title: Ecological factors associated with European bat lyssavirus seroprevalence in spanish bats.
abstract: Bats have been proposed as major reservoirs for diverse emerging infectious viral diseases, with rabies being the best known in Europe. However, studies exploring the ecological interaction between lyssaviruses and their natural hosts are scarce. This study completes our active surveillance work on Spanish bat colonies that began in 1992. Herein, we analyzed ecological factors that might affect the infection dynamics observed in those colonies. Between 2001 and 2011, we collected and tested 2,393 blood samples and 45 dead bats from 25 localities and 20 bat species. The results for dead confirmed the presence of EBLV-1 RNA in six species analyzed (for the first time in Myotis capaccinii). Samples positive for European bat lyssavirus-1 (EBLV-1)-neutralizing antibodies were detected in 68% of the localities sampled and in 13 bat species, seven of which were found for the first time (even in Myotis daubentonii, a species to date always linked to EBLV-2). EBLV-1 seroprevalence (20.7%) ranged between 11.1 and 40.2% among bat species and seasonal variation was observed, with significantly higher antibody prevalence in summer (July). EBLV-1 seroprevalence was significantly associated with colony size and species richness. Higher seroprevalence percentages were found in large multispecific colonies, suggesting that intra- and interspecific contacts are major risk factors for EBLV-1 transmission in bat colonies. Although bat-roosting behavior strongly determines EBLV-1 variability, we also found some evidence that bat phylogeny might be involved in bat-species seroprevalence. The results of this study highlight the importance of life history and roost ecology in understanding EBLV-1-prevalence patterns in bat colonies and also provide useful information for public health officials.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Infeccions Víriques, Illes Balears (CRIVIB), Fundació d'Investigació Sanitària de les Illes Balears, Conselleria de Salut i Consum, Govern de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. serracobo@areambiental.com
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serra-Cobo
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Roig
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seguí
authors.forename: Luisa Pilar
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Jacint
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: Miquel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borrás
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lavenir
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bourhy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D018114:Lyssavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018353:Rhabdoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral