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Scientists detect presence of marburg virus in african fruit bats
August 22, 2007
A collaborative team of scientists reported findings today demonstrating the presence of Marburg virus RNA genome and antibodies in a common species of African fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus). Appearing in the open-access scientific journal PLoS ONE, the study is the first in which RT-PCR and serological findings have both affirmed Marburg infection in a specific bat species. The natural reservoir for Marburg virus has been the subject of much speculation and scientific investigation. In demonstrating evidence of infection in this common species of fruit bat, the paper provides new insight into a deadly disease that has long baffled epidemiologists, ecologists and virologists, and in which the public has shown a sustained interest.
The work was done in collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, and the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF) and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Franceville, Gabon.
"Identifying Marburg infection in the African fruit bats brings us one step closer to understanding this deadly disease," says Dr. Eric Leroy of CIRMF, corresponding author on the paper.
Marburg virus and the related Ebola virus have caused large outbreaks with high case fatalities (80-90%) in humans and great apes. No vaccine or drug therapy is available presently. The paper reports detection of viral RNA from four out of 283 R. aegyptiacus bats in a collection of over 1100 bats tested, representing 10 species. Interestingly, 29 of 242 R. aegyptiacus bats also tested serologically positive for Marburg virus as evidenced by the presence of IgG antibodies in bat sera. Neither Marburg virus RNA nor specific antibody were detected in any of the other species of bats tested. All bats were trapped near caves in 2005 and 2006 in Gabon and the Republic of Congo. Genetic sequences obtained from the infected bats in this study are unique compared to other known Marburg virus sequences. R. aegyptiacus is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa.
"From a public health perspective, this discovery offers us new insight into the transmission of Marburg virus and potentially other filoviruses," says Dr. Jonathan Towner, senior microbiologist at the CDC and lead author on the publication. The publication coincides with recent reports of Marburg infection among Ugandan miners.
Public Library of Science
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Related Marburg Virus Current Events and Marburg Virus News Articles Marburg Virus Current Events and Marburg Virus News RSS Vaccine for Ebola virus One of the world's deadliest diseases, caused by the Ebola virus, may finally be preventable thanks to US and Canadian researchers, who have successfully tested several Ebola vaccines in primates and are now looking to adapt them for human use.
Combination vaccine protects monkeys from ebola and Marburg viruses An experimental, combination vaccine against Ebola and Marburg viruses using virus-like particles (VLPs) provides complete protection against infection in monkeys.
Agencies must win trust of locals to contain Marburg and Ebola outbreaks Outbreaks of filovirus haemorrhagic fevers (FHFs) such as those caused by the Ebola and Marburg viruses can only be controlled if agencies have the support and trust of local communities, according to two papers just published in the online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases as part of a special supplement on filovirusues.
'GreeneChip' — New diagnostic tool that rapidly and accurately identifies multiple pathogens Researchers in the Greene Infectious Disease Laboratory at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and their colleagues in the WHO Global Laboratory Network have developed a new tool for pathogen surveillance and discovery-the GreeneChip System.
Tulane researcher reports on origin of deadly fever outbreak Bats or other cave dwelling animals may have been responsible for the deadly 1998-2000 outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever among gold miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Compound might defeat African sleeping sickness, clinical trial beginning this month One of the most devastating diseases in sub-Saharan Africa almost disappeared in the late 1950s. That disease, African sleeping sickness, or trypanosomiasis, largely succumbed to heroic public health efforts - including relocating entire villages. More Marburg Virus Current Events and Marburg Virus News Articles
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