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Cortes-Azuero O, Lefrancq N, Nikolay B, McKee C, Cappelle J, Hul V, Ou TP, Hoem T, Lemey P, Rahman MZ, Islam A, Gurley ES, Duong V, Salje H. The genetic diversity of Nipah virus across spatial scales. J Infect Dis 2024:jiae221. [PMID: 38682164 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nipah virus (NiV), a highly lethal virus in humans, circulates in Pteropus bats throughout South and Southeast Asia. Difficulty in obtaining viral genomes from bats means we have a poor understanding of NiV diversity. METHODS We develop phylogenetic approaches applied to the most comprehensive collection of genomes to date (N=257, 175 from bats, 73 from humans) from six countries over 22 years (1999-2020). We divide the four major NiV sublineages into 15 genetic clusters. Using Approximate Bayesian Computation fit to a spatial signature of viral diversity, we estimate the presence and the average size of genetic clusters per area. RESULTS We find that, within any bat roost, there are an average of 2.4 co-circulating genetic clusters, rising to 5.5 clusters at areas of 1500-2000km2. We estimate that each genetic cluster occupies an average area of 1.3million km2 (95%CI: 0.6-2.3 million), with 14 clusters in an area of 100,000km2 (95%CI: 6-24). In the few sites in Bangladesh and Cambodia where genomic surveillance has been concentrated, we estimate that most clusters have been identified, but only ∼15% of overall NiV diversity has been uncovered. CONCLUSION Our findings are consistent with entrenched co-circulation of distinct lineages, even within roosts, coupled with slow migration over larger spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Cortes-Azuero
- Department of Genetics, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Noémie Lefrancq
- Department of Genetics, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
| | | | - Clifton McKee
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Vibol Hul
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Pasteur Network, Phnom Penh 12201, Cambodia
| | - Tey Putita Ou
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Pasteur Network, Phnom Penh 12201, Cambodia
| | - Thavry Hoem
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Pasteur Network, Phnom Penh 12201, Cambodia
| | - Philippe Lemey
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mohammed Ziaur Rahman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ausraful Islam
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, BE-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emily S Gurley
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Veasna Duong
- Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Pasteur Network, Phnom Penh 12201, Cambodia
| | - Henrik Salje
- Department of Genetics, Downing Street, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EH, UK
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Baranowski K, Bharti N. Habitat loss for black flying foxes and implications for Hendra virus. Landsc Ecol 2023; 38:1605-1618. [PMID: 37229480 PMCID: PMC10073794 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-023-01642-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Context Environmental change impacts natural ecosystems and wildlife populations. In Australia, native forests have been heavily cleared and the local emergence of Hendra virus (HeV) has been linked to land-use change, winter habitat loss, and changing bat behavior. Objectives We quantified changes in landscape factors for black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto), a reservoir host of HeV, in sub-tropical Queensland, Australia from 2000-2020. We hypothesized that native winter habitat loss and native remnant forest loss were greatest in areas with the most human population growth. Methods We measured the spatiotemporal change in human population size and native 'remnant' woody vegetation extent. We assessed changes in the observed P. alecto population and native winter habitats in bioregions where P. alecto are observed roosting in winter. We assessed changes in the amount of remnant vegetation across bioregions and within 50 km foraging buffers around roosts. Results Human populations in these bioregions grew by 1.18 M people, mostly within 50 km foraging areas around roosts. Remnant forest extent decreased overall, but regrowth was observed when policy restricted vegetation clearing. Winter habitats were continuously lost across all spatial scales. Observed roost counts of P. alecto declined. Conclusion Native remnant forest loss and winter habitat loss were not directly linked to spatial human population growth. Rather, most remnant vegetation was cleared for indirect human use. We observed forest loss and regrowth in response to state land clearing policies. Expanded flying fox population surveys will help better understand how land-use change has impacted P. alecto distribution and Hendra virus spillover. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10980-023-01642-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsee Baranowski
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
| | - Nita Bharti
- Department of Biology, Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA USA
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Sánchez CA, Penrose MT, Kessler MK, Becker DJ, McKeown A, Hannappel M, Boyd V, Camus MS, Padgett-Stewart T, Hunt BE, Graves AF, Peel AJ, Westcott DA, Rainwater TR, Chumchal MM, Cobb GP, Altizer S, Plowright RK, Boardman WSJ. Land use, season, and parasitism predict metal concentrations in Australian flying fox fur. Sci Total Environ 2022; 841:156699. [PMID: 35710009 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urban-living wildlife can be exposed to metal contaminants dispersed into the environment through industrial, residential, and agricultural applications. Metal exposure carries lethal and sublethal consequences for animals; in particular, heavy metals (e.g. arsenic, lead, mercury) can damage organs and act as carcinogens. Many bat species reside and forage in human-modified habitats and could be exposed to contaminants in air, water, and food. We quantified metal concentrations in fur samples from three flying fox species (Pteropus fruit bats) captured at eight sites in eastern Australia. For subsets of bats, we assessed ectoparasite burden, haemoparasite infection, and viral infection, and performed white blood cell differential counts. We examined relationships among metal concentrations, environmental predictors (season, land use surrounding capture site), and individual predictors (species, sex, age, body condition, parasitism, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio). As expected, bats captured at sites with greater human impact had higher metal loads. At one site with seasonal sampling, bats had higher metal concentrations in winter than in summer, possibly owing to changes in food availability and foraging. Relationships between ectoparasites and metal concentrations were mixed, suggesting multiple causal mechanisms. There was no association between overall metal load and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio, but mercury concentrations were positively correlated with this ratio, which is associated with stress in other vertebrate taxa. Comparison of our findings to those of previous flying fox studies revealed potentially harmful levels of several metals; in particular, endangered spectacled flying foxes (P. conspicillatus) exhibited high concentrations of cadmium and lead. Because some bats harbor pathogens transmissible to humans and animals, future research should explore interactions between metal exposure, immunity, and infection to assess consequences for bat and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia A Sánchez
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Michael T Penrose
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | | | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | | | | | - Victoria Boyd
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Melinda S Camus
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ticha Padgett-Stewart
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Brooklin E Hunt
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Amelia F Graves
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Alison J Peel
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Thomas R Rainwater
- Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center and Belle W. Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science, Clemson University, Georgetown, SC, USA
| | | | - George P Cobb
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Wayne S J Boardman
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
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4
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Peel AJ, Yinda CK, Annand EJ, Dale AS, Eby P, Eden JS, Jones DN, Kessler MK, Lunn TJ, Pearson T, Schulz JE, Smith IL, Munster VJ, Plowright RK. Novel Hendra Virus Variant Circulating in Black Flying Foxes and Grey-Headed Flying Foxes, Australia. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1043-1047. [PMID: 35447052 PMCID: PMC9045453 DOI: 10.3201/eid2805.212338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel Hendra virus variant, genotype 2, was recently discovered in a horse that died after acute illness and in Pteropus flying fox tissues in Australia. We detected the variant in flying fox urine, the pathway relevant for spillover, supporting an expanded geographic range of Hendra virus risk to horses and humans.
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Oedin M, Brescia F, Vidal E, Millon A. Make flying-fox hunting sustainable again: Comparing expected demographic effectiveness and hunters' acceptance of more restrictive regulations. Ambio 2022; 51:1078-1089. [PMID: 34628603 PMCID: PMC8847530 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01630-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Hunting is a major threat to many species of wildlife. However, managing hunting systems to ensure their sustainability requires a thorough demographic knowledge about the impact of hunting. Here we develop a framework integrating ecological, modelling and sociological data to achieve a sustainability assessment of flying-fox hunting in New Caledonia and assess the relative merits of alternative management policies. Using age-specific stochastic population models, we found that the current annual hunting rate [5.5-8.5%] is likely to lead to a severe decline (- 79%) of Pteropus populations over the next 30 years. However, a majority of hunters surveyed (60%) were willing to soften their practices, offering an opportunity for adaptive management. Recurrent temporary hunting ban (at least 1 year out of 2) in combination with protected areas (≥ 25%) appears as the most effective and most accepted management option. Our integrative approach appears to be a promising method for ensuring that traditional hunting systems can remain sustainable in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malik Oedin
- Institut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Equipe ARBOREAL (AgricultuRe BiOdiveRsité Et vALorisation), Port-Laguerre, BP 73, 98890 Païta, New Caledonia
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa - BP A5, 98848 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Bât. Villemin, Technopôle Arbois-Méditerranée, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Fabrice Brescia
- Institut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Equipe ARBOREAL (AgricultuRe BiOdiveRsité Et vALorisation), Port-Laguerre, BP 73, 98890 Païta, New Caledonia
| | - Eric Vidal
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa - BP A5, 98848 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
- UMR Entropie (IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS), Labex-Corail, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), 101 Promenade R. Laroque, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
| | - Alexandre Millon
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Bât. Villemin, Technopôle Arbois-Méditerranée, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France
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Wacharapluesadee S, Ghai S, Duengkae P, Manee-Orn P, Thanapongtharm W, Saraya AW, Yingsakmongkon S, Joyjinda Y, Suradhat S, Ampoot W, Nuansrichay B, Kaewpom T, Tantilertcharoen R, Rodpan A, Wongsathapornchai K, Ponpinit T, Buathong R, Bunprakob S, Damrongwatanapokin S, Ruchiseesarod C, Petcharat S, Kalpravidh W, Olival KJ, Stokes MM, Hemachudha T. Two decades of one health surveillance of Nipah virus in Thailand. One Health Outlook 2021; 3:12. [PMID: 34218820 PMCID: PMC8255096 DOI: 10.1186/s42522-021-00044-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nipah virus (NiV) infection causes encephalitis and has > 75% mortality rate, making it a WHO priority pathogen due to its pandemic potential. There have been NiV outbreak(s) in Malaysia, India, Bangladesh, and southern Philippines. NiV naturally circulates among fruit bats of the genus Pteropus and has been detected widely across Southeast and South Asia. Both Malaysian and Bangladeshi NiV strains have been found in fruit bats in Thailand. This study summarizes 20 years of pre-emptive One Health surveillance of NiV in Thailand, including triangulated surveillance of bats, and humans and pigs in the vicinity of roosts inhabited by NiV-infected bats. METHODS Samples were collected periodically and tested for NiV from bats, pigs and healthy human volunteers from Wat Luang village, Chonburi province, home to the biggest P. lylei roosts in Thailand, and other provinces since 2001. Archived cerebrospinal fluid specimens from encephalitis patients between 2001 and 2012 were also tested for NiV. NiV RNA was detected using nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). NiV antibodies were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or multiplex microsphere immunoassay. RESULTS NiV RNA (mainly Bangladesh strain) was detected every year in fruit bats by RT-PCR from 2002 to 2020. The whole genome sequence of NiV directly sequenced from bat urine in 2017 shared 99.17% identity to NiV from a Bangladeshi patient in 2004. No NiV-specific IgG antibodies or RNA have been found in healthy volunteers, encephalitis patients, or pigs to date. During the sample collection trips, 100 community members were trained on how to live safely with bats. CONCLUSIONS High identity shared between the NiV genome from Thai bats and the Bangladeshi patient highlights the outbreak potential of NiV in Thailand. Results from NiV cross-sectoral surveillance were conveyed to national authorities and villagers which led to preventive control measures, increased surveillance of pigs and humans in vicinity of known NiV-infected roosts, and increased vigilance and reduced risk behaviors at the community level. This proactive One Health approach to NiV surveillance is a success story; that increased collaboration between the human, animal, and wildlife sectors is imperative to staying ahead of a zoonotic disease outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
| | - Siriporn Ghai
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Prateep Duengkae
- Forest Biology Department, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Pattarapol Manee-Orn
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Weerapong Thanapongtharm
- Bureau of Disease Control and Veterinary Services, Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Abhinbhen W Saraya
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Sangchai Yingsakmongkon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yutthana Joyjinda
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Sanipa Suradhat
- Center of Excellence in Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University (CU-EIDAs), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Weenassarin Ampoot
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Bundit Nuansrichay
- National Institute of Animal Health, Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thongchai Kaewpom
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Rachod Tantilertcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University (CU-EIDAs), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Apaporn Rodpan
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Program in Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Teerada Ponpinit
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Rome Buathong
- Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| | - Saowalak Bunprakob
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Sudarat Damrongwatanapokin
- U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Development Mission for Asia, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chanida Ruchiseesarod
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Sininat Petcharat
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | | | | | - Martha M Stokes
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Biological Threat Reduction Program, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, USA
| | - Thiravat Hemachudha
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre and WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Iglesias R, Cox-Witton K, Field H, Skerratt LF, Barrett J. Australian Bat Lyssavirus: Analysis of National Bat Surveillance Data from 2010 to 2016. Viruses 2021; 13:v13020189. [PMID: 33513882 PMCID: PMC7911197 DOI: 10.3390/v13020189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) was first described in 1996 and has been regularly detected in Australian bats since that time. While the virus does not cause population level impacts in bats and has minimal impacts on domestic animals, it does pose a public health risk. For this reason, bats are monitored for ABLV and a national dataset is collated and maintained by Wildlife Health Australia. The 2010–2016 dataset was analysed using logistic regression and time-series analysis to identify predictors of infection status in bats and the factors associated with human exposure to bats. In common with previous passive surveillance studies, we found that little red flying-foxes (Pteropus scapulatus) are more likely than other species to be infected with ABLV. In the four Australian mainland species of flying-fox, there are seasonal differences in infection risk that may be associated with reproductive cycles, with summer and autumn the seasons of greatest risk. The risk of human contact was also seasonal, with lower risk in winter. In line with other studies, we found that the circumstances in which the bat is encountered, such as exhibiting abnormal behaviour or being grounded, are risk factors for ABLV infection and human contact and should continue be key components of public health messaging. We also found evidence of biased recording of some types of information, which made interpretation of some findings more challenging. Strengthening of “One Health” linkages between public health and animal health services at the operational level could help overcome these biases in future, and greater harmonisation nationally would increase the value of the dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Iglesias
- Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-6272-5975
| | | | - Hume Field
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10018, USA;
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Lee F. Skerratt
- One Health Research Group, Melbourne Veterinary School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia;
| | - Janine Barrett
- Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
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McKee CD, Islam A, Luby SP, Salje H, Hudson PJ, Plowright RK, Gurley ES. The Ecology of Nipah Virus in Bangladesh: A Nexus of Land-Use Change and Opportunistic Feeding Behavior in Bats. Viruses 2021; 13:169. [PMID: 33498685 PMCID: PMC7910977 DOI: 10.3390/v13020169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nipah virus is a bat-borne paramyxovirus that produces yearly outbreaks of fatal encephalitis in Bangladesh. Understanding the ecological conditions that lead to spillover from bats to humans can assist in designing effective interventions. To investigate the current and historical processes that drive Nipah spillover in Bangladesh, we analyzed the relationship among spillover events and climatic conditions, the spatial distribution and size of Pteropus medius roosts, and patterns of land-use change in Bangladesh over the last 300 years. We found that 53% of annual variation in winter spillovers is explained by winter temperature, which may affect bat behavior, physiology, and human risk behaviors. We infer from changes in forest cover that a progressive shift in bat roosting behavior occurred over hundreds of years, producing the current system where a majority of P. medius populations are small (median of 150 bats), occupy roost sites for 10 years or more, live in areas of high human population density, and opportunistically feed on cultivated food resources-conditions that promote viral spillover. Without interventions, continuing anthropogenic pressure on bat populations similar to what has occurred in Bangladesh could result in more regular spillovers of other bat viruses, including Hendra and Ebola viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifton D. McKee
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Ausraful Islam
- Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh;
| | - Stephen P. Luby
- Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine Division, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA;
| | - Henrik Salje
- Department of Genetics, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK;
| | - Peter J. Hudson
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA;
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;
| | - Emily S. Gurley
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
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10
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Epstein JH, Anthony SJ, Islam A, Kilpatrick AM, Ali Khan S, Balkey MD, Ross N, Smith I, Zambrana-Torrelio C, Tao Y, Islam A, Quan PL, Olival KJ, Khan MSU, Gurley ES, Hossein MJ, Field HE, Fielder MD, Briese T, Rahman M, Broder CC, Crameri G, Wang LF, Luby SP, Lipkin WI, Daszak P. Nipah virus dynamics in bats and implications for spillover to humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:29190-29201. [PMID: 33139552 PMCID: PMC7682340 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2000429117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging bat-borne zoonotic virus that causes near-annual outbreaks of fatal encephalitis in South Asia-one of the most populous regions on Earth. In Bangladesh, infection occurs when people drink date-palm sap contaminated with bat excreta. Outbreaks are sporadic, and the influence of viral dynamics in bats on their temporal and spatial distribution is poorly understood. We analyzed data on host ecology, molecular epidemiology, serological dynamics, and viral genetics to characterize spatiotemporal patterns of NiV dynamics in its wildlife reservoir, Pteropus medius bats, in Bangladesh. We found that NiV transmission occurred throughout the country and throughout the year. Model results indicated that local transmission dynamics were modulated by density-dependent transmission, acquired immunity that is lost over time, and recrudescence. Increased transmission followed multiyear periods of declining seroprevalence due to bat-population turnover and individual loss of humoral immunity. Individual bats had smaller host ranges than other Pteropus species (spp.), although movement data and the discovery of a Malaysia-clade NiV strain in eastern Bangladesh suggest connectivity with bats east of Bangladesh. These data suggest that discrete multiannual local epizootics in bat populations contribute to the sporadic nature of NiV outbreaks in South Asia. At the same time, the broad spatial and temporal extent of NiV transmission, including the recent outbreak in Kerala, India, highlights the continued risk of spillover to humans wherever they may interact with pteropid bats and the importance of limiting opportunities for spillover throughout Pteropus's range.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon J Anthony
