The mitochondrial activity of leukocytes from Artibeus jamaicensis bats remains unaltered after several weeks of flying restriction

Bats are the only flying mammals known. They have longer lifespan than other mammals of similar size and weight and can resist high loads of many pathogens, mostly viruses, with no signs of disease. These distinctive characteristics have been attributed to their metabolic rate that is thought to be the result of their flying lifestyle. Compared with non-flying mammals, bats have lower production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and high levels of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase. This anti-oxidative vs. oxidative profile may help to explain bat's longer than expected lifespans. The aim of this study was to assess the effect that a significant reduction in flying has on bats leukocytes mitochondrial activity. This was assessed using samples of lymphoid and myeloid cells from peripheral blood from Artibeus jamaicensis bats shortly after capture and up to six weeks after flying deprivation. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), mitochondrial calcium (mCa2+), and mitochondrial ROS (mROS) were used as key indicators of mitochondrial activity, while total ROS and glucose uptake were used as additional indicators of cell metabolism. Results showed that total ROS and glucose uptake were statistically significantly lower at six weeks of flying deprivation (p 0.05). These results suggest that bat mitochondria are stable to sudden changes in physical activity, at least up to six weeks of flying deprivation. However, decrease in total ROS and glucose uptake in myeloid cells after six weeks of captivity suggest a compensatory mechanism due to the lack of the highly metabolic demands associated with flying

Evaluación de la vacuna tsv-2 de ibr-p13 en bovinos nacionales productores de leche

La única vacuna contra Rinotraqueítis Infecciosa Bovina (IBR) autorizada para su uso a nivel nacional por la Dirección General de Salud Animal es la TSV-2, la cual es de importación y ofrece ser un producto eficaz e inocuo

Endemic Circulation of European Bat Lyssavirus Type 1 in Serotine Bats, Spain

To determine the presence of European bat lyssavirus type 1 in southern Spain, we studied 19 colonies of serotine bats (Eptesicus isabellinus), its main reservoir, during 1998–2003. Viral genome and antibodies were detected in healthy bats, which suggests subclinical infection. The different temporal patterns of circulation found in each colony indicate independent endemic circulation

Reemerging Rabies and Lack of Systemic Surveillance in People’s Republic of China

Standardized protocols and diagnostic-based surveillance are imperative for detection and elimination

Temporal Dynamics of European Bat Lyssavirus Type 1 and Survival of Myotis myotis Bats in Natural Colonies

Many emerging RNA viruses of public health concern have recently been detected in bats. However, the dynamics of these viruses in natural bat colonies is presently unknown. Consequently, prediction of the spread of these viruses and the establishment of appropriate control measures are hindered by a lack of information. To this aim, we collected epidemiological, virological and ecological data during a twelve-year longitudinal study in two colonies of insectivorous bats (Myotis myotis) located in Spain and infected by the most common bat lyssavirus found in Europe, the European bat lyssavirus subtype 1 (EBLV-1). This active survey demonstrates that cyclic lyssavirus infections occurred with periodic oscillations in the number of susceptible, immune and infected bats. Persistence of immunity for more than one year was detected in some individuals. These data were further used to feed models to analyze the temporal dynamics of EBLV-1 and the survival rate of bats. According to these models, the infection is characterized by a predicted low basic reproductive rate (R0 = 1.706) and a short infectious period (D = 5.1 days). In contrast to observations in most non-flying animals infected with rabies, the survival model shows no variation in mortality after EBLV-1 infection of M. myotis. These findings have considerable public health implications in terms of management of colonies where lyssavirus-positive bats have been recorded and confirm the potential risk of rabies transmission to humans. A greater understanding of the dynamics of lyssavirus in bat colonies also provides a model to study how bats contribute to the maintenance and transmission of other viruses of public health concern

