Genetic and Antigenetic Characterization of the Novel Kotalahti Bat Lyssavirus (KBLV)
Sten Calvelage,
Niina Tammiranta,
Tiina Nokireki,
Tuija Gadd,
Elisa Eggerbauer,
Luca M. Zaeck,
Madlin Potratz,
Claudia Wylezich,
Dirk Höper,
Thomas Müller,
Stefan Finke,
Conrad M. Freuling
Affiliations
Sten Calvelage
Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Niina Tammiranta
Finnish Food Authority, Research Department, Virology Unit, Mustialankatu 3, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland
Tiina Nokireki
Finnish Food Authority, Research Department, Virology Unit, Mustialankatu 3, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland
Tuija Gadd
Finnish Food Authority, Research Department, Virology Unit, Mustialankatu 3, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland
Elisa Eggerbauer
Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Luca M. Zaeck
Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Madlin Potratz
Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Claudia Wylezich
Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Dirk Höper
Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Thomas Müller
Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Stefan Finke
Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), WHO Collaborating Centre for Rabies Surveillance and Research, OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
Conrad M. Freuling
Central Duties, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
There is a growing diversity of bat-associated lyssaviruses in the Old World. In August 2017, a dead Brandt’s bat (Myotis brandtii) tested positive for rabies and based on partial sequence analysis, the novel Kotalahti bat lyssavirus (KBLV) was identified. Because the bat was in an autolyzed state, isolation of KBLV was neither successful after three consecutive cell passages on cells nor in mice. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was applied using Ion Torrent ™ S5 technology coupled with target enrichment via hybridization-based capture (myBaits®) was used to sequence 99% of the genome, comprising of 11,878 nucleotides (nt). KBLV is most closely related to EBLV-2 (78.7% identity), followed by KHUV (79.0%) and BBLV (77.6%), supporting the assignment as phylogroup I lyssavirus. Interestingly, all of these lyssaviruses were also isolated from bat species of the genus Myotis, thus supporting that M. brandtii is likely the reservoir host. All information on antigenic and genetic divergence fulfil the species demarcation criteria by ICTV, so that we recommend KBLV as a novel species within the Lyssavirus genus. Next to sequence analyses, assignment to phylogroup I was functionally corroborated by cross-neutralization of G-deleted RABV, pseudotyped with KBLV-G by sera from RABV vaccinated humans. This suggests that conventional RABV vaccines also confer protection against the novel KBLV.
