Coronavirus and Paramyxovirus Shedding by Bats in a Cave and Buildings in Ethiopia.

Bats are important hosts of zoonotic viruses with pandemic potential, including filoviruses, MERS-Coronavirus (CoV), SARS-CoV -1, and likely SARS-CoV-2. Viral infection and transmission among wildlife are dependent on a combination of factors that include host ecology and immunology, life history traits, roosting habitats, biogeography, and external stressors. Between 2016 and 2018, four species of insectivorous bats from a readily accessed roadside cave and buildings in Ethiopia were sampled and tested for viruses using consensus PCR assays for five viral families/genera. Previously identified and novel coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses were identified in 99 of the 589 sampled bats. Bats sampled from the cave site were more likely to test positive for a CoV than bats sampled from buildings; viral shedding was more common in the wet season; and rectal swabs were the most common sample type to test positive. A previously undescribed alphacoronavirus was detected in two bat species from different taxonomic families, sampling interfaces, geographic locations, and years. These findings expand knowledge of the range and diversity of coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses in insectivorous bats in Ethiopia and reinforce that an improved understanding of viral diversity and species-specific shedding dynamics is important for designing informed zoonotic disease surveillance and spillover risk reduction efforts.

Epidemiology of Porcine Cysticercosis in Eastern and Southern Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Taenia solium cysticercosis is the most common cause of acquired epilepsy in pig-raising and pork-consuming parts of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. This review aimed to systematically compile and synthesize data on the epidemiology of porcine cysticercosis in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) region. Comprehensive searching strategies were employed to retrieve the studies published or reported between January 1,1997 and March 1, 2021, from Pub Med, Hinari, and Google Scholar databases and search platforms. The identified studies that met the inclusion criteria were then appraised for methodological quality. Finally, 44 studies obtained from nine countries were selected and included in this review. Relevant data were extracted using standardized templates for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. The overall pooled prevalence estimate of porcine cysticercosis in the ESA region was 17% (95% CI: 14-20%). The prevalence level between and within countries showed high variability. The pooled estimate showed high heterogeneity among the reports (the inverse variance index value (I2) of 98.99%, p < 0.05). The meta-analysis sub-grouped by the type of diagnostic test showed the pooled prevalence estimate of 27% (95% CI: 9-50) by carcass dissection; 23% (95% CI: 14-33) by Antibody-based immunodiagnostic techniques; 23% (95% CI: 18-29) by antigen detecting (Ag)-ELISA, 12% (95% CI: 7-18) by meat inspection, and 9% (95% CI: 7-11) by lingual examination. The meta-analysis sub-grouped by region showed a relatively higher pooled prevalence estimate for the Southern region 22% (95% CI: 15-30) compared to 13% (95% CI: 11-15) in the Eastern region. The highest country-based pooled prevalence was obtained from South Africa (33%, 95% CI: 20-48) and Zambia (22%, 95% CI: 16-29), whereas the lowest pooled prevalence was identified in Madagascar (5%, 95% CI: 4-5) and Rwanda (7%, 95% CI: 6-8). The lack of latrine, traditional pig husbandry practices, unprotected water sources, and increase in age were identified as significant risk factors for the occurrence of porcine cysticercosis in the pooled studies. The findings of this review will provide context-specific input to prioritize the possible intervention programs for T. solium control in the ESA region. More sensitive and specific test-based prevalence estimates, detailed risk factor investigations, and financial losses analysis are needed to establish feasible control strategies. Systematic Review Registration: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42021238931.