Straw-Colored Fruit Bats (Eidolon helvum) and Their Bat Flies (Cyclopodia greefi) in Nigeria Host Viruses with Multifarious Modes of Transmission.

Background: Bat flies (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are increasingly appreciated as hosts of "bat-associated" viruses. We studied straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) and their nycteribiid bat flies (Cyclopodia greefi) in Nigeria to investigate the role of bat flies in vectoring or maintaining viruses. Methods: We captured bats and bat flies across northern Nigeria. We used metagenomics to identify viruses in 40 paired samples (20 flies from 20 bats). We characterized viruses using genomic and phylogenetic methods, and we compared infection frequencies in bats and their bat flies. Results: In 20 bats, we detected two individuals (10%) infected with eidolon helvum parvovirus 1 (BtPAR4) (Parvoviridae; Tetraparvovirus), previously described in Ghana, and 10 bats (50%) with a novel parvovirus in the genus Amdoparvovirus (Parvoviridae). The amdoparvoviruses include Aleutian disease virus of mink and viruses of other carnivores but have not previously been identified in bats or in Africa. In 20 paired bat flies (each fly from 1 bat) all (100%) were infected with a novel virus in the genus Sigmavirus (Rhabdoviridae). The sigmaviruses include vertically transmitted viruses of dipterans. We did not detect BtPAR4 in any bat flies, and we did not detect the novel sigmavirus in any bats. However, we did detect the novel amdoparvovirus in 3 out of 20 bat flies sampled (15%), including in 2 bat flies from bats in which we did not detect this virus. Discussion: Our results show that bats and their bat flies harbor some viruses that are specific to mammals and insects, respectively, and other viruses that may transmit between bats and arthropods. Our results also greatly expand the geographic and host range of the amdoparvoviruses and suggest that some could be transmitted by arthropods. Bat flies may serve as biological vectors, mechanical vectors, or maintenance hosts for "bat-associated" viruses.

[Viruses and bats: interdisciplinary issues].

The virologists' attention to bats (Сhiroptera) changed in the late 20th century as the concept of emerging infections grew in popularity. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of publications on bat viruses has increased profoundly.History of the problem; biodiversity of Chiroptera and related viruses; medical and veterinary significance of some viral genera and subgenera (Lyssavirus, Henipavirus, Marburgvirus, Ebolavirus, Sarbecovirus, Merbecovirus), as well as problems of bat protection, are addressed in a concise form. Literature search was carried out in electronic databases, mainly for the period of 2000-2021. Publications in Russian that are poorly represented in English-language reviews are also included. The purpose of the review is to substantiate the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in the context of increased interest in the study of viral infections in bats. This review was written for researchers who have not previously dealt with this problem.Since the beginning of this century, the number of known virus species associated with bats has increased by an order of magnitude (>200). The families Rhabdoviridae, Coronaviridae, Paramyxoviridae are in the first ranks according to the number of findings, and the highest diversity of viruses has been established for the families Vespertilionidae, Pteropodidae, Molossidae. Interdisciplinary cooperation positively influences the efficiency, biological safety and practical significance of the ongoing research. The best results were achieved by multidisciplinary teams with good cross-training in several specialties. Many papers emphasize the need to balance health and conservation interests.The analysis of scientific publications indicates a change in research approaches in this area: from collecting individual facts within the framework of narrow specialties to a comprehensive assessment of new knowledge from ecological, evolutionary and socio-economic positions. Results of the research emphasize the need to maintain complex approaches addressing public health needs and environmental protection. The importance of bat-borne viral infections determines the necessity for correction and interdepartmental coordination of scientific research and surveillance of wildlife zoonoses in the Russian Federation.

Australian Bat Lyssavirus: Analysis of National Bat Surveillance Data from 2010 to 2016.

Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) was first described in 1996 and has been regularly detected in Australian bats since that time. While the virus does not cause population level impacts in bats and has minimal impacts on domestic animals, it does pose a public health risk. For this reason, bats are monitored for ABLV and a national dataset is collated and maintained by Wildlife Health Australia. The 2010-2016 dataset was analysed using logistic regression and time-series analysis to identify predictors of infection status in bats and the factors associated with human exposure to bats. In common with previous passive surveillance studies, we found that little red flying-foxes (Pteropus scapulatus) are more likely than other species to be infected with ABLV. In the four Australian mainland species of flying-fox, there are seasonal differences in infection risk that may be associated with reproductive cycles, with summer and autumn the seasons of greatest risk. The risk of human contact was also seasonal, with lower risk in winter. In line with other studies, we found that the circumstances in which the bat is encountered, such as exhibiting abnormal behaviour or being grounded, are risk factors for ABLV infection and human contact and should continue be key components of public health messaging. We also found evidence of biased recording of some types of information, which made interpretation of some findings more challenging. Strengthening of "One Health" linkages between public health and animal health services at the operational level could help overcome these biases in future, and greater harmonisation nationally would increase the value of the dataset.

A mass mortality event in bats caused by extreme heat: surprising public health challenges.

OBJECTIVES: We examine the public health response to an unprecedented multiple mortality event in bats following an extreme heat event. The main public health risk associated with the event and the environmental clean-up was potential human infection with Australian bat lyssavirus. We also consider the public health implications as we enter an age of climate change, vulnerability and unexpected events. Type of service: The Tropical Public Health Service of Far North Queensland worked collaboratively with the local council to coordinate a practical public health and health protection response to a mass mortality event in bats in late 2018. METHODS: A coordinated response was instigated to remove thousands of decaying bat corpses from residential areas. This occurred alongside a health education campaign advising the public to avoid handling bats. RESULTS: The combined efforts were successful; those requiring vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis were treated appropriately and owing to a successful campaign, exposures were minimised. However, significant issues with misinformation and social media messaging were noted, alongside amateur bat carers handling sick and injured bats inappropriately, compounding the challenge for public health services. This mass mortality event has implications regarding the preparation for and management of other unexpected public health crises related to climate change. LESSONS LEARNT: It is vital that areas populated with bats be prepared for extreme heat events (EHEs). Public health units need to be prepared for the unexpected events of climate change, advocate for a 'one health' approach to public health, and work with local and national governments to become 'climate ready'.

Prevention of human rabies: a challenge for the European Union and the European Economic Area.

Rabies is enzootic in over one hundred countries worldwide. In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), the vast majority of human rabies cases are travellers bitten by dogs in rabies-enzootic countries, mostly in Asia and Africa. Thus, EU/EEA travellers visiting rabies enzootic countries should be aware of the risk of being infected with the rabies virus when having physical contact with mammals. They should consider pre-exposure vaccination following criteria recommended by the World Health Organization and if unvaccinated, immediately seek medical attention in case of bites or scratches from mammals. As the majority of the EU/EEA countries are free from rabies in mammals, elimination of the disease (no enzootic circulation of the virus and low number of imported cases) has been achieved by 2020. However, illegal import of potentially infected animals, mainly dogs, poses a risk to public health and might threaten the elimination goal. Additionally, newly recognised bat lyssaviruses represent a potential emerging threat as the rabies vaccine may not confer protective immunity. To support preparedness activities in EU/EEA countries, guidance for the assessment and the management of the public health risk related to rabies but also other lyssaviruses, should be developed.

Transmission of the Bean-Associated Cytorhabdovirus by the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci MEAM1.

The knowledge of genomic data of new plant viruses is increasing exponentially; however, some aspects of their biology, such as vectors and host range, remain mostly unknown. This information is crucial for the understanding of virus-plant interactions, control strategies, and mechanisms to prevent outbreaks. Typically, rhabdoviruses infect monocot and dicot plants and are vectored in nature by hemipteran sap-sucking insects, including aphids, leafhoppers, and planthoppers. However, several strains of a potentially whitefly-transmitted virus, papaya cytorhabdovirus, were recently described: (i) bean-associated cytorhabdovirus (BaCV) in Brazil, (ii) papaya virus E (PpVE) in Ecuador, and (iii) citrus-associated rhabdovirus (CiaRV) in China. Here, we examine the potential of the Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) to transmit BaCV, its morphological and cytopathological characteristics, and assess the incidence of BaCV across bean producing areas in Brazil. Our results show that BaCV is efficiently transmitted, in experimental conditions, by B. tabaci MEAM1 to bean cultivars, and with lower efficiency to cowpea and soybean. Moreover, we detected BaCV RNA in viruliferous whiteflies but we were unable to visualize viral particles or viroplasm in the whitefly tissues. BaCV could not be singly isolated for pathogenicity tests, identification of the induced symptoms, and the transmission assay. BaCV was detected in five out of the seven states in Brazil included in our study, suggesting that it is widely distributed throughout bean producing areas in the country. This is the first report of a whitefly-transmitted rhabdovirus.

Circumstances of Human-Bat interactions and risk of lyssavirus transmission in metropolitan France.

Since the elimination of dog and terrestrial wild animal rabies, bat exposures remain the only source of autochthonous lyssavirus transmission to humans in Western Europe. European bats have already been found infected with several lyssaviruses, and human-bat interactions represent a risk of viral transmission and fatal encephalitis for humans. In this study, we aim to better characterize exposures to bats in metropolitan France from 2003 to 2016 and to identify circumstances associated with exposures to lyssavirus-positive bats. Two complementary sources of data were analysed: 1/ data associated with bats responsible for human exposure received for Lyssavirus testing by the French National Reference Centre for Rabies (NRCR); and 2/ data pertaining to individuals seeking medical care through the French Anti-Rabies Clinics network after contact with a bat. From 2003 to 2016, 425 bats originating from metropolitan France were submitted to the NRCR and 16 (4%) were found positive with a lyssavirus (EBLV-1b was diagnosed in 9 bats, EBLV-1a in 6 and BBLV in one specimen). The two factors associated with bat positivity in our study were the female sex and the bat belonging to the E. serotinus species. During the same study period, 1718 individuals sought care at an Anti-Rabies Clinic after exposure to a bat resulting in an estimated incidence of human-bat interactions of 1.96 per 106 person-years. The two most frequent circumstances of exposure were handling or bites. Interactions mostly involved one adult human being and one live and non-sick-looking bat. Our study provides new insights about circumstances of human-bat interactions and may be helpful to target prevention interventions to improve the awareness of the population of the risk of lyssavirus transmission.

Human Tibroviruses: Commensals or Lethal Pathogens?

Rhabdoviruses are a large and ecologically diverse family of negative-sense RNA viruses (Mononegavirales: Rhabdoviridae). These viruses are capable of infecting an unexpectedly wide variety of plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates distributed over all human-inhabited continents. However, only a few rhabdoviruses are known to infect humans: a ledantevirus (Le Dantec virus), several lyssaviruses (in particular, rabies virus), and several vesiculoviruses (e.g., Chandipura virus, vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus). Recently, several novel rhabdoviruses have been discovered in the blood of both healthy and severely ill individuals living in Central and Western Africa. These viruses-Bas-Congo virus, Ekpoma virus 1, and Ekpoma virus 2-are members of the little-understood rhabdoviral genus Tibrovirus. Other than the basic genomic architecture, tibroviruses bear little resemblance to well-studied rhabdoviruses such as rabies virus and vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus. These three human tibroviruses are quite divergent from each other, and each of them clusters closely with tibroviruses currently known only from biting midges or healthy cattle. Seroprevalence studies suggest that human tibrovirus infections may be common but are almost entirely unrecognized. The pathogenic potential of this diverse group of viruses remains unknown. Although certain tibroviruses may be benign and well-adapted to humans, others could be newly emerging and produce serious disease. Here, we review the current knowledge of tibroviruses and argue that assessing their impact on human health should be an urgent priority.

Between roost contact is essential for maintenance of European bat lyssavirus type-2 in Myotis daubentonii bat reservoir: 'The Swarming Hypothesis'.

Many high-consequence human and animal pathogens persist in wildlife reservoirs. An understanding of the dynamics of these pathogens in their reservoir hosts is crucial to inform the risk of spill-over events, yet our understanding of these dynamics is frequently insufficient. Viral persistence in a wild bat population was investigated by combining empirical data and in-silico analyses to test hypotheses on mechanisms for viral persistence. A fatal zoonotic virus, European Bat lyssavirus type 2 (EBLV-2), in Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii) was used as a model system. A total of 1839 M. daubentonii were sampled for evidence of virus exposure and excretion during a prospective nine year serial cross-sectional survey. Multivariable statistical models demonstrated age-related differences in seroprevalence, with significant variation in seropositivity over time and among roosts. An Approximate Bayesian Computation approach was used to model the infection dynamics incorporating the known host ecology. The results demonstrate that EBLV-2 is endemic in the study population, and suggest that mixing between roosts during seasonal swarming events is necessary to maintain EBLV-2 in the population. These findings contribute to understanding how bat viruses can persist despite low prevalence of infection, and why infection is constrained to certain bat species in multispecies roosts and ecosystems.

