European Bat Lyssavirus in Scottish Bats

Susan M. Swift,J. Stewart Pritchard,Graham C. Smith,Anthony R. Fooks,James N. Aegerter,Derek M. Healy,Sharon M. Brookes,Iain J. Mackie,Niall P. Moore,Paul A. Racey,Tracey A. Jolliffe

doi:10.3201/eid1104.040920

Susan M. Swift, J. Stewart Pritchard + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1104.040920

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Abstract

We report the first seroprevalence study of the occurrence of specific antibodies to European bat lyssavirus type 2 (EBLV-2) in Daubenton's bats. Bats were captured from 19 sites across eastern and southern Scotland. Samples from 198 Daubenton's bats, 20 Natterer's bats, and 6 Pipistrelle's bats were tested for EBLV-2. Blood samples (N = 94) were subjected to a modified fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test to determine antibody titer. From 0.05% to 3.8% (95% confidence interval) of Daubenton's bats were seropositive. Antibodies to EBLV-2 were not detected in the 2 other species tested. Mouth swabs (N = 218) were obtained, and RNA was extracted for a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The RT-PCR included pan lyssavirus-primers (N gene) and internal PCR control primers for ribosomal RNA. EBLV-2 RNA was not detected in any of the saliva samples tested, and live virus was not detected in virus isolation tests.

Highlights

We report the first seroprevalence study of the occurrence of specific antibodies to European bat lyssavirus type 2 (EBLV-2) in Daubenton’s bats
The active surveillance described in this study investigated the prevalence of EBLV-2 in bats across southern and eastern Scotland by detecting antibodies to EBLV-2 in blood by using a modified fluorescent antibody virus neutralization test and assessing oral swabs for the presence of lyssavirus RNA
All rabies tissue culture infection test (RTCIT) samples were negative and at day 41 after injection, clinical signs of infection had not developed in any mouse

Summary

Introduction

We report the first seroprevalence study of the occurrence of specific antibodies to European bat lyssavirus type 2 (EBLV-2) in Daubenton’s bats. The active surveillance described in this study investigated the prevalence of EBLV-2 in bats across southern and eastern Scotland by detecting antibodies to EBLV-2 in blood by using a modified fluorescent antibody virus neutralization (mFAVN) test and assessing oral swabs for the presence of lyssavirus RNA. The mFAVN test used in this study was based on the routine test but used an EBLV-2 virus (RV628, a Daubenton’s bat isolate from the United Kingdom in 1996, EBLV-2a GenBank U89478/ AY721613) [7], instead of rabies virus.

Results

Conclusion