulating for thousands of years in Asia. The closest-inferred bat virus ancestor of SARS-CoV likely circulated in western China, and that of SARS-CoV-2 likely circulated in a region comprising southwest China and northern Laos, both a substantial distance from where they emerged. This distance and recency indicate that the direct ancestors of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 could not have reached their respective sites of emergence via the bat reservoir alone. Our recombination-aware dating and phylogeographic analyses reveal a more accurate inference of evolutionary history than performing only whole-genome or single gene analyses. These results can guide future sampling efforts and demonstrate that viral genomic fragments extremely closely related to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 were circulating in horseshoe bats, confirming their importance as the reservoir species for SARS viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan E Pekar
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Spyros Lytras
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Mahan Ghafari
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrew F Magee
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Edyth Parker
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jennifer L Havens
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Tetyana I Vasylyeva
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Marc A Suchard
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Alice C Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- China Biodiversity Green Development Foundation, Beijing, China
| | - Joseph Hughes
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - David L Robertson
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
- These authors jointly supervised the work
| | - Simon Dellicour
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL), Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP160/12, 50 av. FD Roosevelt, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory for Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- These authors jointly supervised the work
| | - Michael Worobey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- These authors jointly supervised the work
| | - Joel O Wertheim
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- These authors jointly supervised the work
| | - Philippe Lemey
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory for Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- These authors jointly supervised the work
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Szentivanyi T, McKee C, Jones G, Foster JT. Trends in Bacterial Pathogens of Bats: Global Distribution and Knowledge Gaps. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/9285855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Bats have received considerable recent attention for infectious disease research because of their potential to host and transmit viruses, including Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, and multiple coronaviruses. These pathogens are occasionally transmitted from bats to wildlife, livestock, and to humans, directly or through other bridging (intermediate) hosts. Due to their public health relevance, zoonotic viruses are a primary focus of research attention. In contrast, other emerging pathogens of bats, such as bacteria, are vastly understudied despite their ubiquity and diversity. Here, we describe the currently known host ranges and geographic distributional patterns of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats, using published presence-absence data of pathogen occurrence. We identify apparent gaps in our understanding of the distribution of these pathogens on a global scale. The most frequently detected bacterial genera in bats are Bartonella, Leptospira, and Mycoplasma. However, a wide variety of other potentially zoonotic bacterial genera are also occasionally found in bats, such as Anaplasma, Brucella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Ehrlichia, Francisella, Neorickettsia, and Rickettsia. The bat families Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, and Pteropodidae are most frequently reported as hosts of bacterial pathogens; however, the presence of at least one bacterial genus was confirmed in all 15 bat families tested. On a spatial scale, molecular diagnostics of samples from 58 countries and four overseas departments and island states (French Guiana, Mayotte, New Caledonia, and Réunion Island) reported testing for at least one bacterial pathogen in bats. We also identified geographical areas that have been mostly neglected during bacterial pathogen research in bats, such as the Afrotropical region and Southern Asia. Current knowledge on the distribution of potentially zoonotic bacterial genera in bats is strongly biased by research effort towards certain taxonomic groups and geographic regions. Identifying these biases can guide future surveillance efforts, contributing to a better understanding of the ecoepidemiology of zoonotic pathogens in bats.
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Murugavel B, Kandula S, Somanathan H, Kelber A. Home ranges, directionality and the influence of moon phases on the movement ecology of Indian flying fox males in southern India. Biol Open 2023; 12:286595. [PMID: 36648245 PMCID: PMC9922730 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Flying foxes of the genus Pteropus are amongst the largest fruit bats and potential long-range pollinators and seed dispersers in the paleotropics. Pteropus giganteus (currently P. medius) is the only flying fox that is distributed throughout the Indian mainland, including in urban and rural areas. Using GPS telemetry, we mapped the home ranges and examined flight patterns in P. giganteus males across moon phases in a semi-urban landscape in southern India. Home range differed between the tracked males (n=4), likely due to differences in their experience in the landscape. We found that nightly time spent outside the roost, distance commuted and the number of sites visited by tracked individuals did not differ significantly between moon phases. In 61% of total tracked nights across bats, the first foraging site was within 45˚ of the emergence direction. At the colony-level, scan-based observations showed emergence flights were mostly in the northeast (27%), west (22%) and southwest (19%) directions that could potentially be related to the distribution of foraging resources. The movement ecology of fruit bats in relation to the pollination and seed dispersal services they provide requires to be investigated in future studies. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baheerathan Murugavel
- IISER TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala P. O, Vithura, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Sripathi Kandula
- 74-6-51, Sravanthi Enclave, Prakash Nagar, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh, 533103 India
| | - Hema Somanathan
- IISER TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala P. O, Vithura, Kerala 695551, India
| | - Almut Kelber
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362 Lund, Sweden,Author for correspondence ()
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Kovalchuk LA, Mishchenko VA, Chernaya LV, Snit'ko VP, Bolshakov VN. Assessment of Seasonal Variability of the Spectrum of Free Amino Acids in the Blood Plasma of the Boreal Bat Species (Myotis dasycneme Boie, 1825) of the Ural Fauna. DOKL BIOCHEM BIOPHYS 2022; 507:268-272. [PMID: 36786984 DOI: 10.1134/s1607672922060060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
A comparative analysis of the content of free amino acids in the blood plasma of a representative of the bat fauna of the Urals, Myotis dasycneme (Boie, 1825), in seasonal periods of their annual life cycle is presented for the first time. The blood plasma of the pond bats contains a full spectrum of essential amino acids: threonine, valine, lysine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, arginine, histidine, and tryptophan. A significant accumulation of metabolically active glucoplastic alanine in the blood of M. dasycneme in the autumn (2.5 times) and winter (2.2 times) periods indicates its role as a low-temperature adaptogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- L A Kovalchuk
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia.
| | - V A Mishchenko
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia.,Yekaterinburg Research Institute of Viral Infections, SSC VB "Vector" Rospotrebnadzor, Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation
| | - L V Chernaya
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - V P Snit'ko
- South Ural Federal Scientific Center of Mineralogy and Environmental Geology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Miass, Ilmen Reserve, Russia
| | - V N Bolshakov
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia
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Wang Z, Huang G, Huang M, Dai Q, Hu Y, Zhou J, Wei F. Global patterns of phylogenetic diversity and transmission of bat coronavirus. SCIENCE CHINA LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 66:861-874. [PMID: 36378474 PMCID: PMC9664035 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2221-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bats are reservoirs for multiple coronaviruses (CoVs). However, the phylogenetic diversity and transmission of global bat-borne CoVs remain poorly understood. Here, we performed a Bayesian phylogeographic analysis based on 3,594 bat CoV RdRp gene sequences to study the phylogenetic diversity and transmission of bat-borne CoVs and the underlying driving factors. We found that host-switching events occurred more frequently for α-CoVs than for β-CoVs, and the latter was highly constrained by bat phylogeny. Bat species in the families Molossidae, Rhinolophidae, Miniopteridae, and Vespertilionidae had larger contributions to the cross-species transmission of bat CoVs. Regions of eastern and southern Africa, southern South America, Western Europe, and Southeast Asia were more frequently involved in cross-region transmission events of bat CoVs than other regions. Phylogenetic and geographic distances were the most important factors limiting CoV transmission. Bat taxa and global geographic hotspots associated with bat CoV phylogenetic diversity were identified, and bat species richness, mean annual temperature, global agricultural cropland, and human population density were strongly correlated with the phylogenetic diversity of bat CoVs. These findings provide insight into bat CoV evolution and ecological transmission among bat taxa. The identified hotspots of bat CoV evolution and transmission will guide early warnings of bat-borne CoV zoonotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guangping Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Mingpan Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qiang Dai
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yibo Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jiang Zhou
- School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550000, China
| | - Fuwen Wei
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Center for Evolution and Conservation Biology, Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
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Japanese Encephalitis Virus: The Emergence of Genotype IV in Australia and Its Potential Endemicity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112480. [PMID: 36366578 PMCID: PMC9698845 DOI: 10.3390/v14112480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A fatal case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) occurred in northern Australia in early 2021. Sequence studies showed that the virus belonged to genotype IV (GIV), a genotype previously believed to be restricted to the Indonesian archipelago. This was the first locally acquired case of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) GIV to occur outside Indonesia, and the second confirmed fatal human case caused by a GIV virus. A closely related GIV JEV strain subsequently caused a widespread outbreak in eastern Australia in 2022 that was first detected by fetal death and abnormalities in commercial piggeries. Forty-two human cases also occurred with seven fatalities. This has been the first major outbreak of JEV in mainland Australia, and geographically the largest virgin soil outbreak recorded for JEV. This outbreak provides an opportunity to discuss and document the factors involved in the virus' spread and its ecology in a novel ecological milieu in which other flaviviruses, including members of the JE serological complex, also occur. The probable vertebrate hosts and mosquito vectors are discussed with respect to virus spread and its possible endemicity in Australia, and the need to develop a One Health approach to develop improved surveillance methods to rapidly detect future outbreak activity across a large geographical area containing a sparse human population. Understanding the spread of JEV in a novel ecological environment is relevant to the possible threat that JEV may pose in the future to other receptive geographic areas, such as the west coast of the United States, southern Europe or Africa.
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Gilbertson MLJ, Ketz AC, Hunsaker M, Jarosinski D, Ellarson W, Walsh DP, Storm DJ, Turner WC. Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:43. [PMID: 36289549 PMCID: PMC9608933 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00342-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dispersal is a fundamental process to animal population dynamics and gene flow. In white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus), dispersal also presents an increasingly relevant risk for the spread of infectious diseases. Across their wide range, WTD dispersal is believed to be driven by a suite of landscape and host behavioral factors, but these can vary by region, season, and sex. Our objectives were to (1) identify dispersal events in Wisconsin WTD and determine drivers of dispersal rates and distances, and (2) determine how landscape features (e.g., rivers, roads) structure deer dispersal paths. METHODS We developed an algorithmic approach to detect dispersal events from GPS collar data for 590 juvenile, yearling, and adult WTD. We used statistical models to identify host and landscape drivers of dispersal rates and distances, including the role of agricultural land use, the traversability of the landscape, and potential interactions between deer. We then performed a step selection analysis to determine how landscape features such as agricultural land use, elevation, rivers, and roads affected deer dispersal paths. RESULTS Dispersal predominantly occurred in juvenile males, of which 64.2% dispersed, with dispersal events uncommon in other sex and age classes. Juvenile male dispersal probability was positively associated with the proportion of the natal range that was classified as agricultural land use, but only during the spring. Dispersal distances were typically short (median 5.77 km, range: 1.3-68.3 km), especially in the fall. Further, dispersal distances were positively associated with agricultural land use in potential dispersal paths but negatively associated with the number of proximate deer in the natal range. Lastly, we found that, during dispersal, juvenile males typically avoided agricultural land use but selected for areas near rivers and streams. CONCLUSION Land use-particularly agricultural-was a key driver of dispersal rates, distances, and paths in Wisconsin WTD. In addition, our results support the importance of deer social environments in shaping dispersal behavior. Our findings reinforce knowledge of dispersal ecology in WTD and how landscape factors-including major rivers, roads, and land-use patterns-structure host gene flow and potential pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie L J Gilbertson
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr, 53706, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Alison C Ketz
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr, 53706, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Matthew Hunsaker
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr, 53706, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Dana Jarosinski
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1500 N Johns St, 53533, Dodgeville, WI, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green St, 30602, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Wesley Ellarson
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1500 N Johns St, 53533, Dodgeville, WI, USA
| | - Daniel P Walsh
- U.S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive NS 205, 59812, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Daniel J Storm
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1300 West Clairemont Ave, 54701, Eau Claire, WI, USA
| | - Wendy C Turner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr, 53706, Madison, WI, USA
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Predicted impacts of climate change and extreme temperature events on the future distribution of fruit bat species in Australia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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11
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Intaruck K, Itakura Y, Kishimoto M, Chambaro HM, Setiyono A, Handharyani E, Uemura K, Harima H, Taniguchi S, Saijo M, Kimura T, Orba Y, Sawa H, Sasaki M. Isolation and characterization of an orthoreovirus from Indonesian fruit bats. Virology 2022; 575:10-19. [PMID: 35987079 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nelson Bay orthoreovirus (NBV) is an emerging bat-borne virus and causes respiratory tract infections in humans sporadically. Over the last two decades, several strains genetically related to NBV were isolated from humans and various bat species, predominantly in Southeast Asia (SEA), suggesting a high prevalence of the NBV species in this region. In this study, an orthoreovirus (ORV) belonging to the NBV species was isolated from Indonesian fruit bats' feces, tentatively named Paguyaman orthoreovirus (PgORV). Serological studies revealed that 81.2% (108/133) of Indonesian fruit bats sera had neutralizing antibodies against PgORV. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of PgORV suggested the occurrence of past reassortments with other NBV strains isolated in SEA, indicating the dispersal and circulation of NBV species among bats in this region. Intranasal PgORV inoculation of laboratory mice caused severe pneumonia. Our study characterized PgORV's unique genetic background and highlighted the potential risk of PgORV-related diseases in Indonesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kittiya Intaruck
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yukari Itakura
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Mai Kishimoto
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Herman M Chambaro
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Agus Setiyono
- Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Ekowati Handharyani
- Department of Veterinary Clinic, Reproduction and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Kentaro Uemura
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Drug Discovery and Disease Research Laboratory, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan; Laboratory of Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hayato Harima
- Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Taniguchi
- Department of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saijo
- Department of Virology 1, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Kimura
- Laboratory of Comparative Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yasuko Orba
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Division of International Research Promotion, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Global Virus Network, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michihito Sasaki
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
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Todd CM, Westcott DA, Martin JM, Rose K, McKeown A, Hall J, Welbergen JA. Body-size dependent foraging strategies in the Christmas Island flying-fox: implications for seed and pollen dispersal within a threatened island ecosystem. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:19. [PMID: 35410304 PMCID: PMC8996557 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00315-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animals are important vectors for the dispersal of a wide variety of plant species, and thus play a key role in maintaining the health and biodiversity of natural ecosystems. On oceanic islands, flying-foxes are often the only seed dispersers or pollinators. However, many flying-fox populations are currently in decline, particularly those of insular species, and this has consequences for the ecological services they provide. Knowledge of the drivers and the scale of flying-fox movements is important in determining the ecological roles that flying-foxes play on islands. This information is also useful for understanding the potential long-term consequences for forest dynamics resulting from population declines or extinction, and so can aid in the development of evidence-based ecological management strategies. To these ends, we examined the foraging movements, floral resource use, and social interactions of the Critically Endangered Christmas Island flying-fox (Pteropus natalis). METHODS Utilization distributions, using movement-based kernel estimates (MBKE) were generated to determine nightly foraging movements of GPS-tracked P. natalis (n = 24). Generalized linear models (GLMs), linear mixed-effect models (LMMs), and Generalized linear mixed-effects model (GLMMs) were constructed to explain how intrinsic factors (body mass, skeletal size, and sex) affected the extent of foraging movements. In addition, we identified pollen collected from facial and body swabs of P. natalis (n = 216) to determine foraging resource use. Direct observations (n = 272) of foraging P. natalis enabled us to assess the various behaviors used to defend foraging resources. RESULTS Larger P. natalis individuals spent more time foraging and less time traveling between foraging patches, traveled shorter nightly distances, and had smaller overall foraging ranges than smaller conspecifics. Additionally, larger individuals visited a lower diversity of floral resources. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that smaller P. natalis individuals are the primary vectors of long-distance dispersal of pollen and digested seeds in this species, providing a vital mechanism for maintaining the flow of plant genetic diversity across Christmas Island. Overall, our study highlights the need for more holistic research approaches that incorporate population demographics when assessing a species' ecological services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Todd
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753 Australia
| | - David A. Westcott
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 47-67 Maunds St, Atherton, QLD 4883 Australia
- Atherton, Australia
| | - John M. Martin
- Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman, NSW 2088 Australia
| | - Karrie Rose
- Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman, NSW 2088 Australia
| | - Adam McKeown
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Waite Rd, Urrbrae, SA 5064 Australia
| | - Jane Hall
- Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman, NSW 2088 Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW 2753 Australia
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13
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Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA. Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization creates novel ecological spaces where some species thrive. Geographical urbanization promotes human–wildlife conflict; however, we know relatively little about the drivers of biological urbanization, which poses impediments for sound wildlife management and conservation action. Flying-foxes are extremely mobile and move nomadically in response to flowering resources, but are now increasingly found in urban areas, for reasons that are poorly understood. To investigate the mechanisms behind flying-fox urbanization, we examined the movement of 99 satellite tracked grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) over 1 year in urban versus non-urban environments. We found that tracked individuals preferentially visited major-urban roosts, exhibited higher fidelity to major-urban roosts, and foraged over shorter distances when roosting in major-urban areas. In contrast to other colonial species, there were no density-dependent effects of colony size on foraging distance, suggesting that at a landscape scale, flying-foxes distribute themselves across roosts in an ideal-free manner, minimizing competition over urban and non-urban foraging resources. Yet, males consistently foraged over shorter distances than females, suggesting that at a local scale foraging distances reflect competitive inequalities between individuals. Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that flying-fox urbanization is driven by increased spatiotemporal availability of food resources in urban areas; however, unlike in other species, it is likely a consequence of increased urban visitation by nomadic individuals rather than a subset of the population becoming “urban residents” per se. We discuss the implications of the movement behavior we report for the conservation and management of highly mobile species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradley’s Head Rd, Mosman, 2088 NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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14
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McEvoy JF, Kishbaugh JC, Valitutto MT, Aung O, Tun KYN, Win YT, Maw MT, Thein WZ, Win HH, Chit AM, Vodzak ME, Murray S. Movements of Indian Flying Fox in Myanmar as a Guide to Human-Bat Interface Sites. ECOHEALTH 2021; 18:204-216. [PMID: 34448977 PMCID: PMC8390844 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01544-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Frugivorous bats play a vital role in tropical ecosystems as pollinators and seed dispersers but are also important vectors of zoonotic diseases. Myanmar sits at the intersection of numerous bioregions and contains habitats that are important for many endangered and endemic species. This rapidly developing country also forms a connection between hotspots of emerging human diseases. We deployed Global Positioning System collars to track the movements of 10 Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) in the agricultural landscapes of central Myanmar. We used clustering analysis to identify foraging sites and high-utilization areas. As part of a larger viral surveillance study in bats of Myanmar, we also collected oral and rectal swab samples from 29 bats to test for key emerging viral diseases in this colony. There were no positive results detected for our chosen viruses. We analyzed their foraging movement behavior and evaluated selected foraging sites for their potential as human-wildlife interface sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F McEvoy
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.
| | - Jennifer C Kishbaugh
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Marc T Valitutto
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Ohnmar Aung
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Kyaw Yan Naing Tun
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ye Tun Win
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Min Thein Maw
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Wai Zin Thein
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htay Htay Win
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Myo Chit
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Megan E Vodzak
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Suzan Murray
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
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15
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Boardman WSJ, Roshier D, Reardon T, Burbidge K, McKeown A, Westcott DA, Caraguel CGB, Prowse TAA. Spring foraging movements of an urban population of grey-headed flying foxes ( Pteropus poliocephalus). JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Flying foxes provide ecologically and economically important ecosystem services but extensive clearing and modification of habitat and drought combined with the planting of commercial and non-commercial trees across various landscapes, has meant flying foxes in Australia are increasingly seeking foraging resources in new areas. In 2011, grey-headed flying foxes formed a camp in Adelaide, South Australia, outside their previously recorded range. We used global positioning system telemetry to study the movements and foraging behaviour of this species in Adelaide in spring (September to November) 2015. High-frequency location data were used to determine the foraging range and the most frequently visited foraging sites used by each bat which were ground-truthed to identify forage plants. A total of 7239 valid locations were collected over 170 nights from four collars. Despite being a highly mobile species, the mean core foraging range estimate was only 7.30 km2 (range 3.3–11.2 km2). Maximum foraging distance from the camp in the Botanic Park was 9.5 km but most foraging occurred within a 4-km radius. The most common foraging sites occurred within the residential area of Adelaide and included introduced forage plant species, Lemon-scented gum (Corymbia citriodora) and Port Jackson fig (Ficus rubiginosa). Other observed movement activities included dipping behaviour on inland and marine waters and travel across flight paths around Adelaide airport. Our findings suggest that urban habitats in Adelaide provide sufficient foraging resources for grey-headed flying foxes to use these areas exclusively, at least in spring. This creates substantial opportunities for bats to interact with humans and their infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wayne S J Boardman
- Department of Pathobiology, Infectious Disease and Public Health, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia
| | - David Roshier
- Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco, WA 6008, Australia
| | - Terry Reardon
- South Australia Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Kathryn Burbidge
- Department of Pathobiology, Infectious Disease and Public Health, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia
| | - Adam McKeown
- CSIRO Land and Water, Atherton, QLD 4883, Australia
| | | | - Charles G B Caraguel
- Department of Pathobiology, Infectious Disease and Public Health, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia
| | - Thomas A A Prowse
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
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16
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Welbergen JA, Meade J, Field HE, Edson D, McMichael L, Shoo LP, Praszczalek J, Smith C, Martin JM. Extreme mobility of the world's largest flying mammals creates key challenges for management and conservation. BMC Biol 2020; 18:101. [PMID: 32819385 PMCID: PMC7440933 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00829-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effective conservation management of highly mobile species depends upon detailed knowledge of movements of individuals across their range; yet, data are rarely available at appropriate spatiotemporal scales. Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are large bats that forage by night on floral resources and rest by day in arboreal roosts that may contain colonies of many thousands of individuals. They are the largest mammals capable of powered flight, and are highly mobile, which makes them key seed and pollen dispersers in forest ecosystems. However, their mobility also facilitates transmission of zoonotic diseases and brings them in conflict with humans, and so they require a precarious balancing of conservation and management concerns throughout their Old World range. Here, we analyze the Australia-wide movements of 201 satellite-tracked individuals, providing unprecedented detail on the inter-roost movements of three flying-fox species: Pteropus alecto, P. poliocephalus, and P. scapulatus across jurisdictions over up to 5 years. RESULTS Individuals were estimated to travel long distances annually among a network of 755 roosts (P. alecto, 1427-1887 km; P. poliocephalus, 2268-2564 km; and P. scapulatus, 3782-6073 km), but with little uniformity among their directions of travel. This indicates that flying-fox populations are composed of extremely mobile individuals that move nomadically and at species-specific rates. Individuals of all three species exhibited very low fidelity to roosts locally, resulting in very high estimated daily colony turnover rates (P. alecto, 11.9 ± 1.3%; P. poliocephalus, 17.5 ± 1.3%; and P. scapulatus, 36.4 ± 6.5%). This indicates that flying-fox roosts form nodes in a vast continental network of highly dynamic "staging posts" through which extremely mobile individuals travel far and wide across their species ranges. CONCLUSIONS The extreme inter-roost mobility reported here demonstrates the extent of the ecological linkages that nomadic flying-foxes provide across Australia's contemporary fragmented landscape, with profound implications for the ecosystem services and zoonotic dynamics of flying-fox populations. In addition, the extreme mobility means that impacts from local management actions can readily reverberate across jurisdictions throughout the species ranges; therefore, local management actions need to be assessed with reference to actions elsewhere and hence require national coordination. These findings underscore the need for sound understanding of animal movement dynamics to support evidence-based, transboundary conservation and management policy, tailored to the unique movement ecologies of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin A Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia.
| | - Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia
| | - Hume E Field
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia
- Ecohealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001, USA
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Daniel Edson
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Lee McMichael
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Luke P Shoo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jenny Praszczalek
- Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
| | - Craig Smith
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
- Institute for Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
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17
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Zuercher ME, Monson TA, Dvoretzky RR, Ravindramurthy S, Hlusko LJ. Dental Variation in Megabats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae): Tooth Metrics Correlate with Body Size and Tooth Proportions Reflect Phylogeny. J MAMM EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-020-09508-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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18
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Lavery TH, Posala CK, Tasker EM, Fisher DO. Ecological generalism and resilience of tropical island mammals to logging: A 23 year test. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:3285-3293. [PMID: 32239613 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tropical forest disturbance is a key driver of global biodiversity decline. On continents, the effects of logging are greatest on endemic species, presumably because disturbance is more likely to cover narrower distributions (the "cookie cutter" model). Islands hold disproportionate biodiversity, and are subject to accelerating biotic homogenization, where specialist endemics are lost while generalists persist. We tested responses of tropical island mammals to logging at multiple spatial scales, using a long-term experimental test in a Pacific archipelago. The most widely distributed ecological generalists did not decline after logging, and we detected no overall changes in relative abundance or species diversity. However, endemics with small ranges did decline in response to logging. The least mobile and most range-restricted species declined even at the smallest spatial scale, supporting the cookie cutter model for sedentary species, and suggesting that habitat change due to selective logging is contributing to biotic homogenization on islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyrone H Lavery
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Corzzierrah K Posala
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji Islands
| | - Elizabeth M Tasker
- Ecosystem Management Science Branch, Science Division, New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, Sydney South, NSW, Australia
- Mammal Section, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Diana O Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
- Mammal Section, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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19
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Irving AT, Rozario P, Kong PS, Luko K, Gorman JJ, Hastie ML, Chia WN, Mani S, Lee BPH, Smith GJD, Mendenhall IH, Larman HB, Elledge SJ, Wang LF. Robust dengue virus infection in bat cells and limited innate immune responses coupled with positive serology from bats in IndoMalaya and Australasia. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:1607-1622. [PMID: 31352533 PMCID: PMC11104837 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03242-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Natural reservoir hosts can sustain infection of pathogens without succumbing to overt disease. Multiple bat species host a plethora of viruses, pathogenic to other mammals, without clinical symptoms. Here, we detail infection of bat primary cells, immune cells, and cell lines with Dengue virus. While antibodies and viral RNA were previously detected in wild bats, their ability to sustain infection is not conclusive. Old-world fruitbat cells can be infected, producing high titres of virus with limited cellular responses. In addition, there is minimal interferon (IFN) response in cells infected with MOIs leading to dengue production. The ability to support in vitro replication/production raises the possibility of bats as a transient host in the life cycle of dengue or similar flaviviruses. New antibody serology evidence from Asia/Pacific highlights the previous exposure and raises awareness that bats may be involved in flavivirus dynamics and infection of other hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jeffrey J Gorman
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Marcus L Hastie
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Wan Ni Chia
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Stephen J Elledge
- Harvard University Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lin-Fa Wang
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
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20
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Latinne A, Saputro S, Kalengkongan J, Kowel CL, Gaghiwu L, Ransaleleh TA, Nangoy MJ, Wahyuni I, Kusumaningrum T, Safari D, Feferholtz Y, Li H, Hagan E, Miller M, Francisco L, Daszak P, Olival KJ, Pamungkas J. Characterizing and quantifying the wildlife trade network in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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21
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Choden K, Ravon S, Epstein JH, Hoem T, Furey N, Gely M, Jolivot A, Hul V, Neung C, Tran A, Cappelle J. Pteropus lylei primarily forages in residential areas in Kandal, Cambodia. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:4181-4191. [PMID: 31015997 PMCID: PMC6468066 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are the second most species-rich Mammalian order and provide a wide range of ecologically important and economically significant ecosystem services. Nipah virus is a zoonotic emerging infectious disease for which pteropodid bats have been identified as a natural reservoir. In Cambodia, Nipah virus circulation has been reported in Pteropus lylei, but little is known about the spatial distribution of the species and the associated implications for conservation and public health.We deployed Global Positioning System (GPS) collars on 14 P. lylei to study their movements and foraging behavior in Cambodia in 2016. All of the flying foxes were captured from the same roost, and GPS locations were collected for 1 month. The habitats used by each bat were characterized through ground-truthing, and a spatial distribution model was developed of foraging sites.A total of 13,643 valid locations were collected during the study. Our study bats flew approximately 20 km from the roost each night to forage. The maximum distance traveled per night ranged from 6.88-105 km and averaged 28.3 km. Six of the 14 bats visited another roost for at least one night during the study, including one roost located 105 km away.Most foraging locations were in residential areas (53.7%) followed by plantations (26.6%). Our spatial distribution model confirmed that residential areas were the preferred foraging habitat for P. lylei, although our results should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of individuals studied. Synthesis and applications: Our findings suggest that the use of residential and agricultural habitats by P. lylei may create opportunities for bats to interact with humans and livestock. They also suggest the importance of anthropogenic habitats for conservation of this vulnerable and ecologically important group in Cambodia. Our mapping of the probability of occurrence of foraging sites will help identification of areas where public awareness should be promoted regarding the ecosystem services provided by flying foxes and potential for disease transmission through indirect contact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Thavry Hoem
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge Phnom Penh Cambodia
| | - Neil Furey
- Fauna & Flora International (Cambodia) Phnom Penh Cambodia
- Harrison Institute Sevenoaks UK
| | - Marie Gely
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge Phnom Penh Cambodia
| | - Audrey Jolivot
- CIRAD, UMR TETIS Montpellier France
- UMR TETIS, CIRAD, CNRS, IRSTEA, AgroParisTech Montpellier University Montpellier France
| | - Vibol Hul
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge Phnom Penh Cambodia
| | | | - Annelise Tran
- CIRAD, UMR TETIS Montpellier France
- UMR TETIS, CIRAD, CNRS, IRSTEA, AgroParisTech Montpellier University Montpellier France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE Montpellier France
- UMR ASTRE CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier University Montpellier France
| | - Julien Cappelle
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge Phnom Penh Cambodia
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE Montpellier France
- UMR ASTRE CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier University Montpellier France
- UMR EpiA INRA Marcy l'Etoile France
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22
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Bell E, Price E, Balthes S, Cordon M, Wormell D. Flight patterns in zoo-housed fruit bats (Pteropus spp.). Zoo Biol 2019; 38:248-257. [PMID: 30864161 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining the capacity for sustained flight in captivity is a key goal for the management of threatened fruit bats. We developed quantifiable descriptions of flight complexity and used them to assess the suitability of an enclosure for two species of fruit bat of differing size, the large Livingstone's fruit bat, Pteropus livingstonii, and the smaller Rodrigues fruit bat, Pteropus rodricensis, in a two-part study. In Phase 1, Rodrigues fruit bats flew more often than Livingstone's fruit bats and although the majority of flights in both species were linear, Rodrigues fruit bats were more likely to display complex flight paths involving turns, while flights by Livingstone's fruit bats were more likely to end in a crash-landing than Rodrigues fruit bat flights. The enclosure may therefore not have been large enough for Livingstone's fruit bats to display a full range of flight behavior over longer distances. In Phase 2, juvenile Livingstone's fruit bats ( < 3 years old) flew more than twice as often as younger adults (3-10 years old) did. Older adult Livingstone's fruit bats over the age of 10 years were not observed to fly. We could not separate out the effects of age, weight and environment during development as these factors were strongly correlated in our study; future work in this area will be very important in understanding the factors that affect flight in captive bats, and how it can be encouraged by appropriate enclosure design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Bell
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey, Channel Islands
| | - Eluned Price
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey, Channel Islands
| | | | | | - Dominic Wormell
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey, Channel Islands
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Phelps KL, Hamel L, Alhmoud N, Ali S, Bilgin R, Sidamonidze K, Urushadze L, Karesh W, Olival KJ. Bat Research Networks and Viral Surveillance: Gaps and Opportunities in Western Asia. Viruses 2019; 11:v11030240. [PMID: 30857374 PMCID: PMC6466127 DOI: 10.3390/v11030240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bat research networks and viral surveillance are assumed to be at odds due to seemingly conflicting research priorities. Yet human threats that contribute to declines in bat populations globally also lead to increased transmission and spread of bat-associated viruses, which may pose a threat to global health and food security. In this review, we discuss the importance of and opportunities for multidisciplinary collaborations between bat research networks and infectious disease experts to tackle shared threats that jeopardize bat conservation as well as human and animal health. Moreover, we assess research effort on bats and bat-associated viruses globally, and demonstrate that Western Asia has limited published research and represents a gap for coordinated bat research. The lack of bat research in Western Asia severely limits our capacity to identify and mitigate region-specific threats to bat populations and detect interactions between bats and incidental hosts that promote virus spillover. We detail a regional initiative to establish the first bat research network in Western Asia (i.e., the Western Asia Bat Research Network, WAB-Net), with the aim of integrating ecological research on bats with virus surveillance to find “win-win” solutions that promote bat conservation and safeguard public and animal health across the region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luke Hamel
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10001, USA.
| | - Nisreen Alhmoud
- Biosafety and Biosecurity Center, Royal Scientific Society, 11941 Amman, Jordan.
| | - Shahzad Ali
- Department of Wildlife & Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.
| | - Rasit Bilgin
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Boğaziçi University, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey.
| | | | - Lela Urushadze
- National Center for Disease Control & Public Health, 0198 Tbilisi, Georgia.
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Mechanisms for lyssavirus persistence in non-synanthropic bats in Europe: insights from a modeling study. Sci Rep 2019; 9:537. [PMID: 30679459 PMCID: PMC6345892 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36485-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are natural reservoirs of the largest proportion of viral zoonoses among mammals, thus understanding the conditions for pathogen persistence in bats is essential to reduce human risk. Focusing on the European Bat Lyssavirus subtype 1 (EBLV-1), causing rabies disease, we develop a data-driven spatially explicit metapopulation model to investigate EBLV-1 persistence in Myotis myotis and Miniopterus schreibersii bat species in Catalonia. We find that persistence relies on host spatial structure through the migratory nature of M. schreibersii, on cross-species mixing with M. myotis, and on survival of infected animals followed by temporary immunity. The virus would not persist in the single colony of M. myotis. Our study provides for the first time epidemiological estimates for EBLV-1 progression in M. schreibersii. Our approach can be readily adapted to other zoonoses of public health concern where long-range migration and habitat sharing may play an important role.
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25
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Abstract
This article summarizes current knowledge about the migratory behavior of temperate and tropical bats. A close association between migration and hibernation exists in temperate, but not in tropical, bats. Compared with birds, bats are relatively short-distance migrators, with maximum migration distances being <2000 km; intercontinental migration is likely to be uncommon in bats. Migratory bats have lower levels of population subdivision and larger genetically effective population sizes than nonmigratory bats. A variety of methods, including banding, genetic analyses, stable isotope analyses, and tracking with radio or satellite transmitters, are currently being used to study bat migration. The conservation of migratory bats poses special challenges that require national and international efforts. Migratory bats sometimes harbor pathogens that can be transmitted to humans. Overall, the beneficial aspects of migratory bats, including control of insect populations and dispersal of pollen and seeds over broad areas, far outweigh their negative aspects.
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Holz P, Hufschmid J, Boardman WSJ, Cassey P, Firestone S, Lumsden LF, Prowse TAA, Reardon T, Stevenson M. Does the fungus causing white-nose syndrome pose a significant risk to Australian bats? WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/wr18194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextPseudogymnoascus destructans is the fungus responsible for white-nose syndrome (WNS), which has killed millions of hibernating bats in North America, but also occurs in bats in Europe and China without causing large-scale population effects. This is likely to be due to differences in species susceptibility and behaviour, and environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity. Pseudogymnoascus destructans is currently believed to be absent from Australia.
AimsTo ascertain the level of risk that white-nose syndrome poses for Australian bats.
Methods This risk analysis examines the likelihood that P. destructans enters Australia, the likelihood of the fungus coming in contact with native bats on successful entry, and the potential consequences should this occur.
Key results This risk assessment concluded that it is very likely to almost certain that P. destructans will enter Australia, and it is likely that bats will be exposed to the fungus over the next 10 years. Eight cave-dwelling bat species from southern Australia are the ones most likely to be affected.
ConclusionsThe risk was assessed as medium for the critically endangered southern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii), because any increase in mortality could affect its long-term survival. The risk to other species was deemed to range from low to very low, owing to their wider distribution, which extends beyond the P. destructans risk zone.
Implications Although Australia’s milder climate may preclude the large mortality events seen in North America, the fungus could still significantly affect Australian bat populations, particularly bent-winged bats. Active surveillance is required to confirm Australia’s continuing WNS-free status, and to detect the presence of P. destructans should it enter the country. Although White-nose Syndrome Response Guidelines have been developed by Wildlife Health Australia to assist response agencies in the event of an incursion of WNS into bats in Australia, these guidelines would be strengthened by further research to characterise Australian cave temperatures and hibernating bat biology, such as length of torpor bouts and movement over winter. Risk-mitigation strategies should focus on education programs that target cavers, show-cave managers and tourists, particularly those who have visited regions where WNS is known to occur.
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27
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Caron A, Bourgarel M, Cappelle J, Liégeois F, De Nys HM, Roger F. Ebola Virus Maintenance: If Not (Only) Bats, What Else? Viruses 2018; 10:E549. [PMID: 30304789 PMCID: PMC6213544 DOI: 10.3390/v10100549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The maintenance mechanisms of ebolaviruses in African forest ecosystems are still unknown, but indirect evidences point at the involvement of some bat species. Despite intense research, the main bat-maintenance hypothesis has not been confirmed yet. The alternative hypotheses of a non-bat maintenance host or a maintenance community including, or not, several bat and other species, deserves more investigation. However, African forest ecosystems host a large biodiversity and abound in potential maintenance hosts. How does one puzzle out? Since recent studies have revealed that several bat species have been exposed to ebolaviruses, the common denominator to these hypotheses is that within the epidemiological cycle, some bats species must be exposed to the viruses and infected by these potential alternative hosts. Under this constraint, and given the peculiar ecology of bats (roosting behaviour, habitat utilisation, and flight mode), we review the hosts and transmission pathways that can lead to bat exposure and infection to ebolaviruses. In contrast to the capacity of bats to transmit ebolaviruses and other pathogens to many hosts, our results indicate that only a limited number of hosts and pathways can lead to the transmission of ebolaviruses to bats, and that the alternative maintenance host, if it exists, must be amongst them. A list of these pathways is provided, along with protocols to prioritise and investigate these alternative hypotheses. In conclusion, taking into account the ecology of bats and their known involvement in ebolaviruses ecology drastically reduces the list of potential alternative maintenance hosts for ebolaviruses. Understanding the natural history of ebolaviruses is a health priority, and investigating these alternative hypotheses could complete the current effort focused on the role of bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Caron
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, RP-PCP, Harare, Zimbabwe.
- ASTRE, Uni. Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, 34398 Montpellier, France.
- Faculdade de Veterinaria, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo 01009, Mozambique.
| | - Mathieu Bourgarel
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, RP-PCP, Harare, Zimbabwe.
- ASTRE, Uni. Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, 34398 Montpellier, France.
| | - Julien Cappelle
- ASTRE, Uni. Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, 34398 Montpellier, France.
- UMR EPIA, INRA, VetAgro Sup, Univ Lyon, F-69280 Marcy-l'étoile, France.
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, 34398 Montpellier, France.
| | - Florian Liégeois
- UMR 224, MIVEGEC, IRD/CNRS/Uni. Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France.
| | - Hélène M De Nys
- ASTRE, Uni. Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, 34398 Montpellier, France.
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, 34398 Montpellier, France.
- UMR 233 TransVIHMI, IRD/Uni. Montpellier/INSERM, 34394 Montpellier, France.
| | - François Roger
- ASTRE, Uni. Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, 34398 Montpellier, France.
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, 34398 Montpellier, France.
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28
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The contrasting genetic patterns of two sympatric flying fox species from the Comoros and the implications for conservation. CONSERV GENET 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-018-1111-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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29
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Kessler MK, Becker DJ, Peel AJ, Justice NV, Lunn T, Crowley DE, Jones DN, Eby P, Sánchez CA, Plowright RK. Changing resource landscapes and spillover of henipaviruses. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1429:78-99. [PMID: 30138535 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Old World fruit bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) provide critical pollination and seed dispersal services to forest ecosystems across Africa, Asia, and Australia. In each of these regions, pteropodids have been identified as natural reservoir hosts for henipaviruses. The genus Henipavirus includes Hendra virus and Nipah virus, which regularly spill over from bats to domestic animals and humans in Australia and Asia, and a suite of largely uncharacterized African henipaviruses. Rapid change in fruit bat habitat and associated shifts in their ecology and behavior are well documented, with evidence suggesting that altered diet, roosting habitat, and movement behaviors are increasing spillover risk of bat-borne viruses. We review the ways that changing resource landscapes affect the processes that culminate in cross-species transmission of henipaviruses, from reservoir host density and distribution to within-host immunity and recipient host exposure. We evaluate existing evidence and highlight gaps in knowledge that are limiting our understanding of the ecological drivers of henipavirus spillover. When considering spillover in the context of land-use change, we emphasize that it is especially important to disentangle the effects of habitat loss and resource provisioning on these processes, and to jointly consider changes in resource abundance, quality, and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.,The Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Alison J Peel
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nathan V Justice
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Tamika Lunn
- The Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Daniel E Crowley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Devin N Jones
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
| | - Peggy Eby
- The School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cecilia A Sánchez
- The Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.,The Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana
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30
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Deka MA, Morshed N. Mapping Disease Transmission Risk of Nipah Virus in South and Southeast Asia. Trop Med Infect Dis 2018; 3:E57. [PMID: 30274453 PMCID: PMC6073609 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed3020057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 1998, Nipah virus (NiV) (genus: Henipavirus; family: Paramyxoviridae), an often-fatal and highly virulent zoonotic pathogen, has caused sporadic outbreak events. Fruit bats from the genus Pteropus are the wildlife reservoirs and have a broad distribution throughout South and Southeast Asia, and East Africa. Understanding the disease biogeography of NiV is critical to comprehending the potential geographic distribution of this dangerous zoonosis. This study implemented the R packages ENMeval and BIOMOD2 as a means of modeling regional disease transmission risk and additionally measured niche similarity between the reservoir Pteropus and the ecological characteristics of outbreak localities with the Schoener's D index and I statistic. Results indicate a relatively high degree of niche overlap between models in geographic and environmental space (D statistic, 0.64; and I statistic, 0.89), and a potential geographic distribution encompassing 19% (2,963,178 km²) of South and Southeast Asia. This study should contribute to current and future efforts to understand the critical ecological contributors and geography of NiV. Furthermore, this study can be used as a geospatial guide to identify areas of high disease transmission risk and to inform national public health surveillance programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Deka
- Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
| | - Niaz Morshed
- Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
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31
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Unmasking the complexity of species identification in Australasian flying-foxes. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194908. [PMID: 29634748 PMCID: PMC5892893 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pteropus (flying-foxes) are a speciose group of non-echolocating large bats, with five extant Australian species and 24 additional species distributed amongst the Pacific Islands. In 2015, an injured flying-fox with unusual facial markings was found in Sydney, Australia, following severe and widespread storms. Based on an initial assessment, the individual belonged to Pteropus but could not be readily identified to species. As a consequence, four hypotheses for its identification/origin were posited: the specimen represented (1) an undescribed Australian species; or (2) a morphological variant of a recognised Australian species; or (3) a hybrid individual; or (4) a vagrant from the nearby Southwest Pacific Islands. We used a combination of morphological and both mitochondrial- and nuclear DNA-based identification methods to assess these hypotheses. Based on the results, we propose that this morphologically unique Pteropus most likely represents an unusual P. alecto (black flying-fox) potentially resulting from introgression from another Pteropus species. Unexpectedly, this individual, and the addition of reference sequence data from newly vouchered specimens, revealed a previously unreported P. alecto mitochondrial DNA lineage. This lineage was distinct from currently available haplotypes. It also suggests long-term hybridisation commonly occurs between P. alecto and P. conspicillatus (spectacled flying-fox). This highlights the importance of extensive reference data, and the inclusion of multiple vouchered specimens for each species to encompass both intraspecific and interspecific variation to provide accurate and robust species identification. Moreover, our additional reference data further demonstrates the complexity of Pteropus species relationships, including hybridisation, and potential intraspecific biogeographical structure that may impact on their management and conservation.
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32
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Westcott DA, Caley P, Heersink DK, McKeown A. A state-space modelling approach to wildlife monitoring with application to flying-fox abundance. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4038. [PMID: 29511249 PMCID: PMC5840426 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22294-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring flying-foxes is challenging as their extreme mobility produces highly dynamic population processes, considerable logistic difficulty, and variability in estimated population size. We report on methods for inferring population trend for the population of the spectacled flying-fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) in Australia. Monthly monitoring is conducted at all known roost sites across the species’ range in the Wet Tropics Region. The proportion of animals in camps varies seasonally and stochastic environmental events appear to be influential. We develop a state-space model that incorporates these processes and enables inference on total population trends and uses early warning analysis to identify the causes of population dynamics. The model suggests that population growth rate is stable in the absence of cyclones, however, cyclones appear to impact on both survival and reproduction. The population recovered after two cyclones but declined after a third. The modelling estimates a population decline over 15 years of c. 75% (mean r = − 0.12yr−1 and belief of negative trend is c. 83%) suggesting that conservation action is warranted. Our work shows that a state-space modelling approach is a significant improvement on inference from raw counts from surveys and demonstrates that this approach is a workable alternative to other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Westcott
- CSIRO Land and Water, PO Box 780, Atherton, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Peter Caley
- CSIRO Data61, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | | | - Adam McKeown
- CSIRO Land and Water, PO Box 12139, Earlville BC, Qld, 4870, Australia
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33
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Greenwood AD, Ishida Y, O'Brien SP, Roca AL, Eiden MV. Transmission, Evolution, and Endogenization: Lessons Learned from Recent Retroviral Invasions. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2018; 82:e00044-17. [PMID: 29237726 PMCID: PMC5813887 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00044-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses of the subfamily Orthoretrovirinae are defined by the ability to reverse transcribe an RNA genome into DNA that integrates into the host cell genome during the intracellular virus life cycle. Exogenous retroviruses (XRVs) are horizontally transmitted between host individuals, with disease outcome depending on interactions between the retrovirus and the host organism. When retroviruses infect germ line cells of the host, they may become endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), which are permanent elements in the host germ line that are subject to vertical transmission. These ERVs sometimes remain infectious and can themselves give rise to XRVs. This review integrates recent developments in the phylogenetic classification of retroviruses and the identification of retroviral receptors to elucidate the origins and evolution of XRVs and ERVs. We consider whether ERVs may recurrently pressure XRVs to shift receptor usage to sidestep ERV interference. We discuss how related retroviruses undergo alternative fates in different host lineages after endogenization, with koala retrovirus (KoRV) receiving notable interest as a recent invader of its host germ line. KoRV is heritable but also infectious, which provides insights into the early stages of germ line invasions as well as XRV generation from ERVs. The relationship of KoRV to primate and other retroviruses is placed in the context of host biogeography and the potential role of bats and rodents as vectors for interspecies viral transmission. Combining studies of extant XRVs and "fossil" endogenous retroviruses in koalas and other Australasian species has broadened our understanding of the evolution of retroviruses and host-retrovirus interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex D Greenwood
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
| | - Yasuko Ishida
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Sean P O'Brien
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Alfred L Roca
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Maribeth V Eiden
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
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34
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Gofton AW, Waudby HP, Petit S, Greay TL, Ryan UM, Irwin PJ. Detection and phylogenetic characterisation of novel Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species in Amblyomma triguttatum subsp. from four allopatric populations in Australia. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 8:749-756. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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35
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Basri C, Arifin EMZ, Takemae H, Hengjan Y, Iida K, Sudarnika E, Zahid A, Soejoedono RD, Susetya H, Sumiarto B, Kobayashi R, Agungpriyono S, Hondo E. Potential risk of viral transmission from flying foxes to domestic animals and humans on the southern coast of West Java, Indonesia. J Vet Med Sci 2017; 79:1615-1626. [PMID: 28724851 PMCID: PMC5627338 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.17-0222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Flying foxes have been considered to be involved in the transmission of serious infectious diseases to humans. Using questionnaires, we aimed to determine the direct and/or indirect contacts of flying foxes in an Indonesian
nature conservation area with domestic animals and humans living in the surrounding area. We surveyed 150 residents of 10 villages in West Java. Villages were classified into 3 groups: inside and/or within 1 km from the outer
border of the conservation area and 1–5 km or 5–10 km away from the reserve’s outer border. Data were collected by direct interview using a structured questionnaire consisting of the respondent characteristics (age, sex and
occupation); histories of contacts between flying foxes and humans, dogs and other domestic animals; and knowledge about infectious diseases, mainly rabies, in flying foxes. We found that flying foxes from the nature conservation
area often enter residential areas at night to look for food, especially during the fruit season. In these residential areas, flying foxes had direct contacts with humans and a few contacts with domestic animals, especially dogs.
People who encounter flying foxes seldom used personal protective equipment, such as leather gloves, goggles and caps. The residents living around the conservation area mostly had poor knowledge about flying foxes and disease
transmission. This situation shows that the population in this region is at a quite high risk for contracting infectious diseases from flying foxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaerul Basri
- Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor16680, Indonesia.,Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | | | - Hitoshi Takemae
- Laboratory of Animal Morphology, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Yupadee Hengjan
- Laboratory of Animal Morphology, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Keisuke Iida
- Laboratory of Animal Morphology, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Etih Sudarnika
- Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor16680, Indonesia
| | - Abdul Zahid
- Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor16680, Indonesia
| | - Retno Damayanti Soejoedono
- Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor16680, Indonesia
| | - Heru Susetya
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Bambang Sumiarto
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Ryosuke Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Animal Morphology, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Srihadi Agungpriyono
- Department of Animal Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor16680, Indonesia
| | - Eiichi Hondo
- Laboratory of Animal Morphology, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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36
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Manyweathers J, Field H, Jordan D, Longnecker N, Agho K, Smith C, Taylor M. Risk Mitigation of Emerging Zoonoses: Hendra Virus and Non-Vaccinating Horse Owners. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 64:1898-1911. [PMID: 28054443 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hendra virus was identified in horses and humans in 1994, in Queensland, Australia. Flying foxes are the natural host. Horses are thought to acquire infection by direct or indirect contact with infected flying fox urine. Humans are infected from close contact with infected horses. To reduce risk of infection in horses and humans, Australian horse owners are encouraged to vaccinate horses against the virus and adopt property risk mitigation practices that focus on reducing flying fox horse contact and contamination of horses' environment with flying fox bodily fluids. This study investigates uptake of four Hendra virus risk mitigation practices in a sample of non- and partially vaccinating horse owners living close to previous Hendra virus cases. Protection motivation theory was used to develop a conceptual model to investigate risk perception and coping factors associated with uptake of risk mitigation practices. An online survey was administered via Facebook pages of veterinary clinics close to previous Hendra virus cases. Factors associated with uptake of risk mitigation practices were investigated using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. Belief that a risk mitigation practice would be effective in reducing Hendra virus risk was significantly associated with the uptake of that practice. Issues around the practicality of implementing risk mitigation practices were found to be the greatest barrier to uptake. Factors that relate to risk immediacy, such as nearby infection, were identified as more likely to trigger uptake of risk mitigation practices. The role of veterinarians in supporting Hendra risk mitigation was identified as more influential than that of respected others or friends. Findings from this study are being used to assist stakeholders in Australia responsible for promotion of risk mitigation practice in identifying additional pathways and reliable influencing factors that could be utilized for engaging and communicating with horse owners to promote Hendra virus risk mitigation behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Manyweathers
- Centre for Health Research, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - H Field
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Jordan
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Wollongbar, NSW, Australia
| | - N Longnecker
- School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.,Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - K Agho
- Centre for Health Research, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - C Smith
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Coopers Plains, Qld, Australia
| | - M Taylor
- Centre for Health Research, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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37
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Smith C. Persistent or long-term coronavirus infection in Australian bats. MICROBIOLOGY AUSTRALIA 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/ma17004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
When the World Health Organization declared the end of the global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on the 5 July 2003, more than 8000 cases with over 800 fatalities had been reported in 32 countries worldwide and financial costs to the global economy were close to $US40 billion1,2. Coronaviruses were identified as being responsible for the outbreaks of both SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS, the latter in 2013). Subsequently, bats (order Chiroptera) were identified as the natural hosts for a large number of novel and genetically diverse coronaviruses, including the likely ancestors to SARS-like and MERS-like coronaviruses3–8.
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38
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[Discovery of DNA viruses in wildlife in Zambia and Indonesia]. Uirusu 2017; 67:151-160. [PMID: 30369539 DOI: 10.2222/jsv.67.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Zoonoses originate from pathogens harbored in domestic and wild animals and therefore it is likely impossible to completely eradicate zoonotic diseases. For pre-emptive measures to attempt to predict the emergence of zoonosis outbreaks and the prevention of future epidemics and pandemics, it is imperative to identify natural host animals carrying potential pathogens and elucidate the routes of pathogen transmission into the human population. Our research team is conducting epidemiological research studies in Zambia and Indonesia for the control of viral zoonotic diseases. In this review, we present the research findings, including the discovery of orthopoxviruses and polyomaviruses in wildlife in Zambia and the identification of herpesviruses in bats in Indonesia among our activities.
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Smith CS, de Jong CE, Meers J, Henning J, Wang LF, Field HE. Coronavirus Infection and Diversity in Bats in the Australasian Region. ECOHEALTH 2016; 13:72-82. [PMID: 27048154 PMCID: PMC7087777 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-016-1116-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Following the SARS outbreak, extensive surveillance was undertaken globally to detect and identify coronavirus diversity in bats. This study sought to identify the diversity and prevalence of coronaviruses in bats in the Australasian region. We identified four different genotypes of coronavirus, three of which (an alphacoronavirus and two betacoronaviruses) are potentially new species, having less than 90% nucleotide sequence identity with the most closely related described viruses. We did not detect any SARS-like betacoronaviruses, despite targeting rhinolophid bats, the putative natural host taxa. Our findings support the virus-host co-evolution hypothesis, with the detection of Miniopterus bat coronavirus HKU8 (previously reported in Miniopterus species in China, Hong Kong and Bulgaria) in Australian Miniopterus species. Similarly, we detected a novel betacoronavirus genotype from Pteropus alecto which is most closely related to Bat coronavirus HKU9 identified in other pteropodid bats in China, Kenya and the Philippines. We also detected possible cross-species transmission of bat coronaviruses, and the apparent enteric tropism of these viruses. Thus, our findings are consistent with a scenario wherein the current diversity and host specificity of coronaviruses reflects co-evolution with the occasional host shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. S. Smith
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343 Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland, PO Box 156, Archerfield BC, Brisbane, QLD 4108 Australia
| | - C. E. de Jong
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland, PO Box 156, Archerfield BC, Brisbane, QLD 4108 Australia
| | - J. Meers
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343 Australia
| | - J. Henning
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343 Australia
| | - L- F. Wang
- Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
| | - H. E. Field
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Biosecurity Queensland, PO Box 156, Archerfield BC, Brisbane, QLD 4108 Australia
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10001 USA
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40
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Abstract
Recent studies have clearly shown that bats are the reservoir hosts of a wide diversity of novel viruses with representatives from most of the known animal virus families. In many respects bats make ideal reservoir hosts for viruses: they are the only mammals that fly, thus assisting in virus dispersal; they roost in large numbers, thus aiding transmission cycles; some bats hibernate over winter, thus providing a mechanism for viruses to persist between seasons; and genetic factors may play a role in the ability of bats to host viruses without resulting in clinical disease. Within the broad diversity of viruses found in bats are some important neurological pathogens, including rabies and other lyssaviruses, and Hendra and Nipah viruses, two recently described viruses that have been placed in a new genus, Henipaviruses in the family Paramyxoviridae. In addition, bats can also act as alternative hosts for the flaviviruses Japanese encephalitis and St Louis encephalitis viruses, two important mosquito-borne encephalitogenic viruses, and bats can assist in the dispersal and over-wintering of these viruses. Bats are also the reservoir hosts of progenitors of SARS and MERS coronaviruses, although other animals act as spillover hosts. This chapter presents the physiological and ecological factors affecting the ability of bats to act as reservoirs of neurotropic viruses, and describes the major transmission cycles leading to human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Shoshkes Reiss
- Departments of Biology and Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York USA
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41
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Lavery TH, Olds AD, Seddon JM, Leung LKP. The mammals of northern Melanesia: speciation, ecology, and biogeography. Mamm Rev 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tyrone H. Lavery
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences; The University of Queensland; Gatton Queensland 4343 Australia
- Queensland Museum; Corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets South Brisbane Queensland 4101 Australia
| | - Andrew D. Olds
- School of Science and Engineering; University of the Sunshine Coast; Maroochydore Queensland 4558 Australia
| | - Jennifer M. Seddon
- School of Veterinary Science; The University of Queensland; Gatton Queensland 4343 Australia
| | - Luke K.-P. Leung
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences; The University of Queensland; Gatton Queensland 4343 Australia
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42
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Rodhain F. [Bats and Viruses: complex relationships]. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 108:272-89. [PMID: 26330152 PMCID: PMC7097034 DOI: 10.1007/s13149-015-0448-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
With more than 1 200 species, bats and flying foxes (Order Chiroptera) constitute the most important and diverse order of Mammals after Rodents. Many species of bats are insectivorous while others are frugivorous and few of them are hematophagous. Some of these animals fly during the night, others are crepuscular or diurnal. Some fly long distances during seasonal migrations. Many species are colonial cave-dwelling, living in a rather small home range while others are relatively solitary. However, in spite of the importance of bats for terrestrial biotic communities and ecosystem ecology, the diversity in their biology and lifestyles remain poorly known and underappreciated. More than sixty viruses have been detected or isolated in bats; these animals are therefore involved in the natural cycles of many of them. This is the case, for instance, of rabies virus and other Lyssavirus (Family Rhabdoviridae), Nipah and Hendra viruses (Paramyxoviridae), Ebola and Marburg viruses (Filoviridae), SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV (Coronaviridae). For these zoonotic viruses, a number of bat species are considered as important reservoir hosts, efficient disseminators or even directly responsible of the transmission. Some of these bat-borne viruses cause highly pathogenic diseases while others are of potential significance for humans and domestic or wild animals; so, bats are an important risk in human and animal public health. Moreover, some groups of viruses developed through different phylogenetic mechanisms of coevolution between viruses and bats. The fact that most of these viral infections are asymptomatic in bats has been observed since a long time but the mechanisms of the viral persistence are not clearly understood. The various bioecology of the different bat populations allows exchange of virus between migrating and non-migrating conspecific species. For a better understanding of the role of bats in the circulation of these viral zoonoses, epidemiologists must pay attention to some of their biologic properties which are not fully documented, like their extreme longevity, their diet, the population size and the particular densities observed in species with crowded roosting behavior, the population structure and migrations, the hibernation permitting overwintering of viruses, their particular innate and acquired immune response, probably related at least partially to their ability to fly, allowing persistent virus infections and preventing immunopathological consequences, etc. It is also necessary to get a better knowledge of the interactions between bats and ecologic changes induced by man and to attentively follow bat populations and their viruses through surveillance networks involving human and veterinary physicians, specialists of wild fauna, ecologists, etc. in order to understand the mechanisms of disease emergence, to try to foresee and, perhaps, to prevent viral emergences beforehand. Finally, a more fundamental research about immune mechanisms developed in viral infections is essential to reveal the reasons why Chiroptera are so efficient reservoir hosts. Clearly, a great deal of additional work is needed to document the roles of bats in the natural history of viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Rodhain
- Professeur honoraire à l'Institut Pasteur, 132, boulevard du Montparnasse, 75014, Paris, France.
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43
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Lo Presti A, Cella E, Giovanetti M, Lai A, Angeletti S, Zehender G, Ciccozzi M. Origin and evolution of Nipah virus. J Med Virol 2015; 88:380-8. [PMID: 26252523 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.24345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Nipah virus, member of the Paramyxoviridae family, is classified as a Biosafety Level-4 agent and category C priority pathogen. Nipah virus disease is endemic in south Asia and outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Bangladesh. Bats of the genus Pteropus appear to be the natural reservoir of this virus. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of Nipah virus, to estimate the date of origin and the spread of the infection. The mean value of Nipah virus N gene evolutionary rate, was 6.5 × 10(-4) substitution/site/year (95% HPD: 2.3 × 10(-4)-1.18 × 10(-3)). The time-scaled phylogenetic analysis showed that the root of the tree originated in 1947 (95% HPD: 1888-1988) as the virus entered in south eastern Asiatic regions. The segregation of sequences in two main clades (I and II) indicating that Nipah virus had two different introductions: one in 1995 (95% HPD: 1985-2002) which correspond to clade I, and the other in 1985 (95% HPD: 1971-1996) which correspond to clade II. The phylogeographic reconstruction indicated that the epidemic followed two different routes spreading to the other locations. The trade of infected pigs may have played a role in the spread of the virus. Bats of the Pteropus genus, that are able to travel to long distances, may have contributed to the spread of the infection. Negatively selected sites, statistically supported, could reflect the stability of the viral N protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lo Presti
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cella
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Giovanetti
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Lai
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", Section of Infectious Diseases and Immonupathology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Angeletti
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory, University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianguglielmo Zehender
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", Section of Infectious Diseases and Immonupathology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Ciccozzi
- Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.,University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
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44
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Immunology of bats and their viruses: challenges and opportunities. Viruses 2015; 6:4880-901. [PMID: 25494448 PMCID: PMC4276934 DOI: 10.3390/v6124880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are reservoir hosts of several high-impact viruses that cause significant human diseases, including Nipah virus, Marburg virus and rabies virus. They also harbor many other viruses that are thought to have caused disease in humans after spillover into intermediate hosts, including SARS and MERS coronaviruses. As is usual with reservoir hosts, these viruses apparently cause little or no pathology in bats. Despite the importance of bats as reservoir hosts of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic agents, virtually nothing is known about the host/virus relationships; principally because few colonies of bats are available for experimental infections, a lack of reagents, methods and expertise for studying bat antiviral responses and immunology, and the difficulty of conducting meaningful field work. These challenges can be addressed, in part, with new technologies that are species-independent that can provide insight into the interactions of bats and viruses, which should clarify how the viruses persist in nature, and what risk factors might facilitate transmission to humans and livestock.