Mechanisms for lyssavirus persistence in non-synanthropic bats in Europe: insights from a modeling study.

Bats are natural reservoirs of the largest proportion of viral zoonoses among mammals, thus understanding the conditions for pathogen persistence in bats is essential to reduce human risk. Focusing on the European Bat Lyssavirus subtype 1 (EBLV-1), causing rabies disease, we develop a data-driven spatially explicit metapopulation model to investigate EBLV-1 persistence in Myotis myotis and Miniopterus schreibersii bat species in Catalonia. We find that persistence relies on host spatial structure through the migratory nature of M. schreibersii, on cross-species mixing with M. myotis, and on survival of infected animals followed by temporary immunity. The virus would not persist in the single colony of M. myotis. Our study provides for the first time epidemiological estimates for EBLV-1 progression in M. schreibersii. Our approach can be readily adapted to other zoonoses of public health concern where long-range migration and habitat sharing may play an important role.

Flanders hapavirus in western North America.

Flanders virus (FLAV; family Rhabdoviridae) is a mosquito-borne hapavirus with no known pathology that is frequently isolated during arbovirus surveillance programs. Here, we document the presence of FLAV in Culex tarsalis mosquitoes and a Canada goose (Branta canadensis) collected in western North America, outside of the currently recognized range of FLAV. Until now, FLAV-like viruses detected in the western United States were assumed to be Hart Park virus (HPV, family Rhabdoviridae), a closely related congener. A re-examination of archived viral isolates revealed that FLAV was circulating in California as early as 1963. FLAV also was isolated in Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan, Canada. Phylogenetic analysis of the U1 pseudogene for 117 taxa and eight nuclear genes for 15 taxa demonstrated no distinct clustering between western FLAV isolates. Assuming the range of FLAV has been expanding west, these results indicate that FLAV likely spread west following multiple invasion events. However, it remains to be determined if the detection of FLAV in western North America is due to expansion or is a result of enhanced arbovirus surveillance or diagnostic techniques. Currently, the impact of FLAV infection remains unknown.

Molecular Evidence of Chandipura Virus from Sergentomyia species of Sandflies in Gujarat, India.

The spread and establishment of Chandipura virus (CHPV) infection in India has raised serious epidemiological concerns. The virus interface with the vertebrate hosts (including humans) and vector competence are the important parameters of disease prevalence. Interestingly, in the present study, a highly zoophilic species of the sandfly Sergentomyia was found to be a potential vector of CHPV in Gujarat. This is probably the first report from India of male sandflies testing positive for CHPV in RT-PCR analysis. These findings signify vertical transmission of the virus among sandflies and have epidemiological significance. Health Officers from Gujarat referred 9 pools comprising 277 adult sandflies from disease-affected and unaffected areas to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. The pools were subjected to RT-PCR analysis and sequencing. Of the 9, 2 female and one male pool tested positive for CHPV. Phylogenetic analysis showed similarity of the new sandfly-borne CHPV strains with the human strain from Andhra Pradesh (AP) 2003. The present study highlights the possible role of Sergentomyia spp. in the transmission of CHPV in India.

