Emerging Infectious Diseases (Dec 2018)

Survey of Ebola Viruses in Frugivorous and Insectivorous Bats in Guinea, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2015–2017

  • Helene M. De Nys,
  • Placide Mbala Kingebeni,
  • Alpha K. Keita,
  • Christelle Butel,
  • Guillaume Thaurignac,
  • Christian-Julian Villabona-Arenas,
  • Thomas Lemarcis,
  • Mare Geraerts,
  • Nicole Vidal,
  • Amandine Esteban,
  • Mathieu Bourgarel,
  • François Roger,
  • Fabian Leendertz,
  • Ramadan Diallo,
  • Simon-Pierre Ndimbo-Kumugo,
  • Justus Nsio-Mbeta,
  • Nikki Tagg,
  • Lamine Koivogui,
  • Abdoulaye Toure,
  • Eric Delaporte,
  • Steve Ahuka-Mundeke,
  • Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum,
  • Eitel Mpoudi-Ngole,
  • Ahidjo Ayouba,
  • Martine Peeters

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2412.180740
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 12
pp. 2228 – 2240

Abstract

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To clarify the role of bats in the ecology of Ebola viruses, we assessed the prevalence of Ebola virus antibodies in a large-scale sample of bats collected during 2015–2017 from countries in Africa that have had previous Ebola outbreaks (Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo) or are at high risk for outbreaks (Cameroon). We analyzed 4,022 blood samples of bats from >12 frugivorous and 27 insectivorous species; 2–37 (0.05%–0.92%) bats were seropositive for Zaire and 0–30 (0%–0.75%) bats for Sudan Ebola viruses. We observed Ebola virus antibodies in 1 insectivorous bat genus and 6 frugivorous bat species. Certain bat species widespread across Africa had serologic evidence of Zaire and Sudan Ebola viruses. No viral RNA was detected in the subset of samples tested (n = 665). Ongoing surveillance of bats and other potential animal reservoirs are required to predict and prepare for future outbreaks.

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