Browsing by Author "Suu-Ire R"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Antibodies to henipavirus or henipa-like viruses in domestic pigs in Ghana, West Africa
    (Public Library of Science, 2011) Hayman DTS; Wang L-F; Barr J; Baker KS; Suu-Ire R; Broder CC; Cunningham AA; Wood JLN
    Henipaviruses, Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), have Pteropid bats as their known natural reservoirs. Antibodies against henipaviruses have been found in Eidolon helvum, an old world fruit bat species, and henipavirus-like nucleic acid has been detected in faecal samples from E. helvum in Ghana. The initial outbreak of NiV in Malaysia led to over 265 human encephalitis cases, including 105 deaths, with infected pigs acting as amplifier hosts for NiV during the outbreak. We detected non-neutralizing antibodies against viruses of the genus Henipavirus in approximately 5% of pig sera (N = 97) tested in Ghana, but not in a small sample of other domestic species sampled under a E. helvum roost. Although we did not detect neutralizing antibody, our results suggest prior exposure of the Ghana pig population to henipavirus(es). Because a wide diversity of henipavirus-like nucleic acid sequences have been found in Ghanaian E. helvum, we hypothesise that these pigs might have been infected by henipavirus(es) sufficiently divergent enough from HeVor NiV to produce cross-reactive, but not cross-neutralizing antibodies to HeV or NiV.
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    Bat trait, genetic and pathogen data from large-scale investigations of African fruit bats, Eidolon helvum.
    (1/08/2016) Peel AJ; Baker KS; Hayman DTS; Suu-Ire R; Breed AC; Gembu G-C; Lembo T; Fernández-Loras A; Sargan DR; Fooks AR; Cunningham AA; Wood JLN
    Bats, including African straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum), have been highlighted as reservoirs of many recently emerged zoonotic viruses. This common, widespread and ecologically important species was the focus of longitudinal and continent-wide studies of the epidemiological and ecology of Lagos bat virus, henipaviruses and Achimota viruses. Here we present a spatial, morphological, demographic, genetic and serological dataset encompassing 2827 bats from nine countries over an 8-year period. Genetic data comprises cytochrome b mitochondrial sequences (n=608) and microsatellite genotypes from 18 loci (n=544). Tooth-cementum analyses (n=316) allowed derivation of rare age-specific serologic data for a lyssavirus, a henipavirus and two rubulaviruses. This dataset contributes a substantial volume of data on the ecology of E. helvum and its viruses and will be valuable for a wide range of studies, including viral transmission dynamic modelling in age-structured populations, investigation of seasonal reproductive asynchrony in wide-ranging species, ecological niche modelling, inference of island colonisation history, exploration of relationships between island and body size, and various spatial analyses of demographic, morphometric or serological data.
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    Continent-wide panmixia of an African fruit bat facilitates transmission of potentially zoonotic viruses
    (MacMillan Publishers Ltd., 2013) Peel AJ; Sargan DR; Baker KS; Hayman DTS; Barr JA; Crameri G; Suu-Ire R; Broder CC; Lembo T; Wang L-F; Fooks AR; Rossiter SJ; Wood JLN; Cunningam AA
    The straw-coloured fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, is Africa’s most widely distributed and commonly hunted fruit bat, often living in close proximity to human populations. This species has been identified as a reservoir of potentially zoonotic viruses, but uncertainties remain regarding viral transmission dynamics and mechanisms of persistence. Here we combine genetic and serological analyses of populations across Africa, to determine the extent of epidemiological connectivity among E. helvum populations. Multiple markers reveal panmixia across the continental range, at a greater geographical scale than previously recorded for any other mammal, whereas populations on remote islands were genetically distinct. Multiple serological assays reveal antibodies to henipaviruses and Lagos bat virus in all locations, including small isolated island populations, indicating that factors other than population size and connectivity may be responsible for viral persistence. Our findings have potentially important public health implications, and highlight a need to avoid disturbances that may precipitate viral spillover.
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    Ectoparasite and bacterial population genetics and community structure indicate extent of bat movement across an island chain.
    (Cambridge University Press, 2024-05-24) McKee CD; Peel AJ; Hayman DTS; Suu-Ire R; Ntiamoa-Baidu Y; Cunningham AA; Wood JLN; Webb CT; Kosoy MY
    Few studies have examined the genetic population structure of vector-borne microparasites in wildlife, making it unclear how much these systems can reveal about the movement of their associated hosts. This study examined the complex host-vector-microbe interactions in a system of bats, wingless ectoparasitic bat flies (Nycteribiidae), vector-borne microparasitic bacteria (Bartonella), and bacterial endosymbionts of flies (Enterobacterales) across an island chain in the Gulf of Guinea, West Africa. Limited population structure was found in bat flies and Enterobacterales symbionts compared to that of their hosts. Significant isolation by distance was observed in the dissimilarity of Bartonella communities detected in flies from sampled populations of Eidolon helvum bats. These patterns indicate that, while genetic dispersal of bats between islands is limited, some nonreproductive movements may lead to the dispersal of ectoparasites and associated microbes. This study deepens our knowledge of the phylogeography of African fruit bats, their ectoparasites, and associated bacteria. The results presented could inform models of pathogen transmission in these bat populations and increase our theoretical understanding of community ecology in host-microbe systems.
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    Evidence of henipavirus infection in West African fruit bats
    (Public Library of Science, 2008) Hayman DTS; Suu-Ire R; Breed AC; McEachern JA; Wang L; Wood JLN; Cunningham AA
    Henipaviruses are emerging RNA viruses of fruit bat origin that can cause fatal encephalitis in man. Ghanaian fruit bats (megachiroptera) were tested for antibodies to henipaviruses. Using a Luminex multiplexed microsphere assay, antibodies were detected in sera of Eidolon helvum to both Nipah (39%, 95% confidence interval: 27-51%) and Hendra (22%, 95% CI: 11-33%) viruses. Virus neutralization tests further confirmed seropositivity for 30% (7/23) of Luminex positive serum samples. Our results indicate that henipavirus is present within West Africa.
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    Long-term survival of an urban fruit bat seropositive for Ebola and Lagos bat viruses
    (Public Library of Science, 2010) Hayman DTS; Emmerich P; Yu M; Wang L-F; Suu-Ire R; Fooks AR; Cunningham AA; Wood JLN
    Ebolaviruses (EBOV) (family Filoviridae) cause viral hemorrhagic fevers in humans and non-human primates when they spill over from their wildlife reservoir hosts with case fatality rates of up to 90%. Fruit bats may act as reservoirs of the Filoviridae. The migratory fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, is common across sub-Saharan Africa and lives in large colonies, often situated in cities. We screened sera from 262 E. helvum using indirect fluorescent tests for antibodies against EBOV subtype Zaire. We detected a seropositive bat from Accra, Ghana, and confirmed this using western blot analysis. The bat was also seropositive for Lagos bat virus, a Lyssavirus, by virus neutralization test. The bat was fitted with a radio transmitter and was last detected in Accra 13 months after release post-sampling, demonstrating long-term survival. Antibodies to filoviruses have not been previously demonstrated in E. helvum. Radio-telemetry data demonstrates long-term survival of an individual bat following exposure to viruses of families that can be highly pathogenic to other mammal species. Because E. helvum typically lives in large urban colonies and is a source of bushmeat in some regions, further studies should determine if this species forms a reservoir for EBOV from which spillover infections into the human population may occur.
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    Novel, potentially zoonotic paramyxoviruses from the African straw-colored fruit bat Eidolon helvum
    (American Society for Microbiology, 2013) Baker KS; Todd S; Marsh GA; Crameri G; Barr J; Kamins AO; Peel AJ; Yu M; Hayman DTS; Nadjm B; Mtove G; Amos B; Reyburn H; Nyarko E; Suu-Ire R; Murcia PR; Cunningham AA; Wood JLN; Wang L-F
    Bats carry a variety of paramyxoviruses that impact human and domestic animal health when spillover occurs. Recent studies have shown a great diversity of paramyxoviruses in an urban-roosting population of straw-colored fruit bats in Ghana. Here, we investigate this further through virus isolation and describe two novel rubulaviruses: Achimota virus 1 (AchPV1) and Achimota virus 2 (AchPV2). The viruses form a phylogenetic cluster with each other and other bat-derived rubulaviruses, such as Tuhoko viruses, Menangle virus, and Tioman virus. We developed AchPV1- and AchPV2-specific serological assays and found evidence of infection with both viruses in Eidolon helvum across sub-Saharan Africa and on islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Longitudinal sampling of E. helvum indicates virus persistence within fruit bat populations and suggests spread of AchPVs via horizontal transmission. We also detected possible serological evidence of human infection with AchPV2 in Ghana and Tanzania. It is likely that clinically significant zoonotic spillover of chiropteran paramyxoviruses could be missed throughout much of Africa where health surveillance and diagnostics are poor and comorbidities, such as infection with HIV or Plasmodium sp., are common.