Introduction of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus into Freshwater Cultured Rainbow Trout Is Followed by Bursts of Adaptive Evolution.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), a rhabdovirus infecting teleost fish, has repeatedly crossed the boundary from marine fish species to freshwater cultured rainbow trout. These naturally replicated cross-species transmission events permit the study of general and repeatable evolutionary events occurring in connection with viral emergence in a novel host species. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the adaptive molecular evolution of the VHSV glycoprotein, one of the key virus proteins involved in viral emergence, following emergence from marine species into freshwater cultured rainbow trout. A comprehensive phylogenetic reconstruction of the complete coding region of the VHSV glycoprotein was conducted, and adaptive molecular evolution was investigated using a maximum likelihood approach to compare different codon substitution models allowing for heterogeneous substitution rate ratios among amino acid sites. Evidence of positive selection was detected at six amino acid sites of the VHSV glycoprotein, within the signal peptide, the confirmation-dependent major neutralizing epitope, and the intracellular tail. Evidence of positive selection was found exclusively in rainbow trout-adapted virus isolates, and amino acid combinations found at the six sites under positive selection pressure differentiated rainbow trout- from non-rainbow trout-adapted isolates. Furthermore, four adaptive sites revealed signs of recurring identical changes across phylogenetic groups of rainbow trout-adapted isolates, suggesting that repeated VHSV emergence in freshwater cultured rainbow trout was established through convergent routes of evolution that are associated with immune escape.IMPORTANCE This study is the first to demonstrate that VHSV emergence from marine species into freshwater cultured rainbow trout has been accompanied by bursts of adaptive evolution in the VHSV glycoprotein. Furthermore, repeated detection of the same adaptive amino acid sites across phylogenetic groups of rainbow trout-adapted isolates indicates that adaptation to rainbow trout was established through parallel evolution. In addition, signals of convergent evolution toward the maintenance of genetic variation were detected in the conformation-dependent neutralizing epitope or in close proximity to disulfide bonds involved in the structural conformation of the neutralizing epitope, indicating adaptation to immune response-related genetic variation across freshwater cultured rainbow trout.

Possible Transmission of Irkut Virus from Dogs to Humans.

Lyssaviruses, including Rabies virus, Duvenhage virus, European bat lyssavirus 1, European bat lyssavirus 2, Australian bat lyssavirus, and Irkut virus (IRKV), have caused human fatalities, but infection of IRKV in dogs has not been previously reported. In China, a dead dog that previously bit a human was determined to be infected with IRKV. Pathogenicity tests revealed that IRKVs can cause rabies-like disease in dogs and cats after laboratory infection. The close relationship between humans and pets, such as dogs and cats, may generate a new spillover-spreading route for IRKV infection. Therefore, additional attention should be paid to trans-species infection of IRKV between bats and dogs or dogs and humans through investigation of the prevalence and circulation patterns of IRKV in China.

The lyssavirus host-specificity conundrum-rabies virus-the exception not the rule.

Lyssaviruses are a diverse range of viruses which all cause the disease rabies. Of the 16 recognized species, only rabies viruses (RABV) have multiple host reservoirs. Although lyssaviruses are capable of infecting all mammals, onward transmission in a new host population requires adaptation of the virus, in a number of stages with both host and virus factors determining the outcome. Due to an absence of recorded non-RABV host shifts, RABV data is extrapolated to draw conclusions for all lyssaviruses. In this article, we have focused on evidence of host shifts in the same insectivorous bat reservoir species in North America (RABV) and Europe (EBLV-1, EBLV-2 and BBLV). How RABV has successfully crossed species barriers and established infectious cycles in new hosts to be the global multi-host pathogen it is today, whilst other lyssaviruses appear restricted in host species is explored in this review. It hypothesized that RABV is the exception, rather than the rule, in this fascinating genus of viruses.

Potential exposure to Australian bat lyssavirus is unlikely to prevent future bat handling among adults in South East Queensland.

Despite ongoing public health messages about the risks associated with bat contact, the number of potential exposures to Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) due to intentional handling by members of the general public in Queensland has remained high. We sought to better understand the reasons for intentional handling among these members of the public who reported their potential exposure to inform future public health messages. We interviewed adults who resided in a defined geographic area in South East Queensland and notified potential exposure to ABLV due to intentional handling of bats by telephone between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2013. The participation rate was 54%. Adults who reported they had intentionally handled bats in South East Queensland indicated high levels of knowledge and perception of a moderately high risk associated with bats with overall low intentions to handle bats in the future. However, substantial proportions of people would attempt to handle bats again in some circumstances, particularly to protect their children or pets. Fifty-two percent indicated that they would handle a bat if a child was about to pick up or touch a live bat, and 49% would intervene if a pet was interacting with a bat. Future public health communications should recognize the situations in which even people with highrisk perceptions of bats will attempt to handle them. Public health messages currently focus on avoidance of bats in all circumstances and recommend calling in a trained vaccinated handler, but messaging directed at adults for circumstances where children or pets may be potentially exposed should provide safe immediate management options.

RNAi-mediated treatment of two vertically transmitted rhabdovirus infecting the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis).

