RESEARCHERS have identified Bombali ebola virus in an Angolan free-tailed bat captured in the Taita Hills, southeast Kenya. No ebola viruses have been previously reported from wildlife in countries along the east coast of Africa.
There is no current evidence that Bombali ebola virus infects people.
Until recently, five ebola virus species were known, with three of these — Bundibugyo, Sudan and Zaire ebolaviruses — associated with large human outbreaks. The latter is responsible for the devastating 2013-16 outbreak in West Africa and the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
However, the reservoirs of ebola viruses have remained enigmatic, though fruit bats have been implicated and demonstrated as the reservoir for related Marburg virus. Last year a sixth ebola virus species, Bombali virus, was found in saliva and faeces from bats in Sierra Leone. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]
Professor Olli Vapalahti, University of Helsinki, Finland, and Professor Omu Anzala, University of Nairobi, Kenya, are leading a research project focused on developing enhanced preparedness for emerging infectious disease threats, and the researchers have identified Bombali ebola virus in an Angolan free-tailed bat (species: Mops condylurus) captured in the Taita Hills, southeast Kenya. No ebolaviruses have been previously reported from wildlife in Kenya or other countries along the east coast of Africa.
The researchers recovered high amounts of Bombali ebola virus in bat tissues, including its full genome, confirming that productive infection does occur in this species. The bat was also shown to have antibodies towards the virus.
There is no current evidence that Bombali virus infects people, Professor Vapalahti underlines: “Evidence against apparent human infection was obtained by screening febrile patients reporting to clinics in the Taita Hills who have had contact with bats: no signs of Bombali virus infection or past exposure were uncovered.” “However, vigilance and ongoing monitoring are important to understand this viral infection and the risks it may pose to people, and further research is ongoing,” notes principal investigator, disease ecologist Kristian Forbes, University of Arkansas, USA.
Given the vast distance between the identification sites in Sierra Leone and Kenya (ca. 5500mkm) and that the bat species involved is not believed to travel large distances, Bombali virus is likely to be transmitted across its range in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Although recently found, it is obvious that Bombali virus, along with other ebola viruses, has been around since ancient times.
The study will be published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. [/ihc-hide-content]
