Mouiche, M. M. M. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2022

Prevalence and public health significance of Lyssavirus in bats in North region of Cameroon

BackgroundRabies is a zoonotic disease of all warm-blooded animals including humans. Though, there is little knowledge of the status of rabies in wild animals in Cameroon, the disease is endemic in the country with dogs being the main source of transmission. Bat habitats are widespread in Cameroon, but there is little information on the prevalence of rabies-like viruses in bats, nor the role of bats as a potential reservoir of rabies. MethodsA cross sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Lyssavirus in bats in the Northern region of Cameroon. A total of 212 bats belonging to three families (Pteropodidae, Vespertilionidae, Molossidae) and 5 species were randomly sampled in 7 localities in the North of Cameroon and were tested for Lyssavirus antigen using direct Immunofluorescence Test (IFA). Overall, 57 (26.89%) of the bats collected showed an IFA positive reaction. The prevalence was higher (P<0.05) in adult bats (33.33%, 95% CI: 25.15 - 42.66) compared to young individuals (20.19%). The main risk factors identified in the study for human exposure to bats were gender (Male), educational level (tertiary), religion (Christianity), ethnic group (Matal), the presence of bats in the area, the practice of bat hunting and consumption and the level of awareness on bat rabies-like viruses. ConclusionThe study found the first evidence of Lyssavirus in bats in Cameroon. This finding revealed that bat rabies-like viruses are real and constitutes a potential human health problem in communities with bat habitats in the North region of Cameroon. Enhancing the level of public awareness and health education on the potential of bats as reservoirs of Lyssavirus in Cameroon as well as the integration of the "One Health" approach for effective management of animal and human rabies should be emphasized. Author summaryRabies is a zoonotic disease caused by a virus of the genus Lyssavirus. It affects all warm-blooded animals including humans. Canine and Human rabies are well documented as endemic in Cameroon, but little is known about this disease in wildlife, in particular among bats, despite their multiple interactions with the inhabitants of Northern Cameroon. Indeed, bats were hunted, sold and eaten as bush meat by local populations. We investigated the presence of Lyssavirus in bat and assessed the risk factors of human exposure to bats in the Northern region of Cameroon. The study highlights that Lyssavirus is present in bats in this area. The population was aware of human and canine rabies, however, the presence of the disease in bats was less known. Based on these findings, investigating bat populations on a large scale, to characterise the Lyssavirus strains circulating in the region, as well as educate the local population on the risks of rabies transmission from bats to humans and other animals.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Wildlife in Cameroon harbor diverse coronaviruses including many isolates closely related to human coronavirus 229E

Zoonotic spillover of animal viruses into human populations is a continuous and increasing public health risk. SARS-CoV-2 highlights the global impact emergence events can have. Considering the history and diversity of coronaviruses (CoVs), especially in bats, SARS-CoV-2 will likely not be the last to spillover from animals into human populations. We sampled and tested wildlife in the central African country Cameroon to determine which CoVs are circulating and how they relate to previously detected human and animal CoVs. We collected animal and ecological data at sampling locations and used family-level consensus PCR combined with amplicon sequencing for virus detection. Between 2003 and 2018, samples were collected from 6,580 animals of several different orders. CoV RNA was detected in 175 bats, a civet, and a shrew. The CoV RNAs detected in the bats represented 17 different genetic clusters, coinciding with alpha (n=8) and beta (n=9) CoVs. Sequences resembling human CoV-229E (HCoV-229E) were found in 40 Hipposideridae bats. Phylogenetic analyses place the human derived HCoV-229E isolates closest to those from camels in terms of the S and N genes, but closest to isolates from bats for the E, M, and RdRp genes. The CoV RNA positivity rate in bats varied significantly (p<0.001) between the wet (8.2%) and dry season (4.5%). Most sampled species accordingly had a wet season high and dry season low, while for some the opposite was found. Eight of the suspected CoV species of which we detected RNA appear to be entirely novel CoV species, which suggests that CoV diversity in African wildlife is still rather poorly understood. The detection of multiple different variants of HCoV-229E-like viruses supports the bat reservoir hypothesis for this virus, with the phylogenetic results casting some doubt on camels as an intermediate host. The findings also support the previously proposed influence of ecological factors on CoV circulation, indicating a high level of underlying complexity to the viral ecology. These results indicate the importance of investing in surveillance activities among wild animals to detect all potential threats as well as sentinel surveillance among exposed humans to determine emerging threats.

microbiology↗