Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test
Toscana phlebovirus (TOSV) and Sicilian phlebovirus (SFSV) are endemic in the Mediterranean area where they are transmitted to humans by infected sandflies. Vertebrates of several species have been postulated to act as reservoirs of these viruses, but convincing evidence is still awaited. Among them...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/1/88 |
| _version_ | 1827602439510949888 |
|---|---|
| author | Nazli Ayhan Marc López-Roig Abir Monastiri Remi N. Charrel Jordi Serra-Cobo |
| author_facet | Nazli Ayhan Marc López-Roig Abir Monastiri Remi N. Charrel Jordi Serra-Cobo |
| author_sort | Nazli Ayhan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Toscana phlebovirus (TOSV) and Sicilian phlebovirus (SFSV) are endemic in the Mediterranean area where they are transmitted to humans by infected sandflies. Vertebrates of several species have been postulated to act as reservoirs of these viruses, but convincing evidence is still awaited. Among them, bats have been suggested, however documented evidence is lacking. Here we tested a total of 329 bats belonging to eight species collected from twelve localities in southern Spain for the presence of neutralizing antibodies specific to TOSV and SFSV. Positive sera were detected in Schreiber’s long-fingered bat (<i>Miniopterus schreibersii</i>)<i>,</i> mouse-eared Myotis (<i>Myotis myotis</i>), European free-tailed bat (<i>Tadarida teniotis</i>), and common serotine (<i>Eptesicus serotinus</i>) with the latter showing the highest prevalence rates for SFSV (22.6%) and TOSV (10%). There was no difference between females and males. Results suggest that bats are not likely to play a major role in the natural cycle of these two sandfly-borne phleboviruses. However, large breeding colonies of bats can be used as sentinels for surveillance of the presence of such viruses in a given locality. In addition, capture–recapture studies should be initiated in order to understand better the dynamics of TOSV and SFSV in bat populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:18:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b1d1ac51830844d79cbb65e1082e5822 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:18:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-b1d1ac51830844d79cbb65e1082e58222023-12-03T12:43:29ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-01-011318810.3390/v13010088Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization TestNazli Ayhan0Marc López-Roig1Abir Monastiri2Remi N. Charrel3Jordi Serra-Cobo4Unité des Virus Emergents, Aix Marseille University, IRD 190, INSERM U1207, 13005 Marseille, FranceDepartment of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, SpainUnité des Virus Emergents, Aix Marseille University, IRD 190, INSERM U1207, 13005 Marseille, FranceDepartment of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, SpainToscana phlebovirus (TOSV) and Sicilian phlebovirus (SFSV) are endemic in the Mediterranean area where they are transmitted to humans by infected sandflies. Vertebrates of several species have been postulated to act as reservoirs of these viruses, but convincing evidence is still awaited. Among them, bats have been suggested, however documented evidence is lacking. Here we tested a total of 329 bats belonging to eight species collected from twelve localities in southern Spain for the presence of neutralizing antibodies specific to TOSV and SFSV. Positive sera were detected in Schreiber’s long-fingered bat (<i>Miniopterus schreibersii</i>)<i>,</i> mouse-eared Myotis (<i>Myotis myotis</i>), European free-tailed bat (<i>Tadarida teniotis</i>), and common serotine (<i>Eptesicus serotinus</i>) with the latter showing the highest prevalence rates for SFSV (22.6%) and TOSV (10%). There was no difference between females and males. Results suggest that bats are not likely to play a major role in the natural cycle of these two sandfly-borne phleboviruses. However, large breeding colonies of bats can be used as sentinels for surveillance of the presence of such viruses in a given locality. In addition, capture–recapture studies should be initiated in order to understand better the dynamics of TOSV and SFSV in bat populations.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/1/88phlebovirustransmissionreservoirmeningitisarbovirus |
| spellingShingle | Nazli Ayhan Marc López-Roig Abir Monastiri Remi N. Charrel Jordi Serra-Cobo Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test Viruses phlebovirus transmission reservoir meningitis arbovirus |
| title | Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test |
| title_full | Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test |
| title_fullStr | Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test |
| title_short | Seroprevalence of Toscana Virus and Sandfly Fever Sicilian Virus in European Bat Colonies Measured Using a Neutralization Test |
| title_sort | seroprevalence of toscana virus and sandfly fever sicilian virus in european bat colonies measured using a neutralization test |
| topic | phlebovirus transmission reservoir meningitis arbovirus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/1/88 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nazliayhan seroprevalenceoftoscanavirusandsandflyfeversicilianvirusineuropeanbatcoloniesmeasuredusinganeutralizationtest AT marclopezroig seroprevalenceoftoscanavirusandsandflyfeversicilianvirusineuropeanbatcoloniesmeasuredusinganeutralizationtest AT abirmonastiri seroprevalenceoftoscanavirusandsandflyfeversicilianvirusineuropeanbatcoloniesmeasuredusinganeutralizationtest AT remincharrel seroprevalenceoftoscanavirusandsandflyfeversicilianvirusineuropeanbatcoloniesmeasuredusinganeutralizationtest AT jordiserracobo seroprevalenceoftoscanavirusandsandflyfeversicilianvirusineuropeanbatcoloniesmeasuredusinganeutralizationtest |