@article{fdi:010092668,
  title = {{H}igh astrovirus diversity in an endemic bat species suggests multiple spillovers from synanthropic rodents and birds},
  author = {{L}eong, {R}. and {H}oarau, {A}xel and {C}arcauzon, {V}. and {K}{\¨o}ster, {M}. and {D}ietrich, {M}uriel and {T}ortosa, {P}. and {L}ebarbenchon, {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{B}eyond the role of bats as natural host reservoirs of infectious agents, the impact of viral spillover from other animal species to bats has been neglected. {G}iven the limited virus-host specificity of astroviruses ({A}st{V}s) and their propensity for cross-species transmission, we hypothesized that {A}st{V}s could be transmitted within animal communi ties (rodents, birds, and bats) and that native endemic bats may be exposed to viruses hosted by other species. {W}e investigated the presence of {A}st{V} {RNA} in 3,796 biological samples collected in {R}eunion {I}sland from {M}ormopterus francoismoutoui ({N} = 3421), an endemic free-tailed bat species, and also from small terrestrial mammals and birds: {R}attus rattus ( {N} = 146), {R}attus norvegicus ( {N} = 74), {M}us musculus domesticus ( {N} = 36), {S}uncus murinus ({N} = 99), and {C}olumba livia ({N} = 20). {W}e found significant differences in {A}st{V} prevalence between species (ranging from 1% +/- 1.97% in {S}. murinus to 75% +/- 18.9% in {C}. livia) as well as variation of pairwise identity of {A}st{V} sequences among host species, with a high diversity in {M}. francoismoutoui (mean pairwise identity: 53.2% +/- 11.2%). {P}hylogenetic analyses further revealed that {A}st{V}s detected in bats did not cluster in a single clade and were genetically related to {A}st{V}s found in birds, rodents, pigs, dogs, cats, and reptiles. {O}ur study suggests that bats may be exposed to viruses associated to synanthropic and alien species. {C}ascade effects of virus spillover toward endemic and endangered bat species need to be fully assessed.},
  keywords = {{R}eunion {I}sland ; {M}ormopterus francoismoutoui ; {S}outhwestern {I}ndian {O}cean ; ecology ; conservation ; {A}stroviridae ; {REUNION} ; {OCEAN} {INDIEN}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {V}irology},
  volume = {99},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {e01357--24 [10 ]},
  ISSN = {0022-538{X}},
  year = {2025},
  DOI = {10.1128/jvi.01357-24},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010092668},
}