A Recently Discovered Pathogenic Paramyxovirus, Sosuga Virus, is Present in Rousettus aegyptiacus Fruit Bats at Multiple Locations in Uganda.
In August 2012, a wildlife biologist became ill immediately following a 6-wk field trip to collect bats and rodents in South Sudan and Uganda. After returning to the US, the biologist was admitted to the hospital with multiple symptoms including fever, malaise, headache, generalized myalgia and arthralgia, stiffness in the neck, and sore throat. Soon after admission, the patient developed a maculopapular rash and oropharynx ulcerations. The patient remained hospitalized for 14 d. Several suspect pathogens, including viral hemorrhagic fever viruses such as Ebola viruses and Marburg viruses, were ruled out through standard diagnostic testing. However, deep sequencing and metagenomic analyses identified a novel paramyxovirus, later named Sosuga virus, in the patient's blood. To determine the potential source, bat tissues collected during the 3-wk period just prior to the onset of symptoms were tested for Sosuga virus, and several Egyptian rousette bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) were found to be positive. Further analysis of archived Egyptian rousette tissues collected at other localities in Uganda found additional Sosuga virus-positive bats, suggesting this species could be a potential natural reservoir for this novel paramyxovirus.
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Brian R
BR
Amman
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Cesar G
CG
Albariño
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Brian H
BH
Bird
2  Uganda Virus Research Institute, PO Box 49, Wilson Rd. and Nakiwago Rd., Entebbe, Uganda.
Luke
L
Nyakarahuka
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Tara K
TK
Sealy
3  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, PO Box 49, Wilson Rd. and Nakiwago Rd., Entebbe, Uganda.
Stephen
S
Balinandi
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Amy J
AJ
Schuh
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Shelly M
SM
Campbell
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Ute
U
Ströher
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.|4  College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
Megan E B
ME
Jones
5  Department of Biology, Bucknell University, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837, USA.
Megan E
ME
Vodzack
5  Department of Biology, Bucknell University, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837, USA.
DeeAnn M
DM
Reeder
6  Uganda Ministry of Health, PO Box 7272, Plot 6 Lourdel Rd., Nakasero, Kampala, Uganda.
Winyi
W
Kaboyo
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Stuart T
ST
Nichol
1  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Viral Special Pathogens Branch, 1600 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.|4  College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
Jonathan S
JS
Towner
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010252:Paramyxoviridae / Q000502:physiology*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology
Bats; Rousettus aegyptiacus; Sosuga virus; paramyxovirus; spillover; wildlife biologist