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45
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Weber N, Duengkae P, Fahr J, Dechmann DKN, Phengsakul P, Khumbucha W, Siriaroonrat B, Wacharapluesadee S, Maneeorn P, Wikelski M, Newman S. High-resolution GPS tracking of Lyle's flying fox between temples and orchards in central Thailand. J Wildl Manage 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Weber
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Am Obstberg 1,78315; Radolfzell Germany
| | - Prateep Duengkae
- Department of Forest Biology; Faculty of Forestry; Kasetsart University; Bangkok 10900 Thailand
| | - Jakob Fahr
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, and University of Konstanz; Department of Biology; Konstanz 78457 Germany
| | - Dina K. N. Dechmann
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, and University of Konstanz; Department of Biology; Konstanz 78457 Germany
| | - Patcharakiti Phengsakul
- Department of Forest Biology; Faculty of Forestry; Kasetsart University; Bangkok 10900 Thailand
| | - Wachirapon Khumbucha
- Department of Forest Biology; Faculty of Forestry; Kasetsart University; Bangkok 10900 Thailand
| | - Boripat Siriaroonrat
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD); Hanoi Vietnam
| | | | - Pattarapol Maneeorn
- Department of National Parks; Wildlife and Plant Conservation; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment; Bangkok Thailand
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, and University of Konstanz; Department of Biology; Konstanz 78457 Germany
| | - Scott Newman
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Emergency Center for Transboundary Animal Disease (ECTAD); Hanoi Vietnam
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46
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Vidgen ME, de Jong C, Rose K, Hall J, Field HE, Smith CS. Novel paramyxoviruses in Australian flying-fox populations support host-virus co-evolution. J Gen Virol 2015; 96:1619-25. [PMID: 25701824 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.000099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the diversity of henipaviruses and related viruses is important in determining the viral ecology within flying-fox populations and assessing the potential threat posed by these agents. This study sought to identify the abundance and diversity of previously unknown paramyxoviruses (UPVs) in Australian flying-fox species (Pteropus alecto, Pteropus scapulatus, Pteropus poliocephalus and Pteropus conspicillatus) and in the Christmas Island species Pteropus melanotus natalis. Using a degenerative reverse transcription-PCR specific for the L gene of known species of the genus Henipavirus and two closely related paramyxovirus genera Respirovirus and Morbillivirus, we identified an abundance and diversity of previously UPVs, with a representative 31 UPVs clustering in eight distinct groups (100 UPVs/495 samples). No new henipaviruses were identified. The findings were consistent with a hypothesis of co-evolution of paramyxoviruses and their flying-fox hosts. Quantification of the degree of co-speciation between host and virus (beyond the scope of this study) would strengthen this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda E Vidgen
- 1Queensland Centre of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia 2School of Health and Sports Science, University of Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Down Drive, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia
| | - Carol de Jong
- 1Queensland Centre of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Karrie Rose
- 3Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, PO Box 20, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia 4School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - Jane Hall
- 3Australian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, PO Box 20, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia
| | - Hume E Field
- 1Queensland Centre of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia 5EcoHealth Alliance, 460 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001, USA
| | - Craig S Smith
- 1Queensland Centre of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
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47
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Sheherazade, Tsang SM. Quantifying the bat bushmeat trade in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, with suggestions for conservation action. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015; 3:324-330. [PMID: 32363220 PMCID: PMC7185848 DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The intense consumption of flying foxes in North Sulawesi, Indonesia has raised hunting pressure and extirpation is expected to spread into other regions. To assess local cultural attitudes towards bats for formulating a targeted conservation campaign, we conducted a survey of consumption practices of bats in 2013 at the eight major markets near Manado. Locals eat flying foxes at least once a month, but the frequency increases tenfold around Christian holidays. Approximately 500 metric tons of bats are imported from other provinces, with South Sulawesi as the main provider at 38%. No action has been taken to conserve the bats, as continued abundance in the market masks the effects of the bushmeat trade on wild populations. We suggest: (1) engaging churches as conduits for environmental education and quota enforcement; (2) legal regulation of interprovincial trade; (3) substituting bats with a sustainable option; (4) involving local students as campaigners to ensure higher receptiveness from local communities. Grassroots conservation initiatives combined with enforcement of existing laws aim to affect change on a local level, which has been successful in other conservation programs. These efforts would not only progress bat conservation, but conservation of other rare, endemic mammals common to the bushmeat trade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheherazade
- Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI, Depok, 16424, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Susan M Tsang
- City College of New York and The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY, 10031, USA.,American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street at Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024, USA
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48
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Each flying fox on its own branch: A phylogenetic tree for Pteropus and related genera (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2014; 77:83-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2014.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 03/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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49
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Peel AJ, Sargan DR, Baker KS, Hayman DTS, Barr JA, Crameri G, Suu-Ire R, Broder CC, Lembo T, Wang LF, Fooks AR, Rossiter SJ, Wood JLN, Cunningham AA. Continent-wide panmixia of an African fruit bat facilitates transmission of potentially zoonotic viruses. Nat Commun 2014; 4:2770. [PMID: 24253424 PMCID: PMC3836177 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The straw-coloured fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, is Africa’s most widely distributed and commonly hunted fruit bat, often living in close proximity to human populations. This species has been identified as a reservoir of potentially zoonotic viruses, but uncertainties remain regarding viral transmission dynamics and mechanisms of persistence. Here we combine genetic and serological analyses of populations across Africa, to determine the extent of epidemiological connectivity among E. helvum populations. Multiple markers reveal panmixia across the continental range, at a greater geographical scale than previously recorded for any other mammal, whereas populations on remote islands were genetically distinct. Multiple serological assays reveal antibodies to henipaviruses and Lagos bat virus in all locations, including small isolated island populations, indicating that factors other than population size and connectivity may be responsible for viral persistence. Our findings have potentially important public health implications, and highlight a need to avoid disturbances which may precipitate viral spillover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Peel
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - David R Sargan
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Kate S Baker
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, A1301, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB101SA, UK
| | - David T S Hayman
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.,Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-Borne Diseases Research Group, Department of Virology, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.,Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, CO 80523, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jennifer A Barr
- CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia
| | - Gary Crameri
- CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia
| | - Richard Suu-Ire
- Wildlife Division, Ghana Forestry Commission, Accra, Ghana.,University of Ghana, Faculty of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, Box LG 571, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Christopher C Broder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, 20814-4799, USA
| | - Tiziana Lembo
- Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, U.K
| | - Lin-Fa Wang
- CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria, 3220, Australia.,Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore 169857
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, CO 80523, USA.,University of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Liverpool, L3 5TQ, UK
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - James L N Wood
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
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50
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Simons RRL, Gale P, Horigan V, Snary EL, Breed AC. Potential for introduction of bat-borne zoonotic viruses into the EU: a review. Viruses 2014; 6:2084-121. [PMID: 24841385 PMCID: PMC4036546 DOI: 10.3390/v6052084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2014] [Revised: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bat-borne viruses can pose a serious threat to human health, with examples including Nipah virus (NiV) in Bangladesh and Malaysia, and Marburg virus (MARV) in Africa. To date, significant human outbreaks of such viruses have not been reported in the European Union (EU). However, EU countries have strong historical links with many of the countries where NiV and MARV are present and a corresponding high volume of commercial trade and human travel, which poses a potential risk of introduction of these viruses into the EU. In assessing the risks of introduction of these bat-borne zoonotic viruses to the EU, it is important to consider the location and range of bat species known to be susceptible to infection, together with the virus prevalence, seasonality of viral pulses, duration of infection and titre of virus in different bat tissues. In this paper, we review the current scientific knowledge of all these factors, in relation to the introduction of NiV and MARV into the EU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin R L Simons
- Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Epidemiology, Surveillance & Risk Group, New Haw, Surrey, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Paul Gale
- Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Epidemiology, Surveillance & Risk Group, New Haw, Surrey, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Verity Horigan
- Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Epidemiology, Surveillance & Risk Group, New Haw, Surrey, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Emma L Snary
- Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Epidemiology, Surveillance & Risk Group, New Haw, Surrey, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - Andrew C Breed
- Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), Epidemiology, Surveillance & Risk Group, New Haw, Surrey, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK.
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