Rhabdoviruses are a family of enveloped negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses infecting a variety of hosts. Recently, two vertically transmitted salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) rhabdoviruses (LsRV) have been identified. The prevalence of these viruses was measured along the Norwegian coast and found to be close to 100%, and with the present lack of suitable cell lines to propagate these viruses, it is challenging to obtain material to study their host impact and infection routes. Thus, virus free lice strains were established from virus infected lice carrying one or both LsRVs by treating them with N protein dsRNA twice during development. The viral replication of the N protein was specifically down-regulated following introduction of virus-specific dsRNA, and virus-free lice strains were maintained for several generations. A preliminary study on infection routes suggested that the LsRV-No9 is maternally transmitted, and that the virus transmits from males to females horizontally. The ability to produce virus free strains allows for further studies on transmission modes and how these viruses influences on the L.salmonis interaction with its salmonid host. Moreover, this study provides a general fundament for future studies on how vertically transmitted rhabdoviruses influence the biology of their arthropod hosts.

Kanyawara Virus: A Novel Rhabdovirus Infecting Newly Discovered Nycteribiid Bat Flies Infesting Previously Unknown Pteropodid Bats in Uganda.

Bats are natural reservoir hosts of highly virulent pathogens such as Marburg virus, Nipah virus, and SARS coronavirus. However, little is known about the role of bat ectoparasites in transmitting and maintaining such viruses. The intricate relationship between bats and their ectoparasites suggests that ectoparasites might serve as viral vectors, but evidence to date is scant. Bat flies, in particular, are highly specialized obligate hematophagous ectoparasites that incidentally bite humans. Using next-generation sequencing, we discovered a novel ledantevirus (mononegaviral family Rhabdoviridae, genus Ledantevirus) in nycteribiid bat flies infesting pteropodid bats in western Uganda. Mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that both the bat flies and their bat hosts belong to putative new species. The coding-complete genome of the new virus, named Kanyawara virus (KYAV), is only distantly related to that of its closest known relative, Mount Elgon bat virus, and was found at high titers in bat flies but not in blood or on mucosal surfaces of host bats. Viral genome analysis indicates unusually low CpG dinucleotide depletion in KYAV compared to other ledanteviruses and rhabdovirus groups, with KYAV displaying values similar to rhabdoviruses of arthropods. Our findings highlight the possibility of a yet-to-be-discovered diversity of potentially pathogenic viruses in bat ectoparasites.

Potential risk of viral transmission from flying foxes to domestic animals and humans on the southern coast of West Java, Indonesia.

Flying foxes have been considered to be involved in the transmission of serious infectious diseases to humans. Using questionnaires, we aimed to determine the direct and/or indirect contacts of flying foxes in an Indonesian nature conservation area with domestic animals and humans living in the surrounding area. We surveyed 150 residents of 10 villages in West Java. Villages were classified into 3 groups: inside and/or within 1 km from the outer border of the conservation area and 1-5 km or 5-10 km away from the reserve's outer border. Data were collected by direct interview using a structured questionnaire consisting of the respondent characteristics (age, sex and occupation); histories of contacts between flying foxes and humans, dogs and other domestic animals; and knowledge about infectious diseases, mainly rabies, in flying foxes. We found that flying foxes from the nature conservation area often enter residential areas at night to look for food, especially during the fruit season. In these residential areas, flying foxes had direct contacts with humans and a few contacts with domestic animals, especially dogs. People who encounter flying foxes seldom used personal protective equipment, such as leather gloves, goggles and caps. The residents living around the conservation area mostly had poor knowledge about flying foxes and disease transmission. This situation shows that the population in this region is at a quite high risk for contracting infectious diseases from flying foxes.

Neuropathogenesis by Chandipura virus: An acute encephalitis syndrome in India.

Chandipura virus (CHPV) has been contributing to the rising number of premature deaths due to acute encephalitis syndrome for over a decade in India. CHPV belongs to the family Rhabdoviridae. Neuropathogenesis of CHPV has been well established but the exact route of entry into the central nervous system (CNS) and the triggering factor for neuronal death are still unknown. Rabies virus and vesicular stomatitis virus, which are related closely to CHPV, enter the CNS retrogradely from peripheral or olfactory neurons. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier has also been connoted in the entry of CHPV into the CNS. CHPV upon entering the neurons triggers cellular stress factors and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The stress granules produced in response to cellular stress have been implicated in viral replication and ROS generation, which stimulates neuronal death. Both these phenomena cohesively explain the neuropathogenesis and neurodegeneration following CHPV infection.