A Review of Bunyamwera, Batai, and Ngari Viruses: Understudied Orthobunyaviruses With Potential One Health Implications

Abstract

Bunyamwera (BUNV), Batai (BATV), and Ngari (NRIV) are mosquito-borne viruses of the Bunyamwera serogroup in the Orthobunyavirus genus of the Bunyaviridae family. These three viruses have been found to cause disease in both livestock animals, avian species, and humans. Thus, these viruses pose a potential threat to human public health, animal health, and food security. This is especially the case in the developing nations, where BUNV and NRIV are found, mainly in Africa. BUNV and BATV are fairly well characterized, while NRIV is not well characterized owing to only sporadic detection in human and animal populations in Africa. Reassortment is common among bunyaviruses, but NRIV is believed to be the only natural reassortant of the Bunyamwera serogroup. It resulted from a combination of BUNV S and L segments and the BATV M segment. This indicates at least some level co-circulation of BUNV and BATV, which have no historically been reported to overlap in geographic distributions. But as these viruses are undercharacterized, there remains a gap in the understanding of how such reassortment could occur, and the consequences of such. Due to their combined wide range of hosts and vectors, geographic distributions, potential severity of associated diseases, and potential for transmissibility between vertebrate hosts, these viruses represent a significant gap in knowledge with important One Health implications. The goal of this review is to report available knowledge of and identify potential future directions for study of these viruses. As these are collectively understudied viruses, there is a relative paucity of data; however, we use available studies to discuss different perspectives in an effort to promote a better understanding of these three viruses and the public and One Health threat(s) they may pose.

Genomic characterization of orthobunyavirus of veterinary importance in America

“…well as the pose a potential threat to human public health (Noronha & Wilson, 2017;Dutuze et al, 2018). This group includes two viral species, the Kairi orthobunyavirus with only one subtype and the Bunyamwera orthobunyavirus species that according to the ICTV have many subtypes, such as Cache Valley (CCV), Fort Sherman (FSV), Guaroa (GROV), Ilesha (ILEV), Maguari (MAGV), Playas (PLAV), Tensaw (TENV), Batai (BATV), Ngari (NRIV) virus among other.…”

Reassortment events in the evolution of hantaviruses

“…Another well-documented example within the Bunyamwera serogroup viruses is the hemorrhagic fever causing Ngari virus (and its isolate Garissa virus) which is a reassortant containing S and L segments of Bunyamwera virus and M segment of Batai virus. This is particularly interesting because Ngari virus can be associated with large outbreaks of severe illness in East Africa while its parents are reported to cause rather mild symptoms in humans but more severe symptoms including abortions and teratogenic effects in livestock [ 37 – 40 ].…”

Arboviruses in the East African Community partner states: a review of medically important mosquito-borne Arboviruses

“…From these studies, it was concluded that the Batai-related virus isolated from Ugandan mosquitoes [56] are real isolates of BATV, unlike the isolates from the 1988 Sudan febrile disease outbreak which were actually NRIV [50]. BATV causes a mid-flu like illness in humans while NRIV has been associated with fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans [58]. Mosquito vectors where BATV has been isolated from include Aedes simpsoni, Culex gelidus, Anopheles barbirostris, A. maculipennis and Aedes punctor [58].…”

“…BATV causes a mid-flu like illness in humans while NRIV has been associated with fatal hemorrhagic fever in humans [58]. Mosquito vectors where BATV has been isolated from include Aedes simpsoni, Culex gelidus, Anopheles barbirostris, A. maculipennis and Aedes punctor [58].…”