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | | | - A Marm Kilpatrick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
| | - Shahneaz Ali Khan
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10018
- Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, Khulshi 4225, Bangladesh
| | - Maria D Balkey
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, College Park, MD 20740
| | - Noam Ross
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10018
| | - Ina Smith
- CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Geelong, VIC 3219, Australia
| | | | - Yun Tao
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY 10018
| | - Ausraful Islam
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Phenix Lan Quan
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | | | - M Salah Uddin Khan
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Emily S Gurley
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - M Jahangir Hossein
- Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Banjul, The Gambia
| | | | - Mark D Fielder
- School of Life Sciences, Science, Engineering and Computing Faculty, Kingston University, London KT1 2EE, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Briese
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Mahmudur Rahman
- Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control, and Research, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Christopher C Broder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Gary Crameri
- CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Geelong, VIC 3219, Australia
| | - Lin-Fa Wang
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857
| | - Stephen P Luby
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
- Department of Infectious Diseases & Geographic Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - W Ian Lipkin
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
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11
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Schloesing E, Chambon R, Tran A, Choden K, Ravon S, Epstein JH, Hoem T, Furey N, Labadie M, Bourgarel M, De Nys HM, Caron A, Cappelle J. Patterns of foraging activity and fidelity in a southeast Asian flying fox. Mov Ecol 2020; 8:46. [PMID: 33292573 PMCID: PMC7652672 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00232-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improved understanding of the foraging ecology of bats in the face of ongoing habitat loss and modification worldwide is essential to their conservation and maintaining the substantial ecosystem services they provide. It is also fundamental to assessing potential transmission risks of zoonotic pathogens in human-wildlife interfaces. We evaluated the influence of environmental and behavioral variables on the foraging patterns of Pteropus lylei (a reservoir of Nipah virus) in a heterogeneous landscape in Cambodia. METHODS We employed an approach based on animal-movement modeling, which comprised a path-segmentation method (hidden Markov model) to identify individual foraging-behavior sequences in GPS data generated by eight P. lylei. We characterized foraging localities, foraging activity, and probability of returning to a given foraging locality over consecutive nights. Generalized linear mixed models were also applied to assess the influence of several variables including proxies for energetic costs and quality of foraging areas. RESULTS Bats performed few foraging bouts (area-restricted searches) during a given night, mainly in residential areas, and the duration of these decreased during the night. The probability of a bat revisiting a given foraging area within 48 h varied according to the duration previously spent there, its distance to the roost site, and the corresponding habitat type. We interpret these fine-scale patterns in relation to global habitat quality (including food-resource quality and predictability), habitat-familiarity and experience of each individual. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides evidence that heterogeneous human-made environments may promote complex patterns of foraging-behavior and short-term re-visitation in fruit bat species that occur in such landscapes. This highlights the need for similarly detailed studies to understand the processes that maintain biodiversity in these environments and assess the potential for pathogen transmission in human-wildlife interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Schloesing
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - Rémi Chambon
- Université de Rennes - unité BOREA (MNHN Sorbonne Université, CNRS, UCN, IRD UA), Rennes, France
| | - Annelise Tran
- UMR TETIS, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | | | | | | | - Thavry Hoem
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Neil Furey
- Fauna & Flora International (Cambodia), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Harrison Institute, Sevenoaks, UK
| | - Morgane Labadie
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Mathieu Bourgarel
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, RP-PCP, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Hélène M De Nys
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, RP-PCP, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Alexandre Caron
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Faculdade de Veterinaria, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Julien Cappelle
- UMR ASTRE, CIRAD, INRAE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- UMR EPIA, Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
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12
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Peel AJ, Wells K, Giles J, Boyd V, Burroughs A, Edson D, Crameri G, Baker ML, Field H, Wang LF, McCallum H, Plowright RK, Clark N. Synchronous shedding of multiple bat paramyxoviruses coincides with peak periods of Hendra virus spillover. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020; 8:1314-1323. [PMID: 31495335 PMCID: PMC6746281 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2019.1661217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Within host-parasite communities, viral co-circulation and co-infections of hosts are the norm, yet studies of significant emerging zoonoses tend to focus on a single parasite species within the host. Using a multiplexed paramyxovirus bead-based PCR on urine samples from Australian flying foxes, we show that multi-viral shedding from flying fox populations is common. We detected up to nine bat paramyxoviruses shed synchronously. Multi-viral shedding infrequently coalesced into an extreme, brief and spatially restricted shedding pulse, coinciding with peak spillover of Hendra virus, an emerging fatal zoonotic pathogen of high interest. Such extreme pulses of multi-viral shedding could easily be missed during routine surveillance yet have potentially serious consequences for spillover of novel pathogens to humans and domestic animal hosts. We also detected co-occurrence patterns suggestive of the presence of interactions among viruses, such as facilitation and cross-immunity. We propose that multiple viruses may be interacting, influencing the shedding and spillover of zoonotic pathogens. Understanding these interactions in the context of broader scale drivers, such as habitat loss, may help predict shedding pulses of Hendra virus and other fatal zoonoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison J Peel
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University , Nathan , Queensland , Australia
| | - Konstans Wells
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University , Swansea , Wales , UK
| | - John Giles
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Victoria Boyd
- CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, Australian Animal Health Laboratory , Geelong , Vic , Australia
| | - Amy Burroughs
- CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, Australian Animal Health Laboratory , Geelong , Vic , Australia
| | - Daniel Edson
- Department of Agriculture, Animal Health Policy Branch , Canberra , ACT , Australia
| | - Gary Crameri
- CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, Australian Animal Health Laboratory , Geelong , Vic , Australia
| | - Michelle L Baker
- CSIRO, Health and Biosecurity Business Unit, Australian Animal Health Laboratory , Geelong , Vic , Australia
| | - Hume Field
- EcoHealth Alliance , New York , NY , USA.,School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland , Gatton , Queensland , Australia
| | - Lin-Fa Wang
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School , Singapore
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University , Nathan , Queensland , Australia
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University , Bozeman , Montana , USA
| | - Nicholas Clark
- UQ Spatial Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, the University of Queensland , Gatton , Queensland , Australia
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13
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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 2019; 77:1607-1622. [PMID: 31352533 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03242-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [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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14
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Schaer J, Boardman WSJ, McKeown A, Westcott DA, Matuschewski K, Power M. Molecular investigation of Hepatocystis parasites in the Australian flying fox Pteropus poliocephalus across its distribution range. Infect Genet Evol 2019; 75:103978. [PMID: 31352147 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.103978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Phylogenetic inference of Hepatocystis, a haemosporidian parasite of diverse primate and bat hosts, revealed that the parasites from Australasian Pteropus bat species form a distinct clade to all other Hepatocystis parasites from Africa and Asia. Here, we investigate the phylogenetic placement of Hepatocystis in the Australian bat Pteropus poliocephalus for the first time and examine parasite morphology and prevalence from selected points across its range. Hepatocystis infections were detected in low prevalences in P. poliocephalus in contrast to high numbers in P. alecto and P. scapulatus. The prevalence in P. poliocephalus varied across its distribution range with 15% in the central biogeographic areas (central Queensland and New South Wales) and 1% in the southern-most edge (South Australia) of its range. Sequencing of five genes revealed high genetic similarity in Hepatocystis of P. poliocephalus independent of sampling location. Phylogenetic analysis placed these parasites with Hepatocystis from other Pteropus species from Australia and Asia. While numerous haplotypes were identified among sequences from the Pteropus hosts, no patterns of host specificity were recovered within the Pteropus-specific parasite group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Schaer
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia; Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution, Berlin, Germany; Dept. of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Wayne S J Boardman
- School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Adam McKeown
- CSIRO Land & Water, Cairns, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | | | - Kai Matuschewski
- Dept. of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michelle Power
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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15
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McMichael L, Smith C, Gordon A, Agnihotri K, Meers J, Oakey J. A novel Australian flying-fox retrovirus shares an evolutionary ancestor with Koala, Gibbon and Melomys gamma-retroviruses. Virus Genes 2019; 55:421-424. [PMID: 30877415 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-019-01653-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
A novel gamma-retroviral sequence (7912 bp), inclusive of both partial 5' and 3' long terminal repeat regions, was identified from the brain of a black flying-fox (Pteropus alecto), Queensland, Australia. The sequence was distinct from other retroviral sequences identified in bats and showed greater identity to Koala, Gibbon ape leukaemia, Melomys burtoni and Woolly monkey retroviruses, forming their own phylogenetic clade. This finding suggests that these retroviruses may have an unknown common ancestor and that further investigation into the diversity of gamma-retroviruses in Australian Pteropus species may elucidate their evolutionary origins.
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Affiliation(s)
- L McMichael
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia.
| | - C Smith
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Health and Food Science Precinct, Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory, Biosecurity Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia
| | - A Gordon
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Health and Food Science Precinct, Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory, Biosecurity Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia
| | - K Agnihotri
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Health and Food Science Precinct, Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory, Biosecurity Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia
| | - J Meers
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - J Oakey
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Health and Food Science Precinct, Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory, Biosecurity Queensland, 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, QLD, 4108, Australia
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16
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Freeman HD, Wood M, Schook MW, Leighty KA, Lavin SR, Wiebe S, Blowers TE, Daneault R, Mylniczenko N, Wheaton CJ. Seasonal dynamics of agonistic behavior and hormones in an ex situ all-male colony of large flying foxes. Zoo Biol 2018; 37:213-222. [PMID: 30033606 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Large flying foxes (Pteropus vampyrus) are a socially complex species. In situ colonies typically comprise thousands of individuals in small harems of one male to many females. In ex situ environments, all-male colonies are becoming more common due to a surplus of males in the population. There is limited information describing the hormonal and behavioral patterns of all-male colonies during the breeding season. We assessed seasonal changes in hormones and behavior in an all-male colony of 12 large flying foxes at Disney's Animal Kingdom® . We validated hormone assays using morning urine and fecal samples to assess seasonal changes in excreted immunoreactive testosterone and glucocorticoid metabolites. We collected behavior data using an all-occurrence method, recording agonistic behaviors related to territorial defense (hooking, biting, wing flexing, vocalizing, and wrestling), and sexual behavior (mounting and frontal grabbing). Results indicated that (i) we could reliably measure testosterone and glucocorticoid metabolites concentrations from fecal and urine samples collected from individual bats; (ii) there were distinct relationships between changes in levels of agonism and hormone concentrations throughout the year; and (iii) three agonistic behaviors (chasing, wrestling, and open-mouth threat) peaked prior to the increase in testosterone and glucocorticoid hormones measured during the breeding season. These three behaviors could potentially be used as early indicators to signal the onset of the breeding season and allow time to implement ex situ management changes to reduce the incidence of agonism between individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hani D Freeman
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Michelle Wood
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Mandi W Schook
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Katherine A Leighty
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Shana R Lavin
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Susan Wiebe
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Tracy E Blowers
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Rachel Daneault
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Natalie Mylniczenko
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
| | - Catharine J Wheaton
- Disney's Animal Kingdom@, Animals, Science, and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
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17
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Schaer J, McMichael L, Gordon AN, Russell D, Matuschewski K, Perkins SL, Field H, Power M. Phylogeny of Hepatocystis parasites of Australian flying foxes reveals distinct parasite clade. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2018; 7:207-212. [PMID: 29988481 PMCID: PMC6024243 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocystis parasites are close relatives of mammalian Plasmodium species and infect a range of primates and bats. Here, we present the phylogenetic relationships of Hepatocystis parasites of three Australian flying fox species. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis revealed that Hepatocystis parasites of Pteropus species from Australia and Asia form a distinct clade that is sister to all other Hepatocystis parasites of primates and bats from Africa and Asia. No patterns of host specificity were recovered within the Pteropus-specific parasite clade and the Hepatocystis sequences from all three Australian host species sampled fell into two divergent clades. First molecular phylogeny of Hepatocystis parasites in Australian flying foxes. Hepatocystis parasites of Pteropus form a distinct clade. Lack of host species specificity as distinct hallmark of Hepatocystis parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Schaer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, 2109, Australia.,Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lee McMichael
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | - Anita N Gordon
- Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory, Health and Food Science Precinct, 39 Kessels Rd, Coopers Plains, Queensland, 4108, Australia
| | - Daniel Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, 2109, Australia
| | - Kai Matuschewski
- Department of Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt University, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susan L Perkins
- Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Hume Field
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, 10001, USA
| | - Michelle Power
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, 2109, Australia
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18
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Wacharapluesadee S, Duengkae P, Chaiyes A, Kaewpom T, Rodpan A, Yingsakmongkon S, Petcharat S, Phengsakul P, Maneeorn P, Hemachudha T. Longitudinal study of age-specific pattern of coronavirus infection in Lyle's flying fox ( Pteropus lylei) in Thailand. Virol J 2018; 15:38. [PMID: 29463282 PMCID: PMC5819653 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-018-0950-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bats are natural reservoirs for several highly pathogenic and novel viruses including coronaviruses (CoVs) (mainly Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus). Lyle’s flying fox (Pteropus lylei)‘s roosts and foraging sites are usually in the proximity to humans and animals. Knowledge about age-specific pattern of CoV infection in P. lylei, prevalence, and viral shedding at roosts and foraging sites may have an impact on infection-age-structure model to control CoV outbreak. Methods P. lylei bats were captured monthly during January–December 2012 for detection of CoV at three areas in Chonburi province; two human dwellings, S1 and S2, where few fruit trees were located with an open pig farm, 0.6 km and 5.5 km away from the bat roost, S3. Nested RT-PCR of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene from rectal swabs was used for CoV detection. The strain of CoV was confirmed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results CoV infection was found in both juveniles and adult bats between May and October (January, in adults only and April, in juveniles only). Of total rectal swab positives (68/367, 18.5%), ratio was higher in bats captured at S1 (11/44, 25.0%) and S2 (35/99, 35.4%) foraging sites than at roost (S3) (22/224, 9.8%). Juveniles (forearm length ≤ 136 mm) were found with more CoV infection than adults at all three sites; S1 (9/24, 37.5% vs 2/20, 10%), S2 (22/49, 44.9% vs 13/50, 26.0%), and S3 (10/30, 33.3% vs 12/194, 6.2%). The average BCI of CoV infected bats was significantly lower than uninfected bats. No gender difference related to infection was found at the sites. Phylogenetic analysis of conserved RdRp gene revealed that the detected CoVs belonged to group D betacoronavirus (n = 64) and alphacoronavirus (n = 4). Conclusions The fact that CoV infection and shedding was found in more juvenile than adult bats may suggest transmission from mother during peripartum period. Whether viral reactivation during parturition period or stress is responsible in maintaining transmission in the bat colony needs to be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supaporn Wacharapluesadee
