Novel and Diverse Non-Rabies Rhabdoviruses Identified in Bats with Human Exposure, South Dakota, USA.

ABSTRACT: Bats are a host and reservoir for a large number of viruses, many of which are zoonotic. In North America, the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) is widely distributed and common. Big brown bats are a known reservoir for rabies virus, which, combined with their propensity to roost in human structures, necessitates testing for rabies virus following human exposure. The current pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, likely of bat origin, illustrates the need for continued surveillance of wildlife and bats for potentially emerging zoonotic viruses. Viral metagenomic sequencing was performed on 39 big brown bats and one hoary bat submitted for rabies testing due to human exposure in South Dakota. A new genotype of American bat vesiculovirus was identified in s

SUBMITTER: Hause BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7762532 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature