title: Replication and shedding of MERS-CoV in Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus jamaicensis).
abstract: The emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) highlights the zoonotic potential of Betacoronaviruses. Investigations into the origin of MERS-CoV have focused on two potential reservoirs: bats and camels. Here, we investigated the role of bats as a potential reservoir for MERS-CoV. In vitro, the MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein interacted with Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) receptor and MERS-CoV replicated efficiently in Jamaican fruit bat cells, suggesting there is no restriction at the receptor or cellular level for MERS-CoV. To shed light on the intrinsic host-virus relationship, we inoculated 10 Jamaican fruit bats with MERS-CoV. Although all bats showed evidence of infection, none of the bats showed clinical signs of disease. Virus shedding was detected in the respiratory and intestinal tract for up to 9 days. MERS-CoV replicated transiently in the respiratory and, to a lesser extent, the intestinal tracts and internal organs; with limited histopathological changes observed only in the lungs. Analysis of the innate gene expression in the lungs showed a moderate, transient induction of expression. Our results indicate that MERS-CoV maintains the ability to replicate in bats without clinical signs of disease, supporting the general hypothesis of bats as ancestral reservoirs for MERS-CoV.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Munster
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Adney
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Neeltje
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Doremalen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Vienna R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Kerri L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Miazgowicz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Shauna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milne-Price
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Trenton
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bushmaker
authors.affiliation: Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rosenke
authors.affiliation: Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hawkinson
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
authors.forename: Emmie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.affiliation: Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schountz
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006224:Cricetinae; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000502:physiology*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D014709:Vero Cells; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4