Longitudinal Survey of Astrovirus infection in different bat species in Zimbabwe: Evidence of high genetic Astrovirus diversity

Abstract

Astroviruses (AstVs) have been discovered in over 80 animal species including diverse bat species and avian species. A study on Astrovirus circulation and diversity in different insectivorous and frugivorous chiropteran species roosting in trees, caves and building basements was carried out at 11 different sites across Zimbabwe. Pooled and individual faecal sampling methods were used for this study, collection date ranged from June 2016 to July 2021. In two sites, Magweto and Chirundu, sampling was carried out at monthly intervals from August 2020 to July 2021. Astroviruses and bat mitochondrial genes were amplified using pan-AstVs and CytB /12S RNA PCR systems respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the RdRp Astrovirus sequences revealed a high genetic diversity of astroviruses. All the bat astroviruses tested in this study clustered with the Mamastrovirus genus. Two distinct groups of the amplified sequences were identified. One group comprised of sequences isolated from Hipposideros, Rhinolophus and E. helvum spp clustered with Human Astrovirus strains: HuAstV types1-6, HuAstV-MLB1-3 and HuAstV-VA-1. A second group comprised of the majority of the sequences clustered with different strains of Bat AstVs. Results from the longitudinal study at Magweto and Chirundu showed an overall AstV prevalence of 13.7% and 10.4% respectively. Peaks of AstV infection at Chirundu coincided with the period when juveniles are 4-6 months old. Coinfection of bats with CoVs and AstVs at Magweto and Chirundu sites was 2.6% and 3.5% respectively.