Molecular detection of a novel paramyxovirus in fruit bats from Indonesia

Abstract

Background: Fruit bats are known to harbor zoonotic paramyxoviruses including Nipah, Hendra, and Menangle viruses. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of paramyxovirus RNA in fruit bats from Indonesia.

Methods: RNA samples were obtained from the spleens of 110 fruit bats collected from four locations in Indonesia. All samples were screened by semi-nested broad spectrum reverse transcription PCR targeting the paramyxovirus polymerase (L) genes.

Results: Semi-nested reverse transcription PCR detected five previously unidentified paramyxoviruses from six fruit bats. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these virus sequences were related to henipavirus or rubulavirus.

Conclusions: This study indicates the presence of novel paramyxoviruses among fruit bat populations in Indonesia.

Figure 1

Map of the sampling locations in Indonesia.

Figure 2

Phylogenetic analysis of amino acid sequences derived from partial L gene fragments. The phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the 176 amino acid sequences deduced from the partial L gene fragments identified in the present study (gray shade) and homologous sequences from known paramyxoviruses. The bootstrap values obtained after 1000 replicates are indicated at each branch. Scale bars indicate amino acid substitutions per site.

Figure 3

Amino acid alignment of the GDNQ/GDNE motif. An amino acid alignment of the GDNQ/GDNE motif was constructed based on the sequences of nonsegmented negative-stranded RNA virus RNA polymerase, including paramyxovirus L protein. The conserved GDNQ/GDNE sequences are boxed while GDNE is also shaded in gray.