Longitudinal survey of Coronavirus circulation and diversity in insectivorous bat colonies in Zimbabwe

Chidoti Vimbiso, De Nys Hélène, Pinarello Valérie, Mashura Getrude, Missé Dorothée, Guerrini Laure, Pfukenyi Davies Mubika, Cappelle Julien, Chiweshe Ngoni, Ayouba Ahidjo, Matope Gift, Peeters Martine, Gori Elizabeth, Bourgarel Mathieu, Liégeois Florian. 2022. Longitudinal survey of Coronavirus circulation and diversity in insectivorous bat colonies in Zimbabwe. Viruses, 14 (4):781, 18 p.

https://doi.org/10.3390/v14040781

Article de revue ; Article de recherche ; Article de revue à facteur d'impact Revue en libre accès total

Prévisualisation

Version publiée - Anglais
Sous licence

.
viruses-14-00781.pdf
Télécharger (1MB) | Prévisualisation

Résumé : Background: Studies have linked bats to outbreaks of viral diseases in human populations such as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV and the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: We carried out a longitudinal survey from August 2020 to July 2021 at two sites in Zimbabwe with bat–human interactions: Magweto cave and Chirundu farm. A total of 1732 and 1866 individual bat fecal samples were collected, respectively. Coronaviruses and bat species were amplified using PCR systems. Results: Analysis of the coronavirus sequences revealed a high genetic diversity, and we identified different sub-viral groups in the Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus genus. The established sub-viral groups fell within the described Alphacoronavirus sub-genera: Decacovirus, Duvinacovirus, Rhinacovirus, Setracovirus and Minunacovirus and for Betacoronavirus sub-genera: Sarbecoviruses, Merbecovirus and Hibecovirus. Our results showed an overall proportion for CoV positive PCR tests of 23.7% at Chirundu site and 16.5% and 38.9% at Magweto site for insectivorous bats and Macronycteris gigas, respectively. Conclusions: The higher risk of bat coronavirus exposure for humans was found in December to March in relation to higher viral shedding peaks of coronaviruses in the parturition, lactation and weaning months of the bat populations at both sites. We also highlight the need to further document viral infectious risk in human/domestic animal populations surrounding bat habitats in Zimbabwe.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : Enquête pathologique, Coronaviridae, Chiroptera, transmission des maladies, relation homme-faune, vecteur de maladie, variation génétique

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Zimbabwe

Mots-clés libres : Bat coronavirus (Bt CoVs), Human–bat interaction, Genetic diversity, Reproductive phenology, Zimbabwe

Classification Agris : L73 - Maladies des animaux

Champ stratégique Cirad : CTS 4 (2019-) - Santé des plantes, des animaux et des écosystèmes

Agences de financement hors UE : Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites Virales, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires Étrangères, Agence Française de Développement

Auteurs et affiliations