Isolation of Batborne Neglected Zoonotic Agent Issyk-Kul Virus, Italy

Abstract

We isolated Issyk-Kul virus (ISKV) from a bat sampled from Italy in 2021 and conducted ISKV-specific surveillance in bats collected in Italy during 2017-2023. ISKV circulation among synanthropic and sedentary species of bat, such as Savi's pipistrelle bat (Hypsugo savii) in northern Italy, may have public health implications in this region.

Keywords: Hypsugo savii; Issyk-kul virus; Italy; Orthonairovirus; bats; vector-borne infections; viruses; zoonosis.

Figure 1

Microscopic appearance of Issyk-Kul virus IT-297348-34/2022, isolated from a Hypsugo savii bat, in study of batborne neglected zoonotic agent Issyk-Kul virus, Italy. A) Issyk-Kul–infected MARC 145 cells, mock infection; original magnification ×10. B) Issyk-Kul–infected MARC 145 cells showing cytopathic effect at 120 hours after infection; original magnification ×4. C) Issyk-Kul–infected MARC 145 cells showing cytopathic effect at 120 hours after infection; original magnification ×10. D) Negative-staining electron microscopy performed on cell supernatants (NaPT 2%), showing a viral particle of 55–60 nm morphologically referable to nairovirus; original magnification ≈x550,000

Figure 2

Phylogenetic analysis of isolates from study of batborne neglected zoonotic agent Issyk-Kul virus, Italy A) Phylogeneny nairovirus protein sequences for Orthonairovirus large (L) segments, including the complete sequence obtained from Hypsugo savii bats, highlighted in yellow. Sequence colors were based on the genogroups proposed by Ozeki et al. 2022 (12). B) Nucleotide alignment magnification of a short PCR-targeted region of the L segment, encompassing all sequences derived from bat surveillance conducted during 2017–2023 identified as Issyk-Kul virus IT-297348-34/2022. Numbers along branches indicate bootstrap values.