Filovirus-reactive antibodies in humans and bats in Northeast India imply zoonotic spillover

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 13; no. 10; p. e0007733
• Main Authors: Dovih, Pilot, Laing, Eric D, Chen, Yihui, Low, Dolyce H W, Ansil, B R, Yang, Xinglou, Shi, Zhengli, Broder, Christopher C, Smith, Gavin J D, Linster, Martin, Ramakrishnan, Uma, Mendenhall, Ian H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 31.10.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Bats; Biology and Life Sciences; Chiroptera; Chiroptera - blood; Chiroptera - immunology; Chiroptera - virology; Cross-reactivity; Disease Reservoirs - virology; Ebola virus; Ebolavirus - immunology; Filoviridae - classification; Filoviridae - immunology; Filoviridae - isolation & purification; Filoviridae Infections - epidemiology; Filoviridae Infections - immunology; Filoviridae Infections - veterinary; Filoviridae Infections - virology; Geographic Mapping; Glycoproteins; Glycoproteins - immunology; Harvesters; Health sciences; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Immunology; India - epidemiology; Infectious diseases; Laboratory animals; Marburg virus disease; Medical schools; Medicine and Health Sciences; Membrane Glycoproteins; Methods; Middle Aged; Pathogenic microorganisms; Pathogens; People and Places; Phylogeny; Research and analysis methods; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Transmission; Tropical diseases; Virology; Viruses; Young Adult; Zoonoses; India; Uganda; Southeast Asia; Singapore; Virginia; Bangladesh; Myanmar (Burma); United States > US; China; Maryland
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007733

Bats are reservoirs for several zoonotic pathogens, including filoviruses. Recent work highlights the diversity of bat borne filoviruses in Asia. High risk activities at the bat-human interface pose the threat of zoonotic virus transmission. We present evidence for prior exposure of bat harvesters and two resident fruit bat species to filovirus surface glycoproteins by screening sera in a multiplexed serological assay. Antibodies reactive to two antigenically distinct filoviruses were detected in human sera and to three individual filoviruses in bats in remote Northeast India. Sera obtained from Eonycteris spelaea bats showed similar patterns of cross-reactivity as human samples, suggesting them as the species responsible for the spillover. In contrast, sera from Rousettus leschenaultii bats reacted to two different virus glycoproteins. Our results indicate circulation of several filoviruses in bats and the possibility for filovirus transmission from bats to humans.