Geographic Translocation of Bats: Known and Potential Problems

Constantine, Denny G.

doi:10.3201/eid0901.020104

Cited by 78 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…During viral incubation periods that can encompass months, infected animals may have rafted along coastlines on storm debris or flotsam, stowed away on primitive human conveyances or been brought intentionally for translocated domestic purposes (Smith & Seidel, 1993). In addition, rabies may have entered directly by flight from infected bats, given their unique and considerable aerodynamic abilities (Constantine, 2003). However, these pre-historic contributions of bats to rabies in the Americas and associations with particular fauna are largely speculative, with the exception of evidence based on fossil records of vampire bats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary timescale of rabies virus adaptation to North American bats inferred from the substitution rate of the nucleoprotein gene

Hughes

Orciari

Rupprecht

2005

Journal of General Virology

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Throughout North America, rabies virus (RV) is endemic in bats. Distinct RV variants exist that are closely associated with infection of individual host species, such that there is little or no sustained spillover infection away from the primary host. Using Bayesian methodology, nucleotide substitution rates were estimated from alignments of partial nucleoprotein (N) gene sequences of nine distinct bat RV variants from North America. Substitution rates ranged from 2?32610 "4 to 1?38610 "3 substitutions per site per year. A maximum-likelihood (ML) molecular clock model was rejected for only two of the nine datasets. In addition, using sequences from bat RV variants across the Americas, the evolutionary rate for the complete N gene was estimated to be 2?32610 "4 . This rate was used to scale trees using Bayesian and ML methods, and the time of the most recent common ancestor for current bat RV variant diversity in the Americas was estimated to be 1660 (range 1267-1782) and 1651 (range 1254-1773), respectively. Our reconstructions suggest that RV variants currently associated with infection of bats from Latin America (Desmodus and Tadarida) share the earliest common ancestor with the progenitor RV. In addition, from the ML tree, times were estimated for the emergence of the three major lineages responsible for bat rabies cases in North America. Adaptation to infection of the colonial bat species analysed (Eptesicus fuscus, Myotis spp.) appears to have occurred much quicker than for the solitary species analysed (Lasionycteris noctivagans, Pipistrellus subflavus, Lasiurus borealis, Lasiurus cinereus), suggesting that the process of virus adaptation may be dependent on host biology. INTRODUCTIONRabies virus (RV) is the type member of the genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae. RV has a negative-sense RNA genome of~12 kb and consists of five genes encoding the nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein, matrix protein, glycoprotein and polymerase (Tordo et al., 1986). The N encapsidates the viral RNA, forming the template for transcription and replication (Tordo & Kouknetzoff, 1993). RNA viruses are characterized by a high mutation rate during replication due to the lack of proofreading and postreplication error correction by RNA polymerases (Domingo & Holland, 1994). This genetic diversity seems to provide an adaptive potential for RV that can vary according to natural history (Morimoto et al., 1998; Kissi et al., 1999).Indigenous bat rabies was first recognized in the USA in 1953 (Scatterday & Galton, 1954), although the exact age of its emergence remains uncertain. During 2001, bats were responsible for 17 % of reported wildlife rabies cases and all three cases of human rabies in the USA (Krebs et al., 2002). In North America, rabid bats have been found for almost every species that has been thoroughly investigated (Constantine, 1979). The genetic diversity of current bat RV variants suggests that up to 30 different lineages of RV may exist in the USA alone (Smith, 2002). A more conservative assessment of RV diversity in th...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary timescale of rabies virus adaptation to North American bats inferred from the substitution rate of the nucleoprotein gene

Hughes

Orciari

Rupprecht

2005

Journal of General Virology

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“…From a natural perspective, this would be particularly ominous for bat species with long migratory routes, such as Tadarida brasiliensis and Lasiurus cinereus, which migrate >1,000 km each year (Constantine, 2003). For example, the known resistance of L. cinereus to WNS infections in the epizootic area (Dzal et al, 2011), and the species' long-distance migratory behaviour, offer clear opportunities for P. destructans to spread to South America (see Peterson et al, 2007a).…”

Section: Maxentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential for spread of the white-nose fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) in the Americas: use of Maxent and NicheA to assure strict model transference

et al. 2014

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Abstract. Emerging infectious diseases can present serious threats to wildlife, even to the point of causing extinction. Whitenose fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) is causing an epizootic in bats that is expanding rapidly, both geographically and taxonomically. Little is known of the ecology and distributional potential of this intercontinental pathogen. We address this gap via ecological niche models that characterise coarse resolution niche differences between fungus populations on different continents, identifying areas potentially vulnerable to infection in South America. Here we explore a novel approach to identifying areas of potential distribution across novel geographic regions that avoids perilious extrapolation into novel environments. European and North American fungus populations show differential use of environmental space, but rather than niche differentiation, we find that changes are best attributed to climatic differences between the two continents. Suitable areas for spread of the pathogen were identified across southern South America; however caution should be taken to avoid underestimating the potential for spread of this pathogen in South America.

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“…There are also records of individual bats on islands far from their migratory pathways, probably as a result of strong winds pushing them off course (Petersen et al 2014). Some of these examples, however, might be the result of passive transport by humans, especially via ship cargoes (Constantine 2003;Petersen et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Empty in summer, crowded during migration? Structure of assemblage, distribution pattern and habitat use by bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in a narrow, marine peninsula

2015

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According to scarce available data, the use of coastal habitats by bats appears to be the most intensive during spring and autumn migrations, when coasts become migratory corridors. Migrating bats might seasonally enrich the fauna of sea islands and peninsulas, which often are poor in bats outside the migratory season. Hel Peninsula is part of the Polish Baltic Coast that extends the most into the sea; thus, it gives unique opportunity to assess that phenomenon quantitatively. To test for seasonal variation in structure of bat assemblage and bat activity, we recorded echolocation calls on walking transects. Seven species were recorded in total, with predominance of sedentary Eptesicus serotinus in June-July and migratory Pipistrellus nathusii in August-September. Occurrence of bats was the highest in deciduous and coniferous forests and the lowest in coasts and ports. Interaction of day of year and distance to mainland was highly significant, indicating that occurrence of bats was increasing from spring to autumn but this increase depended on location. Far from mainland, the mean occurrence of bats was rather stable over time. On transects located close to the mainland, bat occurrence was low at the beginning of the season but after midAugust increased rapidly. We confirmed that some topographically isolated parts of the sea coasts can host only very impoverished summer bat fauna. Bat activity in such sites increase in autumn; however, Hel Peninsula presumably does not act as a migratory corridor, but only as a target of local dispersal from mainland.

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Geographic Translocation of Bats: Known and Potential Problems

Cited by 78 publications

References 14 publications

Evolutionary timescale of rabies virus adaptation to North American bats inferred from the substitution rate of the nucleoprotein gene

Evolutionary timescale of rabies virus adaptation to North American bats inferred from the substitution rate of the nucleoprotein gene

Potential for spread of the white-nose fungus (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) in the Americas: use of Maxent and NicheA to assure strict model transference

Empty in summer, crowded during migration? Structure of assemblage, distribution pattern and habitat use by bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in a narrow, marine peninsula

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