AUTHOR=Cantoni Diego , Mayora-Neto Martin , Derveni Mariliza , da Costa Kelly , Del Rosario Joanne , Ameh Veronica O. , Sabeta Claude T. , Auld Bethany , Hamlet Arran , Jones Ian M. , Wright Edward , Scott Simon D. , Giotis Efstathios S. , Banyard Ashley C. , Temperton Nigel 

TITLE=Serological evidence of virus infection in Eidolon helvum fruit bats: implications for bushmeat consumption in Nigeria

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1283113

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2023.1283113

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Introduction: The Eidolon helvum fruit bat is one of the most widely distributed fruit bats in Africa and known to be a reservoir for several pathogenic viruses that can cause disease in animals and humans. To assess the risk of zoonotic spillover, we conducted a serological survey of 304 serum samples from E. helvum bats that were captured for human consumption in Makurdi, Nigeria. 

Methods: Using pseudotyped viruses, we screened 304 serum samples for neutralising antibodies against viruses from the Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae and Paramyxoviridae families. 

Results: We report the presence of neutralising antibodies against henipavirus lineage GH-M74a virus (odds ratio 6.23; p<0.001), Nipah virus (odds ratio 4.04; p=0.00031), bat influenza H17N10 virus (odds ratio 7.25; p<0.001) and no significant association with Ebola virus (odds ratio 0.56; p=0.375) in this bat cohort.

Conclusions: The data suggest a potential risk of zoonotic spillover including the possible circulation of highly pathogenic viruses in E. helvum populations. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining sero-surveillance of E. helvum, and the necessity for further, more comprehensive investigations to monitor changes in virus prevalence, distribution over time, and across different geographic locations.