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Literature detail

Spatiotemporal Aspects of Hendra Virus Infection in Pteropid Bats (Flying-Foxes) in Eastern Australia.

Hume Field1,2 David Jordan3 Daniel Edson1,4 Stephen Morris3 Debra Melville1 Kerryn Parry-Jones5 Alice Broos1 Anja Divljan5,6 Lee McMichael1,7 Rodney Davis8 Nina Kung1,9 Peter Kirkland8 Craig Smith1
Affiliations 9 institutions
  1. Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
  2. EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York, United States of America.
  3. Wollongbar Primary Industries Institute, Department of Primary Industries, Wollongbar, New South Wales, Australia.
  4. Department of Agriculture, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
  5. Institute of Wildlife Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  6. Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  7. School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
  8. Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia.
  9. Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
PMID 26625128 2015 PLoS One eng epublish
PubMed DOI Browse context

Article

Publication summary

Hendra virus (HeV) causes highly lethal disease in horses and humans in the eastern Australian states of Queensland (QLD) and New South Wales (NSW), with multiple equine cases now reported on an annual basis. Infection and excretion dynamics in pteropid bats (flying-foxes), the recognised natural reservoir, are incompletely understood. We sought to identify key spatial and temporal factors associated with excretion in flying-foxes over a 2300 km latitudinal gradient from northern QLD to southern NSW which encompassed all known equine case locations. The aim was to strengthen knowledge of Hendra virus ecology in flying-foxes to improve spillover risk prediction and exposure risk mitigation strategies, and thus better protect horses and humans. Monthly pooled urine samples were collected from under roosting flying-foxes over a three-year period and screened for HeV RNA by quantitative RT-PCR. A generalised linear model was employed to investigate spatiotemporal associations with HeV detection in 13,968 samples from 27 roosts. There was a non-linear relationship between mean HeV excretion prevalence and five latitudinal regions, with excretion moderate in northern and central QLD, highest in southern QLD/northern NSW, moderate in central NSW, and negligible in southern NSW. Highest HeV positivity occurred where black or spectacled flying-foxes were present; nil or very low positivity rates occurred in exclusive grey-headed flying-fox roosts. Similarly, little red flying-foxes are evidently not a significant source of virus, as their periodic extreme increase in numbers at some roosts was not associated with any concurrent increase in HeV detection. There was a consistent, strong winter seasonality to excretion in the southern QLD/northern NSW and central NSW regions. This new information allows risk management strategies to be refined and targeted, mindful of the potential for spatial risk profiles to shift over time with changes in flying-fox species distribution.

Animals Chiroptera Hendra Virus Henipavirus Infections New South Wales Queensland RNA, Viral Seasons

Structured evidence records

Evidence records

4 total
Reservoir Ecology 3 records
Reservoir Ecology Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Black and spectacled flying-foxes serve as the primary reservoirs for Hendra virus excretion, while grey-headed and little red flying-foxes show minimal or no excretion activity.

Virus
HeV
Location
Australia eastern Australia, Australia
Supporting text

Highest Hendra virus positivity occurred where black or spectacled flying-foxes were present; nil or very low positivity rates occurred in exclusive grey-headed flying-fox roosts. Similarly, little red flying-foxes are evidently not a significant source of virus, as their periodic extreme increase in numbers at some roosts was not associated with any concurrent increase in Hendra virus detection.

Method
quantitative RT-PCR; field sampling
Sample type
urine samples
Geographic raw
eastern Australia
Country inferred
Australia
Reservoir Ecology Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

Hendra virus excretion in flying-fox populations showed clear spatial variation across eastern Australia, peaking in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Virus
HeV
Location
Australia Queensland and New South Wales, Australia
Supporting text

There was a non-linear relationship between mean Hendra virus excretion prevalence and five latitudinal regions, with excretion moderate in northern and central Queensland, highest in southern Queensland/northern New South Wales, moderate in central New South Wales, and negligible in southern New South Wales.

Method
quantitative RT-PCR; generalised linear model analysis
Sample type
urine samples
Geographic raw
Queensland and New South Wales
Country inferred
Australia
Reservoir Ecology Extraction confidence 0.90
Key finding

Hendra virus excretion in flying-fox populations exhibited strong winter seasonality in southern Queensland and northern to central New South Wales regions.

Virus
HeV
Location
Australia southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia
Supporting text

There was a consistent, strong winter seasonality to excretion in the southern Queensland/northern New South Wales and central New South Wales regions.

Method
longitudinal field sampling; quantitative RT-PCR
Sample type
urine samples
Geographic raw
southern Queensland and northern New South Wales
Country inferred
Australia
Zoonotic Surveillance 1 records
Zoonotic Surveillance Extraction confidence 0.95
Key finding

Molecular monitoring of Hendra virus in urine samples from flying-foxes across eastern Australia revealed spatial and seasonal patterns of viral excretion.

Virus
HeV
Location
Australia Queensland and New South Wales, Australia
Supporting text

Monthly pooled urine samples were collected from under roosting flying-foxes over a three-year period and screened for HeV RNA by quantitative RT-PCR. A generalised linear model was employed to investigate spatiotemporal associations with HeV detection in 13,968 samples from 27 roosts in Queensland and New South Wales.

Method
quantitative RT-PCR
Sample type
urine
Geographic raw
Queensland and New South Wales
Country inferred
Australia