Accès ouvert

Selective deforestation and exposure of African wildlife to bat-borne viruses

Article scientifique 2024 Anglais

Résumé

Proposed mechanisms of zoonotic virus spillover often posit that wildlife transmission and amplification precede human outbreaks. Between 2006 and 2012, the palm Raphia farinifera, a rich source of dietary minerals for wildlife, was nearly extirpated from Budongo Forest, Uganda. Since then, chimpanzees, black-and-white colobus, and red duiker were observed feeding on bat guano, a behavior not previously observed. Here we show that guano consumption may be a response to dietary mineral scarcity and may expose wildlife to bat-borne viruses. Videos from 2017-2019 recorded 839 instances of guano consumption by the aforementioned species. Nutritional analysis of the guano revealed high concentrations of sodium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Metagenomic analyses of the guano identified 27 eukaryotic viruses, including a novel betacoronavirus. Our findings illustrate how "upstream" drivers such as socioeconomics and resource extraction can initiate elaborate chains of causation, ultimately increasing virus spillover risk.

Citer ce document

Fedurek, P., Asiimwe, C., Rice, G., Akankwasa, W., REYNOLDS, V., Hobaiter, C., Kityo, R., Muhanguzi, G., Zuberbühler, K., Crockford, C., Cer, R., Bennett, A., Rothman, J., Bishop‐Lilly, K., Goldberg, T. (2024). Selective deforestation and exposure of African wildlife to bat-borne viruses. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06139-z

Accès au document

Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter

Voir l'article sur le site de la revue

Auteur(s)

Paweł Fedurek Caroline Asiimwe Gregory K. Rice Walter Akankwasa VERNON H. REYNOLDS Catherine Hobaiter Robert Kityo Geoffrey Muhanguzi Klaus Zuberbühler Catherine Crockford Regina Z. Cer Andrew J. Bennett Jessica M. Rothman Kimberly A. Bishop‐Lilly Tony L. Goldberg

Statistiques

Consultations : 1

Téléchargements : 0