title: Is Marburg virus enzootic in Gabon?
abstract: Marburg virus (MARV) nucleic acid was detected in Rousettus aegyptiacus bats in 2005 and 2006 in the midwest and southeast of Gabon. In this study we used MARV-specific real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and MARV-specific nested RT-PCR assay to screen 1257 bats caught during July 2009, December 2009, and June 2010 in 3 caves situated in northern Gabon. Nine specimens tested positive by the real-time assay, with cycle threshold values ranging from 35 to 39, of which only 1 R. aegyptiacus specimen collected in 2009 was positive in the nested VP35 RT-PCR assay. Together with MARV-positive bats in the south and west found in 2005 and 2006, confirmation of phylogenetically closely related MARV-positive bats 5 years later and in northern Gabon suggests that MARV is now enzootic in Gabon and emphasizes the importance of long-term monitoring of bat populations and human-bat interfaces.
authors: Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon.
authors: Gael D
authors: GD
authors: Maganga
authors: Mathieu
authors: M
authors: Bourgarel
authors: Ghislain Ebang
authors: GE
authors: Ella
authors: Jan Felix
authors: JF
authors: Drexler
authors: Jean-Paul
authors: JP
authors: Gonzalez
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Drosten
authors: Eric M
authors: EM
authors: Leroy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008379:Marburg Virus Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D029024:Marburgvirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016415:Sequence Alignment / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral