Short communication
Circulation of Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus and Paramyxovirus in Hipposideros bat species in Zimbabwe

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2018.01.007Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Coronavirus and Paramyxovirus circulate in Hipposideros bat species in Zimbabwe.

  • Importance of widening viral screening in under-investigated countries

  • Sentinel surveillance in sites with high zoonotic transmission potential

Abstract

Bats carry a great diversity of zoonotic viruses with a high-impact on human health and livestock. Since the emergence of new coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses in humans (e.g. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Nipah virus), numerous studies clearly established that bats can maintain some of these viruses. Improving our understanding on the role of bats in the epidemiology of the pathogens they harbour is necessary to prevent cross-species spill over along the wild/domestic/human gradient. In this study, we screened bat faecal samples for the presence of Coronavirus and Paramyxovirus in two caves frequently visited by local people to collect manure and/or to hunt bats in Zimbabwe. We amplified partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase genes of Alpha and Betacoronavirus together with the partial polymerase gene of Paramyxovirus. Identified coronaviruses were related to pathogenic human strains and the paramyxovirus belonged to the recently described Jeilongvirus genus. Our results highlighted the importance of monitoring virus circulation in wildlife, especially bats, in the context of intense human-wildlife interfaces in order to strengthen prevention measures among local populations and to implement sentinel surveillance in sites with high zoonotic diseases transmission potential.

Keywords

Bat
Coronavirus
Paramyxovirus
Phylogeny
Emerging infectious diseases
Zimbabwe

Cited by (0)

Nucleotide sequence accession number: The new Coronavirus and Paramyxovirus sequences reported in this study are available in GenBank under the following accession numbers: BtCov-Zim001Mab, MG000865; BtCov-Zim015Mab, MG000866; BtCov-Zim019Mab, MG000867; BtCov-Zim021, Mab MG000868; BtCov-Zim037Mab, MG000869; BtCov-Zim040Mab, MG000870; BtCov-Zim034Mab, MG000871; BtCov-Zim035Mag, MG000872; BtPV-Zim026Mag, MG000873.

1

CIRAD-ASTRE, 6 Lanark Road – Harare, Zimbabwe.

2

CIRAD-ASTRE, Faculdade de Veterinária - Universidade Eduardo Mondlane Av. de Moçambique Km. 1,5 - Caixa Postal 257, Maputo 01009, Moçambique.

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