Epidemiology and biology of a herpesvirus in rabies endemic vampire bat populations

Megan E. Griffiths (), Laura M. Bergner, Alice Broos, Diana K. Meza, Ana da Silva Filipe, Andrew Davison, Carlos Tello, Daniel J. Becker and Daniel G. Streicker
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Megan E. Griffiths: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Laura M. Bergner: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Alice Broos: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Diana K. Meza: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Ana da Silva Filipe: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Andrew Davison: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
Carlos Tello: Association for the Conservation and Development of Natural Resources
Daniel J. Becker: Indiana University
Daniel G. Streicker: MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Rabies is a viral zoonosis transmitted by vampire bats across Latin America. Substantial public health and agricultural burdens remain, despite decades of bats culls and livestock vaccinations. Virally vectored vaccines that spread autonomously through bat populations are a theoretically appealing solution to managing rabies in its reservoir host. We investigate the biological and epidemiological suitability of a vampire bat betaherpesvirus (DrBHV) to act as a vaccine vector. In 25 sites across Peru with serological and/or molecular evidence of rabies circulation, DrBHV infects 80–100% of bats, suggesting potential for high population-level vaccine coverage. Phylogenetic analysis reveals host specificity within neotropical bats, limiting risks to non-target species. Finally, deep sequencing illustrates DrBHV super-infections in individual bats, implying that DrBHV-vectored vaccines might invade despite the highly prevalent wild-type virus. These results indicate DrBHV as a promising candidate vector for a transmissible rabies vaccine, and provide a framework to discover and evaluate candidate viral vectors for vaccines against bat-borne zoonoses.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19832-4

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