Evidence for widespread infection of African bats with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever-like viruses

0459915 - ÚBO 2017 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Müller, M. A. - Devignot, S. - Lattwein, E. - Corman, V. M. - Maganga, G. D. - Gloza-Rausch, F. - Binger, T. - Vallo, Peter - Emmerich, P. - Cottontail, V. M. - Tschapka, M. - Oppong, S. - Drexler, J. F. - Weber, F. - Leroy, E. M. - Drosten, C.
Evidence for widespread infection of African bats with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever-like viruses.
Scientific Reports. Roč. 6, č. 26637 (2016), č. článku 26637. ISSN 2045-2322. E-ISSN 2045-2322
EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 278976 - ANTIGONE; European Commission(XE) 260427 - CCH Fever
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : sheep disease virus * family Bunyaviridae * serological relationships * antibody-response * migratory birds * rapid detection * viral load * ticks * nairovirus * genus
Subject RIV: FN - Epidemiology, Contagious Diseases ; Clinical Immunology
Impact factor: 4.259, year: 2016

Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is a highly virulent tick-borne pathogen that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans. The geographic range of human CCHF cases largely reflects the presence of ticks. However, highly similar CCHFV lineages occur in geographically distant regions. Tick-infested migratory birds have been suggested, but not confirmed, to contribute to the dispersal. Bats have recently been shown to carry nairoviruses distinct from CCHFV. In order to assess the presence of CCHFV in a wide range of bat species over a wide geographic range, we analyzed 1,135 sera from 16 different bat species collected in Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Germany, and Panama. Using a CCHFV glycoprotein-based indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT), we identified reactive antibodies in 10.0% (114/1,135) of tested bats, pertaining to 12/16 tested species. Depending on the species, 3.6%-42.9% of cave-dwelling bats and 0.6%-7.1% of foliage-living bats were seropositive (two-tailed t-test, p = 0.0447 cave versus foliage). 11/30 IIFT-reactive sera from 10 different African bat species had neutralizing activity in a virus-like particle assay. Neutralization of full CCHFV was confirmed in 5 of 7 sera. Widespread infection of cave-dwelling bats may indicate a role for bats in the life cycle and geographic dispersal of CCHFV.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0260078