Hepatitis virus in long-fingered bats, Myanmar.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: He B
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3647427 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Retroviruses can create endogenous forms on infiltration into the germline cells of their hosts. These forms are then vertically transmitted and can be considered as genetic fossils of ancient viruses. All retrovirus genera, with the exception of deltaretroviruses, have had their representation identified in the host genome as a virus fossil record. Here we describe an endogenous Deltaretrovirus, identified in the germline of long-fingered bats (Miniopteridae). A single, heavily deleted copy of this retrovirus has been found in the genome of miniopterid species, but not in the genomes of the phylogenetically closest bat families, Vespertilionidae and Cistugonidae. Therefore, the endogenization occurred in a time interval between 20 and 45 million years ago. This discovery closes the last major gap in the retroviral fossil record and provides important insights into the history of deltaretroviruses in mammals.
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Project description:Behavioral plasticity is a key feature allowing animals to broaden their dietary niche when novel food resources become available, and long-fingered bats provide an appropriate model system to study the underpinnings of behavioral plasticity, since although generally being an insectivorous species, some individuals have been reported to catch fish. Aiming to get insight into the origin of fishing behavior in long-fingered bats, we studied in the field the differences in sensorial and mechanical reactions to insect-like (stationary) and fish-like (temporary) prey stimuli between well-known piscivorous and strictly insectivorous individuals. Both piscivorous and insectivorous individuals exhibited a qualitatively similar reaction to temporary target stimuli (longer and deeper dips and terminal echolocation phase skewed towards buzz I compared to stationary stimuli). Nevertheless, the quantitative differences observed in the sensorial and mechanical features (the intensity of the shift was significantly greater in piscivorous than in insectivorous individuals) show that piscivorous individuals have honed their capture technique likely enhancing the fishing success. Thus, our results suggest that the fishing technique was developed from a primary reaction shared by all long-fingered bats. All individuals seem to be mechanically and sensorially adapted to detect and capture fish, although under appropriate environmental conditions, they would further improve their technique by experience and/or social learning.
| S-EPMC5156352 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The recent emergence of bat-borne zoonotic viruses warrants vigilant surveillance in their natural hosts. Of particular concern is the family of coronaviruses, which includes the causative agents of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and most recently, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), an epidemic of acute respiratory illness originating from Wuhan, China in December 2019. Viral detection, discovery, and surveillance activities were undertaken in Myanmar to identify viruses in animals at high risk contact interfaces with people. Free-ranging bats were captured, and rectal and oral swabs and guano samples collected for coronaviral screening using broadly reactive consensus conventional polymerase chain reaction. Sequences from positives were compared to known coronaviruses. Three novel alphacoronaviruses, three novel betacoronaviruses, and one known alphacoronavirus previously identified in other southeast Asian countries were detected for the first time in bats in Myanmar. Ongoing land use change remains a prominent driver of zoonotic disease emergence in Myanmar, bringing humans into ever closer contact with wildlife, and justifying continued surveillance and vigilance at broad scales.
| S-EPMC7144984 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Homologs of the human hepatitis E virus (HEV) have been identified in more than a dozen animal species. Some of them have been evidenced to cross species barriers and infect humans. Zoonotic HEV infections cause chronic liver diseases as well as a broad range of extrahepatic manifestations, which increasingly become significant clinical problems. Bats comprise approximately one-fifth of all named mammal species and are unique in their distinct immune response to viral infection. Most importantly, they are natural reservoirs of several highly pathogenic viruses, which have induced severe human diseases. Since the first discovery of HEV-related viruses in bats in 2012, multiple genetically divergent HEV variants have been reported in a total of 12 bat species over the last decade, which markedly expanded the host range of the HEV family and shed light on the evolutionary origin of human HEV. Meanwhile, bat-borne HEV also raised critical public health concerns about its zoonotic potential. Bat HEV strains resemble genomic features but exhibit considerable heterogeneity. Due to the close evolutionary relationships, bat HEV altogether has been recently assigned to an independent genus, Chirohepevirus. This review focuses on the current state of bat HEV and provides novel insights into HEV genetic diversity and molecular evolution.
| S-EPMC9146828 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are a severe health concern worldwide. HBV is a DNA virus with a rapid rate of mutation. Based on heterogeneity of the nucleotide sequence, the HBV strains are divided into nine genotypes, each with a characteristic geographical distribution. Identifying and tracking alterations of HBV genotypes is important in epidemiological and transmission studies, and contributes to predicting the risk for development of severe liver disease and response to antiviral treatment. The present study was undertaken to detect HBV genotypes and sub-genotypes in the general population of different states and regions in Myanmar. METHODS:In 2015, a total of 5547 adults of the general population, residing in seven states, seven regions and the Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory, were screened for Hepatitis B Surface antigen (HBsAg) by the immunochromatographic test (ICT). Of the 353 HBsAg positive samples, the HBVDNA was identified using polymerase chain reactions (PCR) targeting the DNA sequences encoding the Pre-S region. A total of 153 PCR positive samples were subsequently subjected to genotyping by partial genome sequencing in both directions. The resulting sequences were then edited, aligned, and compared with reference sequences using the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) web-based genotyping tool. RESULTS:Three HBV genotypes (HBV genotype B, genotype C and genotype D) were detected in Myanmar, of which genotype HBV genotype C (66.7%) was the most prevalent, followed by HBV genotype D (32%) and HBV genotype B (1.3%). Sub-genotyping revealed a total of 7 variants within the B, C and D genotypes: 2 (B4 and B5) in HBV genotype B, 3 (C1, C5 and C7) in HBV genotype C, and 2 (D3 and D6) in HBV genotype D. CONCLUSION:HBV genotype C, sub-genotype C1 was predominantly distributed in all states and regions of Myanmar. This study is the first report on the nationwide distribution of HBV genotypes and sub-genotypes in Myanmar. We believe our findings will enable huge support for the hepatitis disease surveillance program, since HBV infection is one of the National Priority Diseases in Myanmar.
| S-EPMC7392661 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In this study we amplified virtually the entire genomes of hepatitis A virus (a member of the Picornaviridae family), hepatitis B virus (a member of the Hepadnaviridae family), and hepatitis C virus (a member of the Flaviviridae family) by using the recently described technique of long PCR. In order to do this, we first demonstrated, using the lambda phage, that long PCR can be made highly sensitive and the sensitivity can be further enhanced by nested long PCR. We also showed, using tobacco mosaic virus as a model, that a reverse transcriptase reaction can be linked to a long PCR, enabling the nearly full-length amplification of the genomes of RNA viruses. We then applied these techniques to serial dilutions of titrated stocks of well-characterized strains of hepatitis A, B, and C viruses. We amplified the nearly full-length sequence of each of these viruses from a small number of viral genomes, demonstrating the sensitivity of the process.
| S-EPMC229463 | biostudies-other
Project description:We isolated and characterized 10 microsatellite loci in the western long-fingered bat, Miniopterus magnater. These loci were tested on 48 individuals from Anhui Province of China, and all loci were highly polymorphic. The mean number of observed alleles per locus was 13.6 (range from six to 27). Observed and expected heterozygosity values ranged from 0.364 to 0.957, and from 0.676 to 0.951, respectively. After Bonferroni correction, four loci deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No pairs of loci were in linkage disequilibrium. These polymorphic markers will be used to examine population structure and genetic diversity in this species.
| S-EPMC7168459 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The hepatitis B virus (HBV), family Hepadnaviridae, is one of most relevant human pathogens. HBV origins are enigmatic, and no zoonotic reservoirs are known. Here, we screened 3,080 specimens from 54 bat species representing 11 bat families for hepadnaviral DNA. Ten specimens (0.3%) from Panama and Gabon yielded unique hepadnaviruses in coancestral relation to HBV. Full genome sequencing allowed classification as three putative orthohepadnavirus species based on genome lengths (3,149-3,377 nt), presence of middle HBV surface and X-protein genes, and sequence distance criteria. Hepatic tropism in bats was shown by quantitative PCR and in situ hybridization. Infected livers showed histopathologic changes compatible with hepatitis. Human hepatocytes transfected with all three bat viruses cross-reacted with sera against the HBV core protein, concordant with the phylogenetic relatedness of these hepadnaviruses and HBV. One virus from Uroderma bilobatum, the tent-making bat, cross-reacted with monoclonal antibodies against the HBV antigenicity determining S domain. Up to 18.4% of bat sera contained antibodies against bat hepadnaviruses. Infectious clones were generated to study all three viruses in detail. Hepatitis D virus particles pseudotyped with surface proteins of U. bilobatum HBV, but neither of the other two viruses could infect primary human and Tupaia belangeri hepatocytes. Hepatocyte infection occurred through the human HBV receptor sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide but could not be neutralized by sera from vaccinated humans. Antihepadnaviral treatment using an approved reverse transcriptase inhibitor blocked replication of all bat hepadnaviruses. Our data suggest that bats may have been ancestral sources of primate hepadnaviruses. The observed zoonotic potential might affect concepts aimed at eradicating HBV.
| S-EPMC3791787 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIn resource-constrained areas, generic direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have considerably reduced the cost of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy while there remain significant costs related to the baseline and follow-up virologic assays.AimThe aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of HCV therapy in Myanmar with pan-genotypic generic DAA sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) and with and without the baseline genotype testing, while the duration of treatment and use of ribavirin (RBV) was dictated by cirrhosis and prior treatment failure.MethodsBetween September 2016 and June 2017, data from the 359 participants who completed treatment with SOF/VEL (± RBV) for 12-24 weeks were analyzed. Two hundred one patients did not have the baseline HCV genotype tested.ResultsRegimens included SOF/VEL for 12 weeks (n = 43), SOF/VEL/RBV for 12 weeks (n = 275), or SOF/VEL/RBV for 24 weeks (n = 41). The mean age was 52 years, 44% were men (n = 159), 41 (11.4%) had a history of previous DAA therapy, 7 (1.9%) had a history of hepatocellular carcinoma, and 55 (15.3%) had cirrhosis. Overall, the sustained viral response (SVR)12 rate was 98.6% (354/359) and with a good adverse event profile. SVR rates were similar to those with and without baseline genotype testing and also across all genotypes in those who had genotype tested.ConclusionsIn Myanmar, generic and pan-genotypic SOF/VEL ± RBV is a highly effective and safe treatment for HCV, regardless of the HCV genotype, and therefore, the requirement for the baseline genotype can be eliminated. Future strategies should include elimination of treatment and end of treatment HCV RNA testing to enhance treatment uptake and further reduce cost.
| S-EPMC6637231 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Viral escape mutations in HLA-B*27-restricted epitopes correlate with a chronic hepatitis delta virus infection.
| PRJNA434630 | ENA