Abstract
AbstractWe investigated factors which might influence the circulation of ebolaviruses in fruit bats in Guinea in order to better understand their role in the ecology of ebolaviruses and evaluate risks of spill-over to other animals or humans. We performed serological tests on populations of 4 bat species (Eidolon helvum,Hypsignathus monstrosus,Lissonycteris angolensisandRousettus aegyptiacus) sampled longitudinally for 18 months (2018-2020). The analysis of 1,427 bat samples for antibodies directed against different ebolavirus species allowed to test the influence of biological and environmental variables on seropositivity. Results showed that species (Eidolon helvum and Rousettus aegyptiacus), sex (males), age (sexually immature adults, and thus reproductive life-cycle), as well as season (dry) have a significant positive effect on the presence of antibodies against ebolaviruses in bats. These factors may play an important role in the circulation of filoviruses. Search for viral evidence and surveillance strategies should take these into consideration.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Reference47 articles.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. History of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Outbreaks [Internet]. 2022. [cited 2022 Feb 1]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/history/chronology.html#anchor_1526565058132
2. Resurgence of Ebola virus in 2021 in Guinea suggests a new paradigm for outbreaks;Nature [Internet],2021
3. Spillover or endemic?;Reconsidering the origins of Ebola virus disease outbreaks by revisiting local accounts in light of new evidence from Guinea. BMJ Glob Heal [Internet],2021
4. Ebola Virus Transmission Initiated by Relapse of Systemic Ebola Virus Disease;N Engl J Med [Internet],2021
5. Mapping the zoonotic niche of Ebola virus disease in Africa