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Cited by 453Viral Infections and Outbreaks ResearchViral Infections and VectorsVirology and Viral Diseases

Seasonal Pulses of Marburg Virus Circulation in Juvenile Rousettus aegyptiacus Bats Coincide with Periods of Increased Risk of Human Infection

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Amman, Brian R., Carroll, Serena A., Reed, Zachary D., Sealy, Tara K., Balinandi, Stephen, Swanepoel, Robert, Kemp, Alan, Erickson, Bobbie Rae +18 more·2012·PLoS Pathogens
DOI 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002877PMC PMC3464226
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Abstract

Marburg virus (family Filoviridae) causes sporadic outbreaks of severe hemorrhagic disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Bats have been implicated as likely natural reservoir hosts based most recently on an investigation of cases among miners infected in 2007 at the Kitaka mine, Uganda, which contained a large population of Marburg virus-infected Rousettus aegyptiacus fruit bats. Described here is an ecologic investigation of Python Cave, Uganda, where an American and a Dutch tourist acquired Marburg virus infection in December 2007 and July 2008. More than 40,000 R. aegyptiacus were found in the cave and were the sole bat species present. Between August 2008 and November 2009, 1,622 bats were captured and tested for Marburg virus. Q-RT-PCR analysis of bat liver/spleen tissues indicated ~2.5% of the bats were actively infected, seven of which yielded Marburg virus isolates. Moreover, Q-RT-PCR-positive lung, kidney, colon and reproductive tissues were found, consistent with potential for oral, urine, fecal or sexual transmission. The combined data for R. aegyptiacus tested from Python Cave and Kitaka mine indicate low level horizontal transmission throughout the year. However, Q-RT-PCR data show distinct pulses of virus infection in older juvenile bats (~six months of age) that temporarily coincide with the peak twice-yearly birthing seasons. Retrospective analysis of historical human infections suspected to have been the result of discrete spillover events directly from nature found 83% (54/65) events occurred during these seasonal pulses in virus circulation, perhaps demonstrating periods of increased risk of human infection. The discovery of two tags at Python Cave from bats marked at Kitaka mine, together with the close genetic linkages evident between viruses detected in geographically distant locations, are consistent with R. aegyptiacus bats existing as a large meta-population with associated virus circulation over broad geographic ranges. These findings provide a basis for developing Marburg hemorrhagic fever risk reduction strategies.

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  • The host of MV is the fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus), with transmission to humans occurring via direct contact with an infected animal host.

    “The host of MV is the fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus), with transmission to humans occurring via direct contact with an infected animal host (13,14).”

    From Marburg virus disease outbreaks, mathematical models, and disease parameters: a systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as [13]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) identifies Rousettus aegyptiacus as a natural reservoir of Marburg virus, and describes human infections associated with visits to bat-inhabited caves and mines. It does not establish that transmission to those humans occurred through direct contact with an infected animal; the Results/Discussion instead discusses possible shedding routes. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  1. [3]Wilson, D E. and Reeder, D M. (2005) Mammal species of the world. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 2142 p.
  2. [16]Zaki SR, Shieh WJ, Greer PW, Goldsmith CS, Ferebee T, et al (1999) A novel immunohistochemical assay for the detection of Ebola virus in skin: implications for diagnosis, spread, and surveillance of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Commission de Lutte contre les Epidemies a Kikwit. J Infect Dis 179 Suppl 1: S36– S47. 9988163
  3. [17]Martini GA, Schmidt HA (1968) [Spermatogenic transmission of the “Marburg virus”. (Causes of “Marburg simian disease”)]. Klin Wochenschr 46: 398– 400. 4971902
  4. [23]Towner JS, Amman BR, Nichol ST (2011) Significant zoonotic diseases identified in bats: Filoviruses. In: Investigating the Role of Bats in Emerging Zoonoses. Newman SH, Field HE, de Jong CE, Epstein JH, editors. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. pp. 123–135.

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Authors
Amman, B. R., Carroll, S. A., Reed, Z. D., Sealy, T. K., Balinandi, S., Swanepoel, R., Kemp, A., Erickson, B. R., Comer, J. A., Campbell, S., Cannon, D. L., Khristova, M. L., Atimnedi, P., Paddock, C. D., Kent Crockett, R. J., Flietstra, T. D., Warfield, K. L., Unfer, R., Katongole-Mbidde, E., Downing, R., Tappero, J. W., Zaki, S. R., Rollin, P. E., Ksiazek, T. G., Nichol, S. T., & Towner, J. S.
Affiliations
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
  • National Institute for Communicable Diseases (ZA)
  • Uganda Wildlife Authority (UG)
  • Integrated BioTherapeutics (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
Towner, Jonathan S.
ORCID
Venue
PLoS Pathogens
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2012-10-04
Volume
8
Issue
10
Pages
e1002877
ISSN
  • 1553-7366 (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7374
DOI
10.1371/journal.ppat.1002877
PMC
PMC3464226
OpenAlex
W2131851182
Cited by
453
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 36 · 2025: 41 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 40 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 3
FWCI
13.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS Pathogens (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, public-domain)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Viral Infections and Vectors
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Virology and Viral Diseases
Keywords
Marburg virus, Rousettus aegyptiacus, Pteropodidae, bat reservoir hosts, juvenile bats, Marburg hemorrhagic fever, horizontal transmission, metapopulation, risk mitigation strategies
MeSH terms
Animals, Base Sequence, Chiroptera, Disease Reservoirs, Female, Humans, Male, Marburg Virus Disease, Nuclear Proteins, Phylogeny, Retrospective Studies, RNA, Viral, Seasons, Uganda, Sequence Analysis, RNA, Marburgvirus, Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins, Caves

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