Bat Rabies in the Americas: Is Myotis the Main Ancestral Spreader?
Diego A Caraballo1, María Lorena Vico2, María Guadalupe Piccirilli3
1Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina.
Viruses
|August 29, 2024
Summary
Rabies virus (RABV) in the Americas primarily circulates in bats, posing risks to humans and domestic animals. This study reveals bat host genus and geography significantly shape RABV transmission dynamics and cross-species events.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Wildlife Epidemiology
- Molecular Phylogenetics
Background:
- Rabies virus (RABV) is a significant zoonotic pathogen in the Americas, with bats being unique reservoirs.
- Understanding bat rabies transmission is crucial for public health and wildlife management, especially given emerging concerns about bat-to-human spillover.
- Bat rabies is exclusive to the Americas, highlighting the need for regional surveillance and research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze bat-borne RABV diversity in Argentina and the Americas.
- To investigate the influence of host genus and geographic location on RABV phylogenetic structure.
- To infer cross-species transmission (CST) events and identify key bat hosts involved in RABV spread.
Main Methods:
- Compilation and analysis of a comprehensive nucleoprotein gene dataset of bat-borne RABV.
- Application of Bayesian phylogenetics to reconstruct viral evolutionary history.
- Utilizing a phylogeographic approach to map transmission routes and identify host associations.
Main Results:
- Both bat host genus and geographic factors were found to shape the global phylogenetic structure of RABV.
- Phylogeographic analysis inferred significant cross-species transmission events, particularly between closely related bat genera within the same family.
- The study identified specific bat genera as key drivers of RABV transmission and diversity.
Conclusions:
- Bat host genus and geography are critical determinants of RABV evolution and transmission patterns in the Americas.
- Evidence supports increased CST between phylogenetically related bat hosts.
- The *Myotis* genus is proposed as a potential ancestral reservoir for a substantial portion of bat-borne RABV diversity.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:40Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores
Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the biosynthesis of the...
02:16Genetics of Speciation
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
01:14Rab Proteins
Rab proteins constitute the largest family of monomeric GTPases, of which 70 members are present in humans. Rab proteins and their effectors regulate consecutive stages of vesicle transport such as vesicle transport, docking, and fusion to the correct recipient membrane.
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...
01:30Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes
Spirochetes, unique bacteria in the phylum Spirochaetes, are gram-negative, motile, tightly coiled, slender, and flexible. They inhabit aquatic sediments and animals, with some causing diseases like syphilis. Spirochetes are classified into eight genera based on habitat, pathogenicity, phylogeny, and characteristics.Their distinctive motility arises from endoflagella, located within the cell’s periplasm. These endoflagella anchor at the cell poles and extend along the cell length, encased by a...
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...