The Recently Discovered Bokeloh Bat Lyssavirus: Insights Into Its Genetic Heterogeneity and Spatial Distribution in Europe and the Population Genetics of Its Primary Host

Eggerbauer, Elisa; Troupin, Cécile; Passior, Karsten; Pfaff, Florian; Höper, Dirk W.; Neubauer-Juric, Antonie; Haberl, Stephanie; Bouchier, Christiane; Mettenleiter, Thomas C.; Bourhy, Hervé; Müller, Thomas; Dacheux, Laurent; Freuling, Conrad Martin

doi:10.1016/bs.aivir.2017.07.004

Cited by 18 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…Partly, this is a result of unknown natural history of each bat species [42], their protected status [43], and the heterogeneous surveillance in Europe, terms of existing networks of bat biologists, the number of bat species submitted, and individual bats investigated [16]. Moreover, the discovery of novel lyssaviruses in European Natterer's bats (BBLV, Myotis nattereri), Schreiber's bent-winged bats (LLEBV, Miniopterus schreibersii), and Brandt's bat (KBLV, Myotis brandtii) [5,9,12] highlights that additional bat species could serve as reservoirs for known or still unknown lyssaviruses in Europe. Therefore, the aim of this study was to enhance our knowledge on the epidemiology of the disease by analyzing the serological status of Polish bats against lyssaviruses, using available samples and a commercialized ELISA [34].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological Survey of Lyssaviruses in Polish Bats in the Frame of Passive Rabies Surveillance Using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Orłowska

Smreczak

Freuling

et al. 2020

Viruses

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Background: Bats are known to host a number of nonpathogenic viruses, as well as highly pathogenic viruses causing fatal diseases like rabies. Serological surveys as part of active and passive bat rabies surveillance mainly use seroneutralization assays, demonstrating the presence of lyssavirus-specific antibodies in a variety of European bats, particularly against European bat lyssaviruses type 1 (EBLV-1). Here, we present the first serological survey in European bats of this kind during which European bats from Poland collected in the frame of passive rabies surveillance between 2012 and 2018, as well as Serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) and North American Big Brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) from previous experimental studies, were tested using a commercial ELISA kit for the detection of anti-lyssavirus antibodies. Results: Lyssavirus-specific antibodies were detected in 35 (30.4%) out of 115 Polish bats of both sexes, representing nine out of 13 identified bat species endemic mainly to Central Southern Europe and Western Asia, i.e., Eptesicus serotinus, Nyctalus noctula, Myotis daubentonii, Plecotus auritus, Vespertillo murinus,Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pipilstrellus/Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Myotis brandtii, and Barbastella barbastellus. Seroprevalence was highest in bat species of Nyctalus noctula, Eptesicus serotinus, Plecotus auritus, and Myotis daubentonii. More than 60% of the ELISA seropositive bats originated from the voivodeships of Silesia, Lower-Silesian, Warmian-Mazurian, and Mazowian. Rabies-specific antibodies were also found in Eptesicus fuscus bats from North America. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the principal application of the BioPro Rabies ELISA Ab Kit for the detection of anti-lyssavirus specific antibodies in body fluids and serum samples of bats. However, results may only be reliable for North American bats, whereas interpretation of results for European bats per se is difficult because proper validation of the test is hampered by the protected status of these species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological Survey of Lyssaviruses in Polish Bats in the Frame of Passive Rabies Surveillance Using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Orłowska

Smreczak

Freuling

et al. 2020

Viruses

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“…WCBV was isolated in 2002 from a bent-winged bat ( Miniopterus schreibersii ) in the Caucasus Mountains and LLEBV from the same bat species in Spain in 2011 [2,6]. Antigenic and phylogenetic profiling of BBLV, isolated from Myotis nattererii in Germany and France, confirms the presence of a fifth lyssavirus in European bats [7,8,9]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Epidemiology and Evolution of European Bat Lyssavirus 2

