Detection of rhabdovirus viral RNA in oropharyngeal swabs and ectoparasites of Spanish bats

• DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.046490-0
• Publication Date: 2012-10-25T03:58:06Z
• Authors: Carolina Aznar-Lopez; Sonia Vazquez-Moron; Denise A. Marston; Javier Juste; Carlos Ibáñez; Jose Miguel Berciano; Egoitz Salsamendi; Joxerra Aihartza; Ashley C. Banyard; Lorraine McElhinney; Anthony R. Fooks; Juan Echevarria
• Keywords: Lyssavirus; Monophyly

Rhabdoviruses infect a variety of hosts, including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects and plants. As bats are the natural host for most members genus Lyssavirus , specificity amplification methods used active surveillance is usually restricted to lyssaviruses. However, presence other rhabdoviruses in has also been reported. In order broaden scope such methods, new RT-PCR, able detect diverse range rhabdoviruses, was designed. The method detected 81 86 different rhabdoviruses. total, 1488 oropharyngeal bat swabs 38 nycteribiid samples were analysed, 17 unique rhabdovirus-related sequences detected. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that those did not constitute monophyletic group, even when originating from same species. all nycteribiids one sequence obtained group with Drosophila melanogaster sigma rhabdovirus.