Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses
Bat flies (Hippoboscoidea: <i>Nycteribiidae</i> and <i>Streblidae</i>) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats. We collected streblid bat flies from the New World (México) and the Old World (Uganda), and used metagenomics to identify their viruses. In México, we foun...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/860 |
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| author | María M. Ramírez-Martínez Andrew J. Bennett Christopher D. Dunn Thomas M. Yuill Tony L. Goldberg |
| author_facet | María M. Ramírez-Martínez Andrew J. Bennett Christopher D. Dunn Thomas M. Yuill Tony L. Goldberg |
| author_sort | María M. Ramírez-Martínez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bat flies (Hippoboscoidea: <i>Nycteribiidae</i> and <i>Streblidae</i>) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats. We collected streblid bat flies from the New World (México) and the Old World (Uganda), and used metagenomics to identify their viruses. In México, we found méjal virus (<i>Rhabdoviridae</i>; <i>Vesiculovirus</i>), Amate virus (<i>Reoviridae</i>: <i>Orbivirus</i>), and two unclassified viruses of invertebrates. Méjal virus is related to emerging zoonotic encephalitis viruses and to the agriculturally important vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSV). Amate virus and its sister taxon from a bat are most closely related to mosquito- and tick-borne orbiviruses, suggesting a previously unrecognized orbivirus transmission cycle involving bats and bat flies. In Uganda, we found mamucuso virus (<i>Peribunyaviridae</i>: <i>Orthobunyavirus</i>) and two unclassified viruses (a rhabdovirus and an invertebrate virus). Mamucuso virus is related to encephalitic viruses of mammals and to viruses from nycteribiid bat flies and louse flies, suggesting a previously unrecognized orthobunyavirus transmission cycle involving hippoboscoid insects. Bat fly virus transmission may be neither strictly vector-borne nor strictly vertical, with opportunistic feeding by bat flies occasionally leading to zoonotic transmission. Many “bat-associated” viruses, which are ecologically and epidemiologically associated with bats but rarely or never found in bats themselves, may actually be viruses of bat flies or other bat ectoparasites. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:37:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-75d6b9077f4b4302bcebce69853f9d91 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:37:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-75d6b9077f4b4302bcebce69853f9d912023-11-21T18:46:01ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-05-0113586010.3390/v13050860Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” VirusesMaría M. Ramírez-Martínez0Andrew J. Bennett1Christopher D. Dunn2Thomas M. Yuill3Tony L. Goldberg4Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud y Ecología Humana, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Autlán CP 48900, MexicoDepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USADepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USADepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USADepartment of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USABat flies (Hippoboscoidea: <i>Nycteribiidae</i> and <i>Streblidae</i>) are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of bats. We collected streblid bat flies from the New World (México) and the Old World (Uganda), and used metagenomics to identify their viruses. In México, we found méjal virus (<i>Rhabdoviridae</i>; <i>Vesiculovirus</i>), Amate virus (<i>Reoviridae</i>: <i>Orbivirus</i>), and two unclassified viruses of invertebrates. Méjal virus is related to emerging zoonotic encephalitis viruses and to the agriculturally important vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSV). Amate virus and its sister taxon from a bat are most closely related to mosquito- and tick-borne orbiviruses, suggesting a previously unrecognized orbivirus transmission cycle involving bats and bat flies. In Uganda, we found mamucuso virus (<i>Peribunyaviridae</i>: <i>Orthobunyavirus</i>) and two unclassified viruses (a rhabdovirus and an invertebrate virus). Mamucuso virus is related to encephalitic viruses of mammals and to viruses from nycteribiid bat flies and louse flies, suggesting a previously unrecognized orthobunyavirus transmission cycle involving hippoboscoid insects. Bat fly virus transmission may be neither strictly vector-borne nor strictly vertical, with opportunistic feeding by bat flies occasionally leading to zoonotic transmission. Many “bat-associated” viruses, which are ecologically and epidemiologically associated with bats but rarely or never found in bats themselves, may actually be viruses of bat flies or other bat ectoparasites.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/860chiropterabat flyhippoboscoideastreblidaenycteribiidaerhabdoviridae |
| spellingShingle | María M. Ramírez-Martínez Andrew J. Bennett Christopher D. Dunn Thomas M. Yuill Tony L. Goldberg Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses Viruses chiroptera bat fly hippoboscoidea streblidae nycteribiidae rhabdoviridae |
| title | Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses |
| title_full | Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses |
| title_fullStr | Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses |
| title_short | Bat Flies of the Family <i>Streblidae</i> (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) Host Relatives of Medically and Agriculturally Important “Bat-Associated” Viruses |
| title_sort | bat flies of the family i streblidae i diptera hippoboscoidea host relatives of medically and agriculturally important bat associated viruses |
| topic | chiroptera bat fly hippoboscoidea streblidae nycteribiidae rhabdoviridae |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/860 |
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