Two Cases of Natural Infection of Dengue-2 Virus in Bats in the Colombian Caribbean

Abstract

Dengue, a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease, is the most common vector-borne disease in tropical and subtropical areas. In this study, we aim to demonstrate biological evidence of dengue virus infection in bats. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the departments of Cordoba and Sucre, Colombia. A total of 286 bats were captured following the ethical protocols of animal experimentation. The specimens were identified and euthanized using a pharmacological treatment with atropine, acepromazine and sodium pentobarbital. Duplicate samples of brain, heart, lung, spleen, liver, and kidney were collected with one set stored in Trizol and the other stored in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis using polyclonal antibodies. Brain samples from lactating mice with an intracranial inoculation of DENV-2 were used as a positive control. As a negative control, lactating mouse brains without inoculation and bats brains negative for RT-PCR were included. Tissue sections from each specimen of bat without conjugate were used as staining control. In a specimen of Carollia perspicillata captured in Ayapel (Cordoba) and Phylostomus discolor captured in San Carlos (Cordoba), dengue virus was detected, and sequences were matched to DENV serotype 2. In bats RT-PCR positive for dengue, lesions compatible with viral infections, and the presence of antigens in tissues were observed. Molecular findings, pathological lesions, and detection of antigens in tissues could demonstrate viral DENV-2 replication and may correspond to natural infection in bats. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of these species in dengue epidemics.

Arboviruses in Mammals in the Neotropics: A Systematic Review to Strengthen Epidemiological Monitoring Strategies and Conservation Medicine

“…Different types of methodologies were used to capture the mammals studied. For rodents and marsupials, Sherman traps were used [ 113 ] and mist nets were used to capture bats [ 109 , 120 ]. In relation to NHP, dart immobilization [ 103 , 115 ] and manual capture [ 107 ] were used.…”

Experimental infection of Artibeus lituratus bats and no detection of Zika virus in neotropical bats from French Guiana, Peru, and Costa Rica suggests a limited role of bats in Zika transmission

“…Bats are a megadiverse group of mammals only outnumbered by rodent diversity on the American continent. Molecular and serological detection of flaviviruses suggests exposure to flaviviruses in the wild [14][15][16][17][18][19]. For the most studied flavivirus in bats, dengue virus (DENV), a peridomestic study found only limited exposure of bats, likely due to proximity to humans and consumption of DENV vectors [20].…”

Alphavirus Identification in Neotropical Bats

“…Bats have long been suspected as being a reservoir for arboviruses, including alphaviruses and flaviviruses, but their contribution to arbovirus dynamics is not known and can vary widely. Some flaviviruses such as dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile virus (WNV) have been detected in bats [22,23]. Additionally, serological evidence exists supporting exposure of bats to encephalitic alphaviruses in the field, and experimental data demonstrate the susceptibility of bats to infection with alphaviruses, including VEEV [23].…”