The Prevalence of Viral Pathogens among Bats in Kazakhstan

• Published in: Viruses 2022-12, Vol.14 (12), p.2743
• Main Authors: Karagulov, Adilbay I, Argimbayeva, Takhmina U, Omarova, Zamira D, Tulendibayev, Ali B, Dushayeva, Laura Zh, Svotina, Marina A, Melisbek, Aibarys M, Aubakir, Nurdos A, Barmak, Sabyrkhan M, Sultankulova, Kulyaisan T, Alibekova, Dana A, Yermekbai, Tanat T, Nametov, Askar M, Lozovoy, Dmitry A, Abeuov, Khairulla B, Orynbayev, Mukhit B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alphacoronaviruses; Analysis; Animals; bat; Bats; Biological diversity; Chiroptera; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Distribution; Eptesicus serotinus; Guano; Health aspects; Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo; Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean; Humans; Infectious diseases; Influenza A; Kazakhstan; Kazakhstan - epidemiology; Middle East respiratory syndrome; Myotis blythii; N gene; Nyctalus noctula; Pathogenic microorganisms; Pathogens; phylogenetic analysis; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Rabies; rabies virus; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Vespertilio murinus; viral diversity; Viruses
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v14122743

Bats carry thousands of viruses from 28 different families. To determine the presence of various pathogens in bat populations in Kazakhstan, 1149 samples (393 oropharyngeal swabs, 349 brain samples, 407 guano) were collected. The samples were collected from four species of bats ( , , , ) in nine regions. The Coronavirus RNA was found in 38 (4.75%) samples, and the rabies virus in 27 (7.74%) samples from bats. Coronaviruses and the rabies virus were found in bats in six out of nine studied areas. The RNAs of SARS-CoV-2, MERS, TBE, CCHF, WNF, influenza A viruses were not detected in the bat samples. The phylogeny of the RdRp gene of 12 samples made it possible to classify them as alphacoronaviruses and divide them into two groups. The main group ( = 11) was closely related to bat coronaviruses from Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya. The second group ( = 1) was closely related to viruses previously isolated in the south of Kazakhstan. The phylogeny of the N gene sequence from a bat from west Kazakhstan revealed its close relationship with isolates from the Cosmopolitan group of rabies viruses (Central Asia). These results highlight the need for a continuous monitoring of volatile populations to improve the surveillance and detection of infectious diseases.