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | | | - Aingorn Chaiyes
- Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thongchai Kaewpom
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Apaporn Rodpan
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Sininat Petcharat
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Pattarapol Maneeorn
- Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Thiravat Hemachudha
- Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases - Health Science Centre, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Viral Zoonoses, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Vidgen ME, Edson DW, van den Hurk AF, Field HE, Smith CS. No Evidence of Hendra Virus Infection in the Australian Flying-fox Ectoparasite Genus Cyclopodia. Zoonoses Public Health 2016; 64:228-231. [PMID: 27770493 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hendra virus (HeV) causes potentially fatal respiratory and/or neurological disease in both horses and humans. Although Australian flying-foxes of the genus Pteropus have been identified as reservoir hosts, the precise mechanism of HeV transmission has yet to be elucidated. To date, there has been limited investigation into the role of haematophagous insects as vectors of HeV. This mode of transmission is particularly relevant because Australian flying-foxes host the bat-specific blood-feeding ectoparasites of the genus Cyclopodia (Diptera: Nycteribiidae), also known as bat flies. Using molecular detection methods, we screened for HeV RNA in 183 bat flies collected from flying-foxes inhabiting a roost in Boonah, Queensland, Australia. It was subsequently demonstrated that during the study period, Pteropus alecto in this roost had a HeV RNA prevalence between 2 and 15% (95% CI [1, 6] to [8, 26], respectively). We found no evidence of HeV in any bat flies tested, including 10 bat flies collected from P. alecto in which we detected HeV RNA. Our negative findings are consistent with previous findings and provide additional evidence that bat flies do not play a primary role in HeV transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Vidgen
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia
| | - D W Edson
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Australian Government, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - A F van den Hurk
- Public Health Virology, Forensic and Scientific Services, Department of Health, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - H E Field
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.,EcoHealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
| | - C S Smith
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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20
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Giles JR, Plowright RK, Eby P, Peel AJ, McCallum H. Models of Eucalypt phenology predict bat population flux. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7230-7245. [PMID: 27891217 PMCID: PMC5115174 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fruit bats (Pteropodidae) have received increased attention after the recent emergence of notable viral pathogens of bat origin. Their vagility hinders data collection on abundance and distribution, which constrains modeling efforts and our understanding of bat ecology, viral dynamics, and spillover. We addressed this knowledge gap with models and data on the occurrence and abundance of nectarivorous fruit bat populations at 3 day roosts in southeast Queensland. We used environmental drivers of nectar production as predictors and explored relationships between bat abundance and virus spillover. Specifically, we developed several novel modeling tools motivated by complexities of fruit bat foraging ecology, including: (1) a dataset of spatial variables comprising Eucalypt-focused vegetation indices, cumulative precipitation, and temperature anomaly; (2) an algorithm that associated bat population response with spatial covariates in a spatially and temporally relevant way given our current understanding of bat foraging behavior; and (3) a thorough statistical learning approach to finding optimal covariate combinations. We identified covariates that classify fruit bat occupancy at each of our three study roosts with 86-93% accuracy. Negative binomial models explained 43-53% of the variation in observed abundance across roosts. Our models suggest that spatiotemporal heterogeneity in Eucalypt-based food resources could drive at least 50% of bat population behavior at the landscape scale. We found that 13 spillover events were observed within the foraging range of our study roosts, and they occurred during times when models predicted low population abundance. Our results suggest that, in southeast Queensland, spillover may not be driven by large aggregations of fruit bats attracted by nectar-based resources, but rather by behavior of smaller resident subpopulations. Our models and data integrated remote sensing and statistical learning to make inferences on bat ecology and disease dynamics. This work provides a foundation for further studies on landscape-scale population movement and spatiotemporal disease dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Giles
- Environmental Futures Research InstituteGriffith UniversityBrisbaneQueensland4111Australia
| | - Raina K. Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyMontana State UniversityBozemanMontana59717
| | - Peggy Eby
- School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South Wales2052Australia
| | - Alison J. Peel
- Environmental Futures Research InstituteGriffith UniversityBrisbaneQueensland4111Australia
| | - Hamish McCallum
- Environmental Futures Research InstituteGriffith UniversityBrisbaneQueensland4111Australia
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21
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Yadav P, Sarkale P, Patil D, Shete A, Kokate P, Kumar V, Jain R, Jadhav S, Basu A, Pawar S, Sudeep A, Gokhale M, Lakra R, Mourya D. Isolation of Tioman virus from Pteropus giganteus bat in North-East region of India. Infect Genet Evol 2016; 45:224-229. [PMID: 27619056 PMCID: PMC7106170 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2016.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Bat-borne viral diseases are a major public health concern among newly emerging infectious diseases which includes severe acute respiratory syndrome, Nipah, Marburg and Ebola virus disease. During the survey for Nipah virus among bats at North-East region of India; Tioman virus (TioV), a new member of the Paramyxoviridae family was isolated from tissues of Pteropus giganteus bats for the first time in India. This isolate was identified and confirmed by RT-PCR, sequence analysis and electron microscopy. A range of vertebrate cell lines were shown to be susceptible to Tioman virus. Negative electron microscopy study revealed the "herringbone" morphology of the nucleocapsid filaments and enveloped particles with distinct envelope projections a characteristic of the Paramyxoviridae family. Sequence analysis of Nucleocapsid gene of TioV demonstrated sequence identity of 99.87% and 99.99% nucleotide and amino acid respectively with of TioV strain isolated in Malaysia, 2001. This report demonstrates the first isolation of Tioman virus from a region where Nipah virus activity has been noticed in the past and recent years. Bat-borne viruses have become serious concern world-wide. A Survey of bats for novel viruses in this region would help in recognizing emerging viruses and combating diseases caused by them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Yadav
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Prasad Sarkale
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Deepak Patil
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Anita Shete
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Prasad Kokate
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Vimal Kumar
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Rajlaxmi Jain
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Santosh Jadhav
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Atanu Basu
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Shailesh Pawar
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Anakkathil Sudeep
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Mangesh Gokhale
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Rajen Lakra
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India
| | - Devendra Mourya
- National Institute of Virology, Pune, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra Pin 411001, India.
