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Fulltext Evidence for Nipah virus recrudescence and serological patterns of captive Pteropus vampyrus

Sohayati AR, Hassan L, Sharifah SH, Lazarus K, Zaini CM, Epstein JH, et al.

Epidemiol Infect, 2011 Oct;139(10):1570-9.
PMID: 21524339 DOI: 10.1017/S0950268811000550

This study aimed to describe the transmission dynamics, the serological and virus excretion patterns of Nipah virus (NiV) in Pteropus vampyrus bats. Bats in captivity were sampled every 7-21 days over a 1-year period. The data revealed five NiV serological patterns categorized as high and low positives, waning, decreasing and increasing, and negative in these individuals. The findings strongly suggest that NiV circulates in wild bat populations and that antibody could be maintained for long periods. The study also found that pup and juvenile bats from seropositive dams tested seropositive, indicating that maternal antibodies against NiV are transmitted passively, and in this study population may last up to 14 months. NiV was isolated from the urine of one bat, and within a few weeks, two other seronegative bats seroconverted. Based on the temporal cluster of seroconversion, we strongly believe that the NiV isolated was recrudesced and then transmitted horizontally between bats during the study period.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Henipaviruses: a new family of emerging Paramyxoviruses

Wild TF

Pathol. Biol., 2009 Mar;57(2):188-96.
PMID: 18511217 DOI: 10.1016/j.patbio.2008.04.006

Paramyxoviruses have been implicated in both animal and human infections. Some viruses, such as Morbilliviruses are responsible for large-scale epidemics. However, there are limited observations of these viruses crossing the host species barrier in nature. In 1994, in Australia a fatal infection in horses and humans was identified to be caused by a new Paramyxovirus, Hendra virus (HeV), and in 1998 in Malaysia, a closely related virus, Nipah virus (NiV) was responsible for fatal infections in pigs and humans. These two viruses were sufficiently different from previously described Paramyxoviruses to create a new genus, Henipaviruses. The natural reservoir of these viruses was the fruit bat (Pteropus), which is found in regions extending from the western Pacific to the eastern coast of Africa. Serological studies have established that as many as half the fruit bats in colonies throughout these regions may have antibodies against this family of viruses. The availability of diagnostic reagents for Nipah virus in humans have identified infections in several countries including, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia. In some of these epidemics, mortality in humans exceeds 75%. Deforestation is probably responsible for fruit bats leaving their ecological niches and approaching farms and villages. The infection of humans and animals may occur via contaminated foods or in certain cases by animals to man. At present, only within close families has human-to-human transmission been proposed. Henipavirus infections are probably more widespread than it is at presently known and so it is important to have an intense monitoring for these diseases, especially in countries where large-scale deforestation is happening.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Henipaviruses: emerging paramyxoviruses associated with fruit bats

Field HE, Mackenzie JS, Daszak P

Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 2007;315:133-59.
PMID: 17848064

Two related, novel, zoonotic paramyxoviruses have been described recently. Hendra virus was first reported in horses and thence humans in Australia in 1994; Nipah virus was first reported in pigs and thence humans in Malaysia in 1998. Human cases of Nipah virus infection, apparently unassociated with infection in livestock, have been reported in Bangladesh since 2001. Species of fruit bats (genus Pteropus) have been identified as natural hosts of both agents. Anthropogenic changes (habitat loss, hunting) that have impacted the population dynamics of Pteropus species across much of their range are hypothesised to have facilitated emergence. Current strategies for the management of henipaviruses are directed at minimising contact with the natural hosts, monitoring identified intermediate hosts, improving biosecurity on farms, and better disease recognition and diagnosis. Investigation of the emergence and ecology of henipaviruses warrants a broad, cross-disciplinary ecosystem health approach that recognises the critical linkages between human activity, ecological change, and livestock and human health.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Fulltext Hendra virus and Nipah virus animal vaccines

Broder CC, Weir DL, Reid PA

Vaccine, 2016 06 24;34(30):3525-34.
PMID: 27154393 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.03.075

Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are zoonotic viruses that emerged in the mid to late 1990s causing disease outbreaks in livestock and people. HeV appeared in Queensland, Australia in 1994 causing a severe respiratory disease in horses along with a human case fatality. NiV emerged a few years later in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998-1999 causing a large outbreak of encephalitis with high mortality in people and also respiratory disease in pigs which served as amplifying hosts. The key pathological elements of HeV and NiV infection in several species of mammals, and also in people, are a severe systemic and often fatal neurologic and/or respiratory disease. In people, both HeV and NiV are also capable of causing relapsed encephalitis following recovery from an acute infection. The known reservoir hosts of HeV and NiV are several species of pteropid fruit bats. Spillovers of HeV into horses continue to occur in Australia and NiV has caused outbreaks in people in Bangladesh and India nearly annually since 2001, making HeV and NiV important transboundary biological threats. NiV in particular possesses several features that underscore its potential as a pandemic threat, including its ability to infect humans directly from natural reservoirs or indirectly from other susceptible animals, along with a capacity of limited human-to-human transmission. Several HeV and NiV animal challenge models have been developed which have facilitated an understanding of pathogenesis and allowed for the successful development of both active and passive immunization countermeasures.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Fatal fruit bat virus sparks epidemics in southern Asia

Butler D

Nature, 2004 May 6;429(6987):7.
PMID: 15129247
Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Fulltext A 'what-if' scenario: Nipah virus attacks pig trade chains in Thailand

Wongnak P, Thanapongtharm W, Kusakunniran W, Karnjanapreechakorn S, Sutassananon K, Kalpravidh W, et al.

BMC Vet Res, 2020 Aug 24;16(1):300.
PMID: 32838786 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02502-4

BACKGROUND: Nipah virus (NiV) is a fatal zoonotic agent that was first identified amongst pig farmers in Malaysia in 1998, in an outbreak that resulted in 105 fatal human cases. That epidemic arose from a chain of infection, initiating from bats to pigs, and which then spilled over from pigs to humans. In Thailand, bat-pig-human communities can be observed across the country, particularly in the central plain. The present study therefore aimed to identify high-risk areas for potential NiV outbreaks and to model how the virus is likely to spread. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and weighted linear combination (WLC) were employed to produce the NiV risk map. The map was then overlaid with the nationwide pig movement network to identify the index subdistricts in which NiV may emerge. Subsequently, susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) modeling was used to simulate NiV spread within each subdistrict, and network modeling was used to illustrate how the virus disperses across subdistricts.
RESULTS: Based on the MCDA and pig movement data, 14 index subdistricts with a high-risk of NiV emergence were identified. We found in our infectious network modeling that the infected subdistricts clustered in, or close to the central plain, within a range of 171 km from the source subdistricts. However, the virus may travel as far as 528.5 km (R0 = 5).
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the risk of NiV dissemination through pig movement networks in Thailand is low but not negligible. The risk areas identified in our study can help the veterinary authority to allocate financial and human resources to where preventive strategies, such as pig farm regionalization, are required and to contain outbreaks in a timely fashion once they occur.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Monoclonal antibody-based immunohistochemical diagnosis of Malaysian Nipah virus infection in pigs

Tanimura N, Imada T, Kashiwazaki Y, Shahirudin S, Sharifah SH, Aziz AJ

J Comp Pathol, 2004 Aug-Oct;131(2-3):199-206.
PMID: 15276859

Formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded tissues of three Malaysian farm pigs naturally infected with Nipah virus were used to investigate the value of anti-Nipah virus mouse monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) and rabbit polyclonal antibody for immunohistochemical diagnosis. Mabs 11F6 and 12A5 gave intense immunolabelling in lung tissue that had been fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for about 4 years, whereas the reactivity of Mabs 13A5 and 18C4 and polyclonal antibody was reduced significantly by long-term formalin fixation. Immunohistochemical examination of Malaysian farm pig samples with Mab 11F6 confirmed the affinity of Nipah virus for respiratory epithelium, renal glomerular and tubular epithelium, meningeal arachnoidal cells, and systemic vascular endothelium and smooth muscle. In addition, Nipah virus antigens were identified in laryngeal epithelial cells, Schwann cells of peripheral nerve fascicles in the spleen, and endothelial cells in the atrioventricular valve. The study demonstrated the value of Mabs 11F6 and 12A5 for the immunohistochemical diagnosis of Nipah virus infection in pigs.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
A longitudinal study of the prevalence of Nipah virus in Pteropus lylei bats in Thailand: evidence for seasonal preference in disease transmission

Wacharapluesadee S, Boongird K, Wanghongsa S, Ratanasetyuth N, Supavonwong P, Saengsen D, et al.

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2010 Mar;10(2):183-90.
PMID: 19402762 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2008.0105

After 12 serial Nipah virus outbreaks in humans since 1998, it has been noted that all except the initial event in Malaysia occurred during the first 5 months of the year. Increasingly higher morbidity and mortality have been observed in subsequent outbreaks in India and Bangladesh. This may have been related to different virus strains and transmission capability from bat to human without the need for an amplifying host and direct human-to-human transmission. A survey of virus strains in Pteropus lylei and seasonal preference for spillover of these viruses was completed in seven provinces of Central Thailand between May 2005 and June 2007. Nipah virus RNA sequences, which belonged to those of the Malaysian and Bangladesh strains, were detected in the urine of these bats, with the Bangladesh strain being dominant. Highest recovery of Nipah virus RNA was observed in May. Of two provincial sites where monthly surveys were done, the Bangladesh strain was almost exclusively detected during April to June. The Malaysian strain was found dispersed during December to June. Although direct contact during breeding (in December to April) was believed to be an important transmission factor, our results may not entirely support the role of breeding activities in spillage of virus. Greater virus shedding over extended periods in the case of the Malaysian strain and the highest peak of virus detection in May in the case of the Bangladesh strain when offspring started to separate may suggest that there may be responsible mechanisms other than direct contact during breeding in the same roost. Knowledge of seasonal preferences of Nipah virus shedding in P. lylei will help us to better understand the dynamics of Nipah virus transmission and have implications for disease management.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Henipaviruses at the Interface Between Bats, Livestock and Human Population in Africa

Mbu'u CM, Mbacham WF, Gontao P, Sado Kamdem SL, Nlôga AMN, Groschup MH, et al.

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2019 07;19(7):455-465.
PMID: 30985268 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2365

Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are closely related members within the genus Henipavirus, family Paramyxoviridae, for which fruit bats serve as the reservoir. The initial emergence of NiV infections in pigs and humans in Malaysia, and HeV infections in horses and humans in Australia, posed severe impacts on human and animal health, and continues threatening lives of humans and livestock within Southeast Asia and Australia. Recently, henipavirus-specific antibodies have also been detected in fruit bats in a number of sub-Saharan African countries and in Brazil, thereby considerably increasing the known geographic distribution of henipaviruses. Africa is progressively being recognized as a new high prevalence zone for henipaviruses, as deduced from serological and molecular evidence of past infections in Madagascar, Ghana, Republic of Congo, Gulf of Guinea, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, and Nigeria lately. Serological data suggest henipavirus spillover from bats to livestock and human populations in Africa without reported clinical disease in any of these species. All virus isolation attempts have been abortive, highlighting the need for further investigations. The genome of the Ghanaian bat henipavirus designated Ghana virus (GhV), which was detected in a pteropid Eidolon helvum bat, is the only African henipavirus that has been completely sequenced limiting our current knowledge on the genetic diversity and pathogenesis of African henipaviruses. In this review, we summarize the available data on the circulation of henipaviruses in Africa, discuss potential sources for virus spillover, and highlight existing research gaps.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Fulltext Pathogenic Differences between Nipah Virus Bangladesh and Malaysia Strains in Primates: Implications for Antibody Therapy

Mire CE, Satterfield BA, Geisbert JB, Agans KN, Borisevich V, Yan L, et al.

Sci Rep, 2016 08 03;6:30916.
PMID: 27484128 DOI: 10.1038/srep30916

Nipah virus (NiV) is a paramyxovirus that causes severe disease in humans and animals. There are two distinct strains of NiV, Malaysia (NiVM) and Bangladesh (NiVB). Differences in transmission patterns and mortality rates suggest that NiVB may be more pathogenic than NiVM. To investigate pathogenic differences between strains, 4 African green monkeys (AGM) were exposed to NiVM and 4 AGMs were exposed to NiVB. While NiVB was uniformly lethal, only 50% of NiVM-infected animals succumbed to infection. Histopathology of lungs and spleens from NiVB-infected AGMs was significantly more severe than NiVM-infected animals. Importantly, a second study utilizing 11 AGMs showed that the therapeutic window for human monoclonal antibody m102.4, previously shown to rescue AGMs from NiVM infection, was much shorter in NiVB-infected AGMs. Together, these data show that NiVB is more pathogenic in AGMs under identical experimental conditions and suggests that postexposure treatments may need to be NiV strain specific for optimal efficacy.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Fulltext Resistance of Cynomolgus Monkeys to Nipah and Hendra Virus Disease Is Associated With Cell-Mediated and Humoral Immunity

Prasad AN, Woolsey C, Geisbert JB, Agans KN, Borisevich V, Deer DJ, et al.

J Infect Dis, 2020 05 11;221(Suppl 4):S436-S447.
PMID: 32022850 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz613

BACKGROUND: The henipaviruses, Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), are capable of causing severe and often lethal respiratory and/or neurologic disease in animals and humans. Given the sporadic nature of henipavirus outbreaks, licensure of vaccines and therapeutics for human use will likely require demonstration of efficacy in animal models that faithfully reproduce the human condition. Currently, the African green monkey (AGM) best mimics human henipavirus-induced disease.
METHODS: The pathogenic potential of HeV and both strains of NiV (Malaysia, Bangladesh) was assessed in cynomolgus monkeys and compared with henipavirus-infected historical control AGMs. Multiplex gene and protein expression assays were used to compare host responses.
RESULTS: In contrast to AGMs, in which henipaviruses cause severe and usually lethal disease, HeV and NiVs caused only mild or asymptomatic infections in macaques. All henipaviruses replicated in macaques with similar kinetics as in AGMs. Infection in macaques was associated with activation and predicted recruitment of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, Th1 cells, IgM+ B cells, and plasma cells. Conversely, fatal outcome in AGMs was associated with aberrant innate immune signaling, complement dysregulation, Th2 skewing, and increased secretion of MCP-1.
CONCLUSION: The restriction factors identified in macaques can be harnessed for development of effective countermeasures against henipavirus disease.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Fulltext Domesticated animals as hosts of henipaviruses and filoviruses: A systematic review

Glennon EE, Restif O, Sbarbaro SR, Garnier R, Cunningham AA, Suu-Ire RD, et al.

Vet J, 2018 03;233:25-34.
PMID: 29486875 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2017.12.024

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.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Nipah virus strain variation

Pulliam JR, Field HE, Olival KJ, Henipavirus Ecology Research Group

Emerg Infect Dis, 2005 Dec;11(12):1978-9; author reply 1979.
PMID: 16485499
Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Isolation and molecular identification of Nipah virus from pigs

AbuBakar S, Chang LY, Ali AR, Sharifah SH, Yusoff K, Zamrod Z

Emerg Infect Dis, 2004 Dec;10(12):2228-30.
PMID: 15663869

Nipah viruses from pigs from a Malaysian 1998 outbreak were isolated and sequenced. At least two different Nipah virus strains, including a previously unreported strain, were identified. The findings highlight the possibility that the Malaysia outbreaks had two origins of Nipah virus infections.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Fulltext High Pathogenicity of Nipah Virus from Pteropus lylei Fruit Bats, Cambodia

Gaudino M, Aurine N, Dumont C, Fouret J, Ferren M, Mathieu C, et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2020 01;26(1):104-113.
PMID: 31855143 DOI: 10.3201/eid2601.191284

We conducted an in-depth characterization of the Nipah virus (NiV) isolate previously obtained from a Pteropus lylei bat in Cambodia in 2003 (CSUR381). We performed full-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses and confirmed CSUR381 is part of the NiV-Malaysia genotype. In vitro studies revealed similar cell permissiveness and replication of CSUR381 (compared with 2 other NiV isolates) in both bat and human cell lines. Sequence alignments indicated conservation of the ephrin-B2 and ephrin-B3 receptor binding sites, the glycosylation site on the G attachment protein, as well as the editing site in phosphoprotein, suggesting production of nonstructural proteins V and W, known to counteract the host innate immunity. In the hamster animal model, CSUR381 induced lethal infections. Altogether, these data suggest that the Cambodia bat-derived NiV isolate has high pathogenic potential and, thus, provide insight for further studies and better risk assessment for future NiV outbreaks in Southeast Asia.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Nipah virus fact sheet (revised in July 2009)

Wkly. Epidemiol. Rec., 2010 Feb 19;85(8):64-7.
PMID: 20210044
Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Bacterial infections in pigs experimentally infected with Nipah virus

Berhane Y, Weingartl HM, Lopez J, Neufeld J, Czub S, Embury-Hyatt C, et al.

Transbound Emerg Dis, 2008 May;55(3-4):165-74.
PMID: 18405339 DOI: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2008.01021.x

Nipah virus (NiV; Paramyxoviridae) caused fatal encephalitis in humans during an outbreak in Malaysia in 1998/1999 after transmission from infected pigs. Our previous study demonstrated that the respiratory, lymphatic and central nervous systems are targets for virus replication in experimentally infected pigs. To continue the studies on pathogenesis of NiV in swine, six piglets were inoculated oronasally with 2.5 x 10(5) PFU per animal. Four pigs developed mild clinical signs, one exudative epidermitis, and one neurologic signs due to suppurative meningoencephalitis, and was euthanized at 11 days post-inoculation (dpi). Neutralizing antibodies reached in surviving animals titers around 1280 at 16 dpi. Nasal and oro-pharyngeal shedding of the NiV was detected between 2 and 17 dpi. Virus appeared to be cleared from the tissues of the infected animals by 23 dpi, with low amount of RNA detected in submandibular and bronchial lymph nodes of three pigs, and olfactory bulb of one animal. Despite the presence of neutralizing antibodies, virus was isolated from serum at 24 dpi, and the viral RNA was still detected in serum at 29 dpi. Our results indicate slower clearance of NiV from some of the infected pigs. Bacteria were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of five NiV inoculated animals, with isolation of Streptococcus suis and Enterococcus faecalis. Staphylococcus hyicus was isolated from the skin lesions of the animal with exudative epidermitis. Along with the observed lymphoid depletion in the lymph nodes of all NiV-infected animals, and the demonstrated ability of NiV to infect porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro, this finding warrants further investigation into a possible NiV-induced immunosuppression of the swine host.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*
Molecular characteristics of the Nipah virus glycoproteins

Diederich S, Maisner A

Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2007 Apr;1102:39-50.
PMID: 17470910

Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic paramyxovirus, which emerged in 1998 from fruit bats in Malaysia and caused an outbreak of severe respiratory disease in pigs and fatal encephalitis in humans with high mortality rates. In contrast to most paramyxoviruses, NiV can infect a large variety of mammalian species. Due to this broad host range, its zoonotic potential, its high pathogenicity for humans, and the lack of effective vaccines or therapeutics, NiV was classified as a biosafety level 4 pathogen. This article provides an overview of the molecular characteristics of NiV focusing on the structure, functions, and unique biological properties of the two NiV surface glycoproteins, the receptor-binding G protein, and the fusion protein F. Since viral glycoproteins are major determinants for cell tropism and virus spread, a detailed knowledge of these proteins can help to understand the molecular basis of viral pathogenicity.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Emerging encephalitogenic viruses: lyssaviruses and henipaviruses transmitted by frugivorous bats

Mackenzie JS, Field HE

Arch. Virol. Suppl., 2004.
PMID: 15119765

Three newly recognized encephalitogenic zoonotic viruses spread from fruit bats of the genus Pteropus (order Chiroptera, suborder Megachiroptera) have been recognised over the past decade. These are: Hendra virus, formerly named equine morbillivirus, which was responsible for an outbreak of disease in horses and humans in Brisbane, Australia, in 1994; Australian bat lyssavirus, the cause of a severe acute encephalitis, in 1996; and Nipah virus, the cause of a major outbreak of encephalitis and pulmonary disease in domestic pigs and people in peninsula Malaysia in 1999. Hendra and Nipah viruses have been shown to be the first two members of a new genus, Henipavirus, in the family Paramyxoviridae, subfamily Paramyxovirinae, whereas Australian bat lyssavirus is closely related antigenically to classical rabies virus in the genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae, although it can be distinguished on genetic grounds. Hendra and Nipah viruses have neurological and pneumonic tropisms. The first humans and equids with Hendra virus infections died from acute respiratory disease, whereas the second human patient died from an encephalitis. With Nipah virus, the predominant clinical syndrome in humans was encephalitic rather than respiratory, whereas in pigs, the infection was characterised by acute fever with respiratory involvement with or without neurological signs. Two human infections with Australian bat lyssavirus have been reported, the clinical signs of which were consistent with classical rabies infection and included a diffuse, non-suppurative encephalitis. Many important questions remain to be answered regarding modes of transmission, pathogenesis, and geographic range of these viruses.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary
Fulltext Evidence of exposure to henipaviruses in domestic pigs in Uganda

Atherstone C, Diederich S, Weingartl HM, Fischer K, Balkema-Buschmann A, Grace D, et al.

Transbound Emerg Dis, 2019 Mar;66(2):921-928.
PMID: 30576076 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13105

Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), belonging to the genus Henipavirus, are among the most pathogenic of viruses in humans. Old World fruit bats (family Pteropodidae) are the natural reservoir hosts. Molecular and serological studies found evidence of henipavirus infection in fruit bats from several African countries. However, little is known about the potential for spillover into domestic animals in East Africa, particularly pigs, which served as amplifying hosts during the first outbreak of NiV in Malaysia and Singapore. We collected sera from 661 pigs presented for slaughter in Uganda between December 2015 and October 2016. Using HeV G and NiV G indirect ELISAs, 14 pigs (2%) were seroreactive in at least one ELISA. Seroprevalence increased to 5.4% in October 2016, when pigs were 9.5 times more likely to be seroreactive than pigs sampled in December 2015 (p = 0.04). Eight of the 14 ELISA-positive samples reacted with HeV N antigen in Western blot. None of the sera neutralized HeV or NiV in plaque reduction neutralization tests. Although we did not detect neutralizing antibodies, our results suggest that pigs in Uganda are exposed to henipaviruses or henipa-like viruses. Pigs in this study were sourced from many farms throughout Uganda, suggesting multiple (albeit rare) introductions of henipaviruses into the pig population. We postulate that given the widespread distribution of Old World fruit bats in Africa, spillover of henipaviruses from fruit bats to pigs in Uganda could result in exposure of pigs at multiple locations. A higher risk of a spillover event at the end of the dry season might be explained by higher densities of bats and contact with pigs at this time of the year, exacerbated by nutritional stress in bat populations and their reproductive cycle. Future studies should prioritize determining the risk of spillover of henipaviruses from pigs to people, so that potential risks can be mitigated.

Matched MeSH terms: Henipavirus Infections/veterinary*

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