title: Henipavirus RNA in African bats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Henipaviruses (Hendra and Nipah virus) are highly pathogenic members of the family Paramyxoviridae. Fruit-eating bats of the Pteropus genus have been suggested as their natural reservoir. Human Henipavirus infections have been reported in a region extending from Australia via Malaysia into Bangladesh, compatible with the geographic range of Pteropus. These bats do not occur in continental Africa, but a whole range of other fruit bats is encountered. One of the most abundant is Eidolon helvum, the African Straw-coloured fruit bat.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Feces from E. helvum roosting in an urban setting in Kumasi/Ghana were tested for Henipavirus RNA. Sequences of three novel viruses in phylogenetic relationship to known Henipaviruses were detected. Virus RNA concentrations in feces were low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding of novel putative Henipaviruses outside Australia and Asia contributes a significant extension of the region of potential endemicity of one of the most pathogenic virus genera known in humans.
authors.affiliation: Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan Felix
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: Victor Max
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Corman
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gloza-Rausch
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seebens
authors.forename: Augustina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Annan
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ipsen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kruppa
authors.forename: Marcel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Elisabeth K V
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kalko
authors.forename: Yaw
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adu-Sarkodie
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oppong
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drosten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D045403:Henipavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral