title: Evidence for henipavirus spillover into human populations in Africa.
abstract: Zoonotic transmission of lethal henipaviruses (HNVs) from their natural fruit bat reservoirs to humans has only been reported in Australia and South/Southeast Asia. However, a recent study discovered numerous HNV clades in African bat samples. To determine the potential for HNV spillover events among humans in Africa, here we examine well-curated sets of bat (Eidolon helvum, n = 44) and human (n = 497) serum samples from Cameroon for Nipah virus (NiV) cross-neutralizing antibodies (NiV-X-Nabs). Using a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based pseudoparticle seroneutralization assay, we detect NiV-X-Nabs in 48% and 3-4% of the bat and human samples, respectively. Seropositive human samples are found almost exclusively in individuals who reported butchering bats for bushmeat. Seropositive human sera also neutralize Hendra virus and Gh-M74a (an African HNV) pseudoparticles, as well as live NiV. Butchering bat meat and living in areas undergoing deforestation are the most significant risk factors associated with seropositivity. Evidence for HNV spillover events warrants increased surveillance efforts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pernet
authors.affiliation: Global Viral/Metabiota Laboratory Sciences, San Francisco, California 90104, USA.
authors.forename: Bradley S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA [2] Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Shannon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Beaty
authors.affiliation: Global Viral/Metabiota Laboratory Sciences, San Francisco, California 90104, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: LeBreton
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Tatyana E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA [2] Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Brevard Zoo Veterinary Services, Brevard Zoo, Melbourne, 32940 Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Trevor T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Zachariah
authors.affiliation: Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Peta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hitchens
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York 10001, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Daszak
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Jonna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazet
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Freiberg
authors.affiliation: Global Viral/Metabiota Laboratory Sciences, San Francisco, California 90104, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA [2] Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Benhur
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D045464:Henipavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D045405:Nipah Virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral