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Multiple detection of zoonotic variegated squirrel bornavirus 1 RNA in different squirrel species suggests a possible unknown origin for the virus

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Abstract

The recently discovered variegated squirrel bornavirus 1 (VSBV-1) caused the death of three squirrel breeders in Germany. Subsequent first screening of squirrels with in vivo collected swab samples and a VSBV-1-specific RT-qPCR revealed not only variegated squirrel infections (Sciurus variegatoides), but also Prevost’s squirrels (Callosciurus prevostii) as positive for VSBV-1 genome. In this study, 328 squirrels were tested using the established RT-qPCR assays. In 16 individual animals VSBV-1 RNA could be detected; 15 individuals were from small breedings and zoological gardens in Germany, with the remaining individual being from a zoological garden in Croatia. Positive animals belonged to the species C. prevostii, C. finlaysonii, and Tamiops swinhoei within the subfamily Callosciurinae and Sciurus granatensis within the subfamily Sciurinae. Repeated non-invasive oral swab sampling in one holding indicated positive animals months after a first negative result. Besides the oral swabs, VSBV-1 was also detected in fecal (pool) samples allowing the future monitoring of squirrel holdings based on RT-qPCR investigation of such samples. The detection in zoological gardens emphasizes the need for further investigations into the transmission route to humans in order to develop rational public health measures for prevention of transmission. Finally, the detection of several closely related VSBV-1 sequences in squirrels from different subfamilies raises questions as to the origin of the virus.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Christian Korthase, Karin Pinger, Mareen Lange, Anke Mandelkow and Dörte Kaufmann at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut for excellent technical assistance. Furthermore, we are grateful to Sabine Ottinger-Kremer (Neustadt), Sabine Gallenberger (München), Jessica Hoch (Waiblingen), Anetta Hübsch (Heidelberg), Carina Spahr (Stuttgart), Hermann Ansorge (Görlitz), Stefan Bosch (Sternenfels), Anna Materna (Bad Nauheim), Christian Lynen (Oberhausen), Tanja Schäfer (Rödermark), Sonja Jonas (Billigheim), Jaqueline Gräfe (Dresden), Kerstin Janke (Wentorf), Katharina Volk (Leutenbach), M. Chevalier (Bonn), Tanya Lenn (Teltow) and Korinna Seybold (Bad König) for providing samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany

    Kore Schlottau, Bernd Hoffmann, Martin Beer & Donata Hoffmann

  2. Institute of Epidemiology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany

    Timo Homeier-Bachmann

  3. Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany

    Christine Fast & Rainer G. Ulrich

Authors
  1. Kore Schlottau
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  2. Bernd Hoffmann
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  3. Timo Homeier-Bachmann
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  4. Christine Fast
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  5. Rainer G. Ulrich
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  6. Martin Beer
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  7. Donata Hoffmann
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Donata Hoffmann.

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Funding information

This study has been supported in part by the EU Horizon 2020 program (European Commission Grant Agreement No. 643476 “COMPARE”).

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical statements

None. All samples were collected as routine diagnostic measures.

Additional information

GenBank Accession Numbers: KY488722-KY488729 and KY508798-KY508804.

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Schlottau, K., Hoffmann, B., Homeier-Bachmann, T. et al. Multiple detection of zoonotic variegated squirrel bornavirus 1 RNA in different squirrel species suggests a possible unknown origin for the virus. Arch Virol 162, 2747–2754 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-017-3432-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-017-3432-z

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