Bats provide important ecosystem services as pollinators, seed dispersers, and/or insect controllers, but they have also been found harboring different viruses with zoonotic potential. Virome studies in bats distributed in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America have increased dramatically over the past decade, whereas information on viruses infecting South American species is scarce. We explored the virome of Tadarida brasiliensis, an insectivorous New World bat species inhabiting a maternity colony in Rosario (Argentina), by a metagenomic approach. The analysis of five pooled oral/anal swab samples indicated the presence of 43 different taxonomic viral families infecting a wide range of hosts. By conventional nucleic acid detection techniques and/or bioinformatics approaches, the genomes of two novel viruses were completely covered clustering into the Papillomaviridae (Tadarida brasiliensis papillomavirus type 1, TbraPV1) and Genomoviridae (Tadarida brasiliensis gemykibivirus 1, TbGkyV1) families. TbraPV1 is the first papillomavirus type identified in this host and the prototype of a novel genus. TbGkyV1 is the first genomovirus reported in New World bats and constitutes a new species within the genus Gemykibivirus. Our findings extend the knowledge about oral/anal viromes of a South American bat species and contribute to understand the evolution and genetic diversity of the novel characterized viruses.
N atural infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in domestic animals living in infected households have been reported (1). Because of their increased popularity as a pet (2), domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) pose a high risk for transmitting anthropozoonotic infections. A recent study in Spain showed that natural SARS-CoV-2 infections can occur in ferrets kept as working animals for rabbit hunting, especially if a high viral circulation is present in the human population (3). Further, ferrets are common laboratory animal models and, at least in experimental conditions, have been shown to be highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and likely to transmit the virus to other ferrets without apparent clinical signs (4). The StudyOn November 20, 2020, a 5-year-old neutered male domestic ferret had signs of acute gastroenteritis, including apathy, anorexia, vomiting, and profuse mucous diarrhea. Another ferret in the same household appeared healthy. Because the ferret's condition did not improve, the owner took it to a veterinary hospital for clinical examination on November 23. The ferret was lethargic and, on the basis of skin turgor, was >5% dehydrated with low body temperature (36.4°C, reference range 37.8-40°C) and slow heart rate (180 beats/min, reference 200-400 beats/min). The body condition of the ferret was good, with a bodyweight of 1.3 kg. Several hematology and serum biochemistry results were elevated: red blood cell count (12.36 × 10 6 /µL, reference 7.01-9.65 × 10 6 /µL), hemoglobin concentration (21.2 g/dL, reference 12.2-16.5 g/dL), and hematocrit (0.57%, reference 0.36%-0.48%); blood urea nitrogen (>129.94 mg/dL, reference 18-32 mg/ dL), hyperproteinemia (8.5 g/dL, reference 4.5-6.2 g/ dL), hyperglobulinemia (4.4 g/dL, reference 2.8-3.6 g/dL), and borderline hyperalbuminemia (4.0 g/ dL, reference 2.5-4.0 g/dL) were consistent with dehydration and possible infection. The results of all other hematologic and biochemical values were within reference ranges. Whole-body radiographs (Appendix Figure, https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/EID/ article/27/9/21-0774-App1.pdf) showed splenomegaly and gas accumulation in intestinal loops. Interstitial and alveolar patterns of cranial lung lobes were present, indicating possible lobar pneumonia. The ferret was hospitalized and initially given fl uid therapy, amoxicillin, esomeprazole, maropitant, and dexamethasone. Three days later, the clinical status of the ferret improved, hematologic and biochemical values normalized, and the ferret was scheduled for discharge. However, on the same day, the owner informed the veterinary hospital of having positive results for SARS-CoV-2 RNA tested on November 24, after 9 days of malaise. Additional rectal and oropharyngeal swab specimens and blood samples were taken from the ferret for further diagnostic procedures, and the ferret was discharged from the hospital and put into isolation at the owner's home. Samples were not taken from the other pet ferret at the residence, but the rest of househo...
To date, the microbiome, as well as the virome of the Croatian populations of bats, was unknown. Here, we present the results of the first viral metagenomic analysis of guano, feces and saliva (oral swabs) of seven bat species (Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis blythii, Myotis nattereri and Myotis emarginatus) conducted in Mediterranean and continental Croatia. Viral nucleic acids were extracted from sample pools, and analyzed using Illumina sequencing. The presence of 63 different viral families representing all seven Baltimore groups were confirmed, most commonly insect viruses likely reflecting the diet of insectivorous bats. Virome compositions of our samples were largely impacted by the sample type: invertebrate-infecting viruses were most frequently found in feces, bacterial viruses in guano, whereas vertebrate-infecting viruses were most common in swabs. Most vertebrate-infecting virus sequences were assigned to retroviruses, parvoviruses, iridoviruses, and poxviruses. We further report the complete genome sequence of a novel adeno-associated virus, densovirus and a near complete length genome sequence of a novel iflavirus. Additionally, one of the most interesting findings in this study was the difference in viromes between two contrasting habitats, the continental and Mediterranean Croatia.
Astrocytes interact with neurons and endothelial cells and may mediate exchange of metabolites between capillaries and nerve terminals. In the present study, we investigated intracellular glucose diffusion in purified astrocytes after local glucose uptake. We used a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based nano sensor to monitor the time dependence of the intracellular glucose concentration at specific positions within the cell. We observed a delay in onset and kinetics in regions away from the glucose uptake compared with the region where we locally super-fused astrocytes with the D-glucose-rich solution. We propose a mathematical model of glucose diffusion in astrocytes. The analysis showed that after gradual uptake of glucose, the locally increased intracellular glucose concentration is rapidly spread throughout the cytosol with an apparent diffusion coefficient (D app) of (2.38 ± 0.41) × 10(-10) m(2) s(-1) (at 22-24 °C). Considering that the diffusion coefficient of D-glucose in water is D = 6.7 × 10(-10) m(2) s(-1) (at 24 °C), D app determined in astrocytes indicates that the cytosolic tortuosity, which hinders glucose molecules, is approximately three times higher than in aqueous solution. We conclude that the value of D app for glucose measured in purified rat astrocytes is consistent with the view that cytosolic diffusion may allow glucose and glucose metabolites to traverse from the endothelial cells at the blood-brain barrier to neurons and neighboring astrocytes.
Bats are natural reservoirs of a variety of zoonotic viruses, many of which cause severe human diseases. Characterizing viruses of bats inhabiting different geographical regions is important for understanding their viral diversity and for detecting viral spillovers between animal species. Herein, the diversity of DNA viruses of five arthropodophagous bat species from Argentina was investigated using metagenomics. Fecal samples of 29 individuals from five species (Tadarida brasiliensis, Molossus molossus, Eumops bonariensis, Eumops patagonicus, and Eptesicus diminutus) living at two different geographical locations, were investigated. Enriched viral DNA was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq, and the reads were trimmed and filtered using several bioinformatic approaches. The resulting nucleotide sequences were subjected to viral taxonomic classification. In total, 4,520,370 read pairs were sequestered by sequencing, and 21.1% of them mapped to viral taxa. Circoviridae and Genomoviridae were the most prevalent among vertebrate viral families in all bat species included in this study. Samples from the T. brasiliensis colony exhibited lower viral diversity than samples from other species of New World bats. We characterized 35 complete genome sequences of novel viruses. These findings provide new insights into the global diversity of bat viruses in poorly studied species, contributing to prevention of emerging zoonotic diseases and to conservation policies for endangered species.
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