Mortlock M. auteur aut IRD Dietrich Muriel auteur aut IRD Weyer J. auteur aut IRD Paweska J. T. auteur aut IRD Markotter W. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access The Egyptian rousette bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) has previously been implicated as the natural host of a zoonotic rubulavirus; however, its association with rubulaviruses has been studied to a limited extent. Urine, spleen, and other organs collected from the R. aegyptiacus population within South Africa were tested with a hemi-nested RT-PCR assay targeting a partial polymerase gene region of viruses from the Avula- and Rubulavirus genera. Urine was collected over a 14-month period to study the temporal dynamics of viral excretion. Diverse rubulaviruses, including viruses related to human mumps and parainfluenza virus 2, were detected. Active excretion was identified during two peak periods coinciding with the host reproductive cycle. Analysis of additional organs indicated co-infection of individual bats with a number of different putative rubulaviruses, highlighting the limitations of using a single sample type when determining viral presence and diversity. Our findings suggest that R. aegyptiacus can harbor a range of Rubula- and related viruses, some of which are related to known human pathogens. The observed peaks in viral excretion represents potential periods of a higher risk of virus transmission and zoonotic disease spill-over. specialized paramyxovirus rubulavirus Egyptian rousette bat co-circulation viral shedding tissue distribution human mumps virus-related human parainfluenza virus-related excretion dynamics AFRIQUE DU SUD 052 080 050 11 1 art. 37 [21 p.] 2019 1999-4915 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010075250 10.3390/v11010037 1999-4915 [F B010075250] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010075250 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers19-03/010075250.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2019-04-03 2025-02-24 fdi:010075250 fre