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Bokelmann M, Vogel U, Debeljak F, Düx A, Riesle-Sbarbaro S, Lander A, Wahlbrink A, Kromarek N, Neil S, Couacy-Hymann E, Prescott J, Kurth A. Tolerance and Persistence of Ebola Virus in Primary Cells from Mops condylurus, a Potential Ebola Virus Reservoir. Viruses 2021; 13:v13112186. [PMID: 34834992 PMCID: PMC8622823 DOI: 10.3390/v13112186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there have been documented Ebola virus disease outbreaks for more than 40 years, the natural reservoir host has not been identified. Recent studies provide evidence that the Angolan free-tailed bat (Mops condylurus), an insectivorous microbat, is a possible ebolavirus reservoir. To investigate the potential role of this bat species in the ecology of ebolaviruses, replication, tolerance, and persistence of Ebola virus (EBOV) were investigated in 10 different primary bat cell isolates from M. condylurus. Varying EBOV replication kinetics corresponded to the expression levels of the integral membrane protein NPC1. All primary cells were highly tolerant to EBOV infection without cytopathic effects. The observed persistent EBOV infection for 150 days in lung primary cells, without resultant selective pressure leading to virus mutation, indicate the intrinsic ability of EBOV to persist in this bat species. These results provide further evidence for this bat species to be a likely reservoir of ebolaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Bokelmann
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Uwe Vogel
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Franka Debeljak
- Department of Infectious Diseases, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK; (F.D.); (S.N.)
| | - Ariane Düx
- Epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Silke Riesle-Sbarbaro
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Angelika Lander
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Annette Wahlbrink
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Nicole Kromarek
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Stuart Neil
- Department of Infectious Diseases, King’s College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK; (F.D.); (S.N.)
| | - Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann
- Laboratoire National d’Appui au Développement Agricole, Bingerville BP 206, Côte d’Ivoire;
| | - Joseph Prescott
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
| | - Andreas Kurth
- Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (M.B.); (U.V.); (S.R.-S.); (A.L.); (A.W.); (N.K.); (J.P.)
- Correspondence:
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