Domesticated animals as hosts of henipaviruses and filoviruses: A systematic review

Abstract

Bat-borne viruses carry undeniable risks to the health of human beings and animals, and there is growing recognition of the need for a 'One Health' approach to understand their frequently complex spill-over routes. While domesticated animals can play central roles in major spill-over events of zoonotic bat-borne viruses, for example during the pig-amplified Malaysian Nipah virus outbreak of 1998-1999, the extent of their potential to act as bridging or amplifying species for these viruses has not been characterised systematically. This review aims to compile current knowledge on the role of domesticated animals as hosts of two types of bat-borne viruses, henipaviruses and filoviruses. A systematic literature search of these virus-host interactions in domesticated animals identified 72 relevant studies, which were categorised by year, location, design and type of evidence generated. The review then focusses on Africa as a case study, comparing research efforts in domesticated animals and bats with the distributions of documented human cases. Major gaps remain in our knowledge of the potential ability of domesticated animals to contract or spread these zoonoses. Closing these gaps will be necessary to fully evaluate and mitigate spill-over risks of these viruses, especially with global agricultural intensification.

Predicting the global mammalian viral sharing network using phylogeography

“…It is possible that the high predicted centrality of known hosts was due partly to selective sampling (i.e., viral researchers are more likely to sample wide-ranging and common host species that also share viruses with many other species 10,20 ). This possibility is supported by the greater link number for species that appear in both EID2 and our dataset rather than in only one of the two, as these species are presumably more well-known ( Figure 2C).…”

“…Previous investigations into pairwise determinants of viral sharing have been limited to single host orders (e.g., bats 17,18 , primates 19 , ungulates 16 , and carnivores 14,16 ), while sometimes lumping together different types of parasites (e.g., helminths, viruses, and bacteria). Yet, many viruses are shared across large host phylogenetic distances (e.g., Nipah virus in bats and pigs, among many others 20,21 ), requiring a broader understanding of viral sharing across mammals to predict global patterns.…”

Human-animal interactions and bat coronavirus spillover potential among rural residents in Southern China

“…henipavirses and filoviruses) [38][39][40][41]. It is possible that these findings reflect other indirect exposures to bat CoVs, and future surveillance may benefit from including a wide range of livestock and peridomestic animals in viral and serological studies to identify potential spillover pathways [42][43][44][45].…”

Changing resource landscapes and spillover of henipaviruses

“…However, this is extremely challenging due to the panmictic continental distribution of E. helvum fruit bats . HNV antibodies detected in domestic animals indicate prior exposure to HNV, although details surrounding spillover events are unavailable . Nonetheless, these findings add to a consensus that the human‐driven resource shifts are altering the bat–human interface and risk of HNV spillover.…”

“…Numerous domestic and peridomestic animals, including pigs, horses, cats, rats, dogs, and laboratory animals, are susceptible to HNVs (see Ref. ), as are humans and many pteropodid and insectivorous bat species …”