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Islam MS, Sazzad HMS, Satter SM, Sultana S, Hossain MJ, Hasan M, Rahman M, Campbell S, Cannon DL, Ströher U, Daszak P, Luby SP, Gurley ES. Nipah Virus Transmission from Bats to Humans Associated with Drinking Traditional Liquor Made from Date Palm Sap, Bangladesh, 2011-2014. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 22:664-70. [PMID: 26981928 PMCID: PMC4806957 DOI: 10.3201/eid2204.151747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) is a paramyxovirus, and Pteropus spp. bats are the natural reservoir. From December 2010 through March 2014, hospital-based encephalitis surveillance in Bangladesh identified 18 clusters of NiV infection. The source of infection for case-patients in 3 clusters in 2 districts was unknown. A team of epidemiologists and anthropologists investigated these 3 clusters comprising 14 case-patients, 8 of whom died. Among the 14 case-patients, 8 drank fermented date palm sap (tari) regularly before their illness, and 6 provided care to a person infected with NiV. The process of preparing date palm trees for tari production was similar to the process of collecting date palm sap for fresh consumption. Bat excreta was reportedly found inside pots used to make tari. These findings suggest that drinking tari is a potential pathway of NiV transmission. Interventions that prevent bat access to date palm sap might prevent tari-associated NiV infection.
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McConkey KR, Drake DR. Low redundancy in seed dispersal within an island frugivore community. AoB Plants 2015; 7:plv088. [PMID: 26194167 PMCID: PMC4583771 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plv088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The low species diversity that often characterizes island ecosystems could result in low functional redundancy within communities. Flying foxes (large fruit bats) are important seed dispersers of large-seeded species, but their redundancy within island communities has never been explicitly tested. In a Pacific archipelago, we found that flying foxes were the sole effective disperser of 57 % of the plant species whose fruits they consume. They were essential for the dispersal of these species either because they handled >90 % of consumed fruit, or were the only animal depositing seeds away from the parent canopy, or both. Flying foxes were especially important for larger-seeded fruit (>13 mm wide), with 76 % of consumed species dependent on them for dispersal, compared with 31 % of small-seeded species. As flying foxes decrease in abundance, they cease to function as dispersers long before they become rare. We compared the seed dispersal effectiveness (measured as the proportion of diaspores dispersed beyond parent crowns) of all frugivores for four plant species in sites where flying foxes were, and were not, functionally extinct. At both low and high abundance, flying foxes consumed most available fruit of these species, but the proportion of handled diaspores dispersed away from parent crowns (quality) was significantly reduced at low abundance. Since alternative consumers (birds, rodents and land crabs) were unable to compensate as dispersers when flying foxes were functionally extinct, we conclude that there is almost no redundancy in the seed dispersal function of flying foxes in this island system, and potentially on other islands where they occur. Given that oceanic island communities are often simpler than continental communities, evaluating the extent of redundancy across different ecological functions on islands is extremely important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim R McConkey
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand Present address: School of Natural Sciences and Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore, India
| | - Donald R Drake
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
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24
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Walsh MG. Mapping the risk of Nipah virus spillover into human populations in South and Southeast Asia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2015; 109:563-71. [PMID: 26179654 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trv055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nipah virus (NiV) is a significant emerging zoonotic pathogen given its wide geographic distribution, and the severe morbidity and high mortality that accompanies infection. Moreover, the layered landscape epidemiology surrounding spillover from reservoir host species to humans is ill-defined. Identifying landscape features that contribute to NiV spillover would likely prove helpful in preventing emergence in human populations. METHODS Using an inhomogeneous Poisson model, this study investigated the role of vegetation cover, the human footprint (HFP) and reservoir Pteropus bat distribution to identify the spatial dependence of spillover and map risk across South and Southeast Asia. RESULTS The spatial model identified HFP (RR=1.08; 95% CI 1.05-1.11) and bat distribution (RR=19.44; 95% CI 1.92-196.7) as significant predictors of NiV risk, while vegetation cover was not significant after accounting for HFP and the presence of Pteropus bats. CONCLUSIONS These findings further inform the landscape epidemiology of NiV and suggest specific conduits for spillover in the landscape. However, more detailed field studies will be required to validate these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Walsh
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA
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Abstract
Wildlife populations are affected by a series of emerging diseases, some of which pose a significant threat to their conservation. They can also be reservoirs of pathogens that threaten domestic animal and human health. In this paper, we review the ecology of two viruses that have caused significant disease in domestic animals and humans and are carried by wild fruit bats in Asia and Australia. The first, Hendra virus, has caused disease in horses and/or humans in Australia every five years since it first emerged in 1994. Nipah virus has caused a major outbreak of disease in pigs and humans in Malaysia in the late 1990s and has also caused human mortalities in Bangladesh annually since 2001. Increased knowledge of fruit bat population dynamics and disease ecology will help improve our understanding of processes driving the emergence of diseases from bats. For this, a transdisciplinary approach is required to develop appropriate host management strategies that both maximise the conservation of bat populations as well as minimise the risk of disease outbreaks in domestic animals and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Breed
- School of Veterinary Science, Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Hume E Field
- Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Queensland, LMB4, Moorooka 4105, Australia
| | - Jonathan H Epstein
- The Consortium for Conservation Medicine, 460 West 34th Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA
| | - Peter Daszak
- The Consortium for Conservation Medicine, 460 West 34th Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA
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