A hepatitis B virus causes chronic infections in equids worldwide

Preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires suitable animal models. Equids host homologs of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because coinfections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV occur in humans, we screened 2,917 specimens from equids from five continents for HBV. We discovered a distinct HBV species (Equid HBV, EqHBV) in 3.2% of donkeys and zebras by PCR and antibodies against EqHBV in 5.4% of donkeys and zebras. Molecular, histopathological, and biochemical analyses revealed that infection patterns of EqHBV resembled those of HBV in humans, including hepatotropism, moderate liver damage, evolutionary stasis, and potential horizontal virus transmission. Naturally infected donkeys showed chronic infections resembling CHB with high viral loads of up to 2.6 × 109 mean copies per milliliter serum for >6 mo and weak antibody responses. Antibodies against Equid HCV were codetected in 26.5% of donkeys seropositive for EqHBV, corroborating susceptibility to both hepatitis viruses. Deltavirus pseudotypes carrying EqHBV surface proteins were unable to infect human cells via the HBV receptor NTCP (Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide), suggesting alternative viral entry mechanisms. Both HBV and EqHBV deltavirus pseudotypes infected primary horse hepatocytes in vitro, supporting a broad host range for EqHBV among equids and suggesting that horses might be suitable for EqHBV and HBV infections in vivo. Evolutionary analyses suggested that EqHBV originated in Africa several thousand years ago, commensurate with the domestication of donkeys. In sum, EqHBV naturally infects diverse equids and mimics HBV infection patterns. Equids provide a unique opportunity for preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for CHB and to investigate HBV/ HCV interplay upon coinfection

Assessment of phosphonoformate-treatment of pigeon herpesvirus infection in pigeons and budgerigars, and Aujeszky's disease in rabbits

Trisodium phosphonoformate (PFA) was used to treat Pigeon herpesvirus 1 (PHV1) infection in pigeons and budgerigars and Aujeszky's disease in rabbits. Intramuscular administration of PFA in pigeons, even when commenced before experimental inoculation of PHV1, did not prevent the occurrence of clinical disease, or reduce the viral excretion or the serological response, and did not prevent the appearance of carriers. In budgerigars infected with PHV1, fatal hepatitis was not prevented by PFA-treatment begun before infection, and in rabbits the treatment did not prevent fatal encephalitis due to Aujeszky's disease virus. © 1982

Discrimination between epidemiological cycles of rabies in Mexico

BACKGROUND: The design of efficient rabies control programs within a geographic area requires an appropriate knowledge of the local epidemiological cycles. In Latin America, there is a geographical overlap of the two main epidemiological cycles: (a) the terrestrial cycle, where the dog is the main terrestrial vector and the principal cause of human transmission; and (b) the aerial cycle, in which the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus is representative in Mexico. This bat is the major sylvatic rabies vector transmitting rabies to cattle. The purpose of this study was to distinguish between the epidemiological cycles of rabies virus (aerial and terrestrial) circulating in Mexico, using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). METHODS: Thirty positive rabies isolates were obtained from different species (including humans, domestic, and wildlife animals) and geographical regions. The methodology included the extraction of RNA, and synthesis of cDNA, PCR, and RFLP using four restriction endonucleases. To determine the aerial cycle, BsaW I and BsrG I were utilized, and for terrestrial cycle, BamH I and Stu I. Most of the samples belonged to the aerial and terrestrial cycles, except for two skunk isolates from Northwestern Mexico, which were not cut by any of the enzymes. RESULTS: Three different migration patterns were detected: (a) the first was observed in six amplicons, which were cut by BsaW I and BsrG I (aerial cycle); (b) 19 amplified samples were digested with BamH I and Stu I enzymes (terrestrial cycle); and (c) two skunk isolates from Northwest Mexico, were not cut by any of the enzymes utilized in the experiments (hypervariable cycle). CONCLUSIONS: This concludes that RFLP can be used for the classification of rabies field samples in epidemiological studies. Moreover, it has demonstrated its usefulness, not only for differentiating between the main epidemiological rabies cycles present in Mexico, but also to detect new cycles in wildlife species

Comparison of the effect of trisodium phosphonoformate on the mean plaque size of pseudorabies virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and pigeon herpesvirus

The effect of various concentrations of trisodium phosphonoformate on the titre and the mean plaque of pseudorabies virus (SHS), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus and pigeon herpesvirus (PHV) was studied. Phosphonoformate significantly reduced the mean plaque size of all three viruses whatever the concentration used. However, an increase of the concentration of phosphonoformate over 100 µM per ml in the overlay medium did not further reduce the mean plaque size of PHV. Phosphonoformate also produced a decrease in the titre of the three viruses at the highest concentration. SHV was the most susceptible to the effect of trisodium Phosphonoformate and PHV was the least susceptible. This finding might be of signifiance for a possible clinical application in the treatment of local lesions produced by PHV infection