Abstract
The Egyptian rousette bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) is a natural reservoir for marburgviruses and a consistent source of virus spillover to humans. Cumulative evidence suggests various bat species may also transmit ebolaviruses. We investigated the susceptibility of Egyptian rousettes to each of the five known ebolaviruses (Sudan, Ebola, Bundibugyo, Taï Forest, and Reston), and compared findings with Marburg virus. In a pilot study, groups of four juvenile bats were inoculated with one of the ebolaviruses or Marburg virus. In ebolavirus groups, viral RNA tissue distribution was limited, and no bat became viremic. Sudan viral RNA was slightly more widespread, spurring a second, 15-day Sudan virus serial euthanasia study. Low levels of Sudan viral RNA disseminated to multiple tissues at early time points, but there was no viremia or shedding. In contrast, Marburg virus RNA was widely disseminated, with viremia, oral and rectal shedding, and antigen in spleen and liver. This is the first experimental infection study comparing tissue tropism, viral shedding, and clinical and pathologic effects of six different filoviruses in the Egyptian rousette, a known marburgvirus reservoir. Our results suggest Egyptian rousettes are unlikely sources for ebolaviruses in nature, and support a possible single filovirus—single reservoir host relationship.
Highlights
IntroductionEbolaviruses and marburgviruses (family Filoviridae) are negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates
Ebolaviruses and marburgviruses are negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates
All work with infectious virus or infected animals was conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA) in a biological safety level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory in accordance with Select Agent regulations
Summary
Ebolaviruses and marburgviruses (family Filoviridae) are negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates. Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Marburg virus disease (MVD) are characterized by rapid person-to-person transmission, high case fatality rates, and a lack of approved treatments or vaccines. Genus Marburgvirus contains a single species, Marburg marburgvirus, with two virus members, Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV), which are approximately. The genus Ebolavirus includes five species, each of which contains a single virus member: Sudan ebolavirus (Sudan virus, SUDV), Zaire ebolavirus (Ebola virus, EBOV), Bundibugyo ebolavirus (Bundibugyo virus, BDBV), TaïForest ebolavirus (TaïForest virus, TAFV), and Reston ebolavirus (Reston virus, RESTV). Disease caused by MARV and EBOV have exhibited the highest fatality rates (up to 90% in some outbreaks), followed by SUDV (42%–65%), [4,5,6]
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