Isolation, characterization, and circulation sphere of a filovirus in fruit bats

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313789121
• Publication Date: 2024-02-09T18:42:57Z
• Authors: Biao He; Tingsong Hu; Xiaomin Yan; Yanhui Pa; Yuhang Liu; Yang Liu; Nan Li; Jing Yu; Hailin Zhang; Yonghua Liu; Jun Chai; Yue Sun; Shijiang Mi; Yan Liu; Le Yi; Zhongzhong Tu; Yiyin Wang; Sheng Sun; Ye Feng; Wendong Zhang; Huanyun Zhao; Bofang Duan; Wenjie Gong; Fuqiang Zhang; Changchun Tu
• Keywords: Filoviridae; Isolation; Natural reservoir; Tissue tropism; Coronavirus

Bats are associated with the circulation of most mammalian filoviruses (FiVs), pathogenic ones frequently causing deadly hemorrhagic fevers in Africa. Divergent FiVs have been uncovered Chinese bats, raising concerns about their threat to public health. Here, we describe a long-term surveillance track bat at orchards, eventually resulting identification and isolation FiV, Dehong virus (DEHV), from Rousettus leschenaultii bats. DEHV has typical filovirus-like morphology wide spectrum cell tropism. Its entry into cells depends on engagement Niemann-Pick C1, its replication is inhibited by remdesivir. largest genome size filoviruses, phylogenetic analysis placing it between genera Dianlovirus Orthomarburgvirus , suggesting classification as prototype new genus within family Filoviridae . The continuous detection viral RNA serological survey, together host distribution, revealed that region covering southern Yunnan, China, bordering areas natural sphere for FiVs. These emphasize need better understanding pathogenicity potential risk region.