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TY - JOUR AU - Munster, Vincent J. AU - Adney, Danielle R. AU - van Doremalen, Neeltje AU - Brown, Vienna R. AU - Miazgowicz, Kerri L. AU - Milne-Price, Shauna AU - Bushmaker, Trenton AU - Rosenke, Rebecca AU - Scott, Dana AU - Hawkinson, Ann AU - de Wit, Emmie AU - Schountz, Tony AU - Bowen, Richard A. PY - 2016 DA - 2016/02/22 TI - Replication and shedding of MERS-CoV in Jamaican fruit bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) JO - Scientific Reports SP - 21878 VL - 6 IS - 1 AB - The emergence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) highlights the zoonotic potential of Betacoronaviruses. Investigations into the origin of MERS-CoV have focused on two potential reservoirs: bats and camels. Here, we investigated the role of bats as a potential reservoir for MERS-CoV. In vitro, the MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein interacted with Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) receptor and MERS-CoV replicated efficiently in Jamaican fruit bat cells, suggesting there is no restriction at the receptor or cellular level for MERS-CoV. To shed light on the intrinsic host-virus relationship, we inoculated 10 Jamaican fruit bats with MERS-CoV. Although all bats showed evidence of infection, none of the bats showed clinical signs of disease. Virus shedding was detected in the respiratory and intestinal tract for up to 9 days. MERS-CoV replicated transiently in the respiratory and, to a lesser extent, the intestinal tracts and internal organs; with limited histopathological changes observed only in the lungs. Analysis of the innate gene expression in the lungs showed a moderate, transient induction of expression. Our results indicate that MERS-CoV maintains the ability to replicate in bats without clinical signs of disease, supporting the general hypothesis of bats as ancestral reservoirs for MERS-CoV. SN - 2045-2322 UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/srep21878 DO - 10.1038/srep21878 ID - Munster2016 ER -