title: Isolation of a Novel Fusogenic Orthoreovirus from Eucampsipoda africana Bat Flies in South Africa.
abstract: We report on the isolation of a novel fusogenic orthoreovirus from bat flies (Eucampsipoda africana) associated with Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) collected in South Africa. Complete sequences of the ten dsRNA genome segments of the virus, tentatively named Mahlapitsi virus (MAHLV), were determined. Phylogenetic analysis places this virus into a distinct clade with Baboon orthoreovirus, Bush viper reovirus and the bat-associated Broome virus. All genome segments of MAHLV contain a 5' terminal sequence (5'-GGUCA) that is unique to all currently described viruses of the genus. The smallest genome segment is bicistronic encoding for a 14 kDa protein similar to p14 membrane fusion protein of Bush viper reovirus and an 18 kDa protein similar to p16 non-structural protein of Baboon orthoreovirus. This is the first report on isolation of an orthoreovirus from an arthropod host associated with bats, and phylogenetic and sequence data suggests that MAHLV constitutes a new species within the Orthoreovirus genus.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa. petrusv@nicd.ac.za.|Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa. petrusv@nicd.ac.za.
authors.forename: Petrus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jansen van Vuren
authors.affiliation: Center for Genomic Science, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. michael.r.wiley19.ctr@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiley
authors.affiliation: Center for Genomic Science, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. gustavo.f.palacios.ctr@mail.mil.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa. nadias@nicd.ac.za.|Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa. nadias@nicd.ac.za.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Storm
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa. Stewart.Mcculloch@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa. Wanda.Markotter@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Markotter
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa. monicab@nicd.ac.za.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birkhead
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa. alank@nicd.ac.za.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham 2131, South Africa. januszp@nicd.ac.za.|Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa. januszp@nicd.ac.za.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa. januszp@nicd.ac.za.
authors.forename: Janusz T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Paweska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000469:parasitology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004175:Diptera / Q000821:virology*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008970:Molecular Weight; D018165:Orthoreovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013019:South Africa; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014771:Virion / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins
keywords: Eucampsipoda africana; Nycteribiidae; Reoviridae; Rousettus aegyptiacus; bat flies; fusogenic orthoreovirus