SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance between 2020 and 2021 of All Mammalian Species in Two Flemish Zoos (Antwerp Zoo and Planckendael Zoo).

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to millions of human infections and deaths worldwide. Several other mammal species are also susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, and multiple instances of transmission from humans to pets, farmed mink, wildlife and zoo animals have been recorded. We conducted a systematic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in all mammal species in two zoos in Belgium between September and December 2020 and July 2021, in four sessions, and a targeted surveillance of selected mammal enclosures following SARS-CoV-2 infection in hippopotamuses in December 2021.

A population in perpetual motion: Highly dynamic roosting behavior of a tropical island endemic bat.

Although island endemic bats are a source of considerable conservation concerns, their biology remains poorly known. Here, we studied the phenology and roosting behavior of a tropical island endemic species: the Reunion free-tailed bat (). This widespread and abundant species occupies various natural and anthropogenic environments such as caves and buildings.

Synchronicity of viral shedding in molossid bat maternity colonies.

Infection dynamics in vertebrates are driven by biological and ecological processes. For bats, population structure and reproductive cycles have major effects on RNA virus transmission. On Reunion Island, previous studies have shown that parturition of pregnant females and aggregation of juvenile Reunion free-tailed bats () are associated with major increase in the prevalence of bats shedding RNA viruses.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Captive Hippos (), Belgium.

Two adult female hippos in Zoo Antwerp who were naturally infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