McElhinney

Marston

Wise

et al. 2018

IJMS

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Bat rabies cases in Europe are mainly attributed to two lyssaviruses, namely European Bat Lyssavirus 1 (EBLV-1) and European Bat Lyssavirus 2 (EBLV-2). Prior to the death of a bat worker in Finland in 1985, very few bat rabies cases were reported. Enhanced surveillance in the two subsequent years (1986–1987) identified 263 cases (more than a fifth of all reported cases to date). Between 1977 and 2016, 1183 cases of bat rabies were reported, with the vast majority (>97%) being attributed to EBLV-1. In contrast, there have been only 39 suspected cases of EBLV-2, of which 34 have been confirmed by virus typing and presently restricted to just two bat species; Myotis daubentonii and Myotis dasycneme. The limited number of EBLV-2 cases in Europe prompted the establishment of a network of European reference laboratories to collate all available viruses and data. Despite the relatively low number of EBLV-2 cases, a large amount of anomalous data has been published in the scientific literature, which we have here reviewed and clarified. In this review, 29 EBLV-2 full genome sequences have been analysed to further our understanding of the diversity and molecular evolution of EBLV-2 in Europe. Analysis of the 29 complete EBLV-2 genome sequences clearly corroborated geographical relationships with all EBLV-2 sequences clustering at the country level irrespective of the gene studied. Further geographical clustering was also observed at a local level. There are high levels of homogeneity within the EBLV-2 species with nucleotide identities ranging from 95.5–100% and amino acid identities between 98.7% and 100%, despite the widespread distribution of the isolates both geographically and chronologically. The mean substitution rate for EBLV-2 across the five concatenated genes was 1.65 × 10−5, and evolutionary clock analysis confirms the slow evolution of EBLV-2 both between and within countries in Europe. This is further supported by the first detailed EBLV-2 intra-roost genomic analysis whereby a relatively high sequence homogeneity was found across the genomes of three EBLV-2 isolates obtained several years apart (2007, 2008, and 2014) from M. daubentonii at the same site (Stokesay Castle, Shropshire, UK).

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“…In addition, single cases of rabies in bats have been reported: West Caucasian bat virus (WCBV) (Kuzmin, Hughes, Botvinkin, Orciari, & Rupprecht, ), Lleida bat lyssavirus (LLEBV) and Kotalahti bat lyssavirus (KBLV) (Aréchiga Ceballos et al, ; Nokireki, Tammiranta, Kokkonen, Kantala, & Gadd, ) in the West Caucasus, on the Iberian peninsula and Finland, respectively. In 2010, a novel lyssavirus was isolated from a Natterer's bat ( Myotis nattereri ) from Germany (Freuling et al, ) and since has been detected several times in Germany and France (Eggerbauer et al, ).…”

Section: Comparison Of Nucleotide Sequence Identity Values (%) For Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Full‐length genome sequence (11,880 nt) analysis with reference sequences of all lyssavirus representatives confirmed the highest similarity of the Polish lyssavirus genome sequence to BBLV isolates (over 93% identity). Further phylogenetic analyses classified the Polish BBLV as a lineage B variant, according to a classification described by Eggerbauer et al (), with highest identities to German BBLV isolates collected in Bavaria, for example Kronach in 2015 (99.3% identity), Ebermannstadt in 2016 (99.2% identity) and Lichtenfels in 2012 (99.3% identity) (Figure , Table ).…”

Section: Comparison Of Nucleotide Sequence Identity Values (%) For Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Interestingly, however, the closest geographic and genetic BBLV case was recorded in Kronach, approximately 500 km away, including high mountain ranges that likely limit direct migration of this species. Similarly, there are also large geographic distances between the German and French isolates within the different BBLV lineages A and B (Eggerbauer et al, ). This is different to EBLV‐2, where there is strong geographical clustering of lineages across Europe (McElhinney et al, ), although with such a small number of EBLV‐2 and BBLV cases reported such conclusions are considered preliminary.…”

Section: Comparison Of Nucleotide Sequence Identity Values (%) For Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bokeloh bat lyssavirus isolation in a Natterer’s bat, Poland

Smreczak

Orłowska

Marzec

et al. 2018

Zoonoses and Public Health

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In recent years, Bokeloh bat lyssavirus (BBLV), a member of the novel lyssavirus genus Bokeloh bat lyssavirus in the family Rhabdoviridae, has been detected in Germany (five cases) and France (two cases). Here, we report the isolation of BBLV in a Natterer's bat (Myotis nattereri) in Poland. The bat brain tested positive for rabies using classical diagnostics tests (FAT and RTCIT) and then subsequently confirmed by molecular techniques. Viral RNA was found in all peripheral organs tested, and the highest viral loads were detected in brain, the salivary gland and bladder. Phylogenetic analysis performed on complete viral genome sequences revealed the closest homology to representatives of BBLV lineage B, isolated previously in southern Germany. This case provides further evidence that BBLV is widespread in Europe.

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The Recently Discovered Bokeloh Bat Lyssavirus: Insights Into Its Genetic Heterogeneity and Spatial Distribution in Europe and the Population Genetics of Its Primary Host

Cited by 18 publications

References 98 publications

Serological Survey of Lyssaviruses in Polish Bats in the Frame of Passive Rabies Surveillance Using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Serological Survey of Lyssaviruses in Polish Bats in the Frame of Passive Rabies Surveillance Using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Molecular Epidemiology and Evolution of European Bat Lyssavirus 2

Bokeloh bat lyssavirus isolation in a Natterer’s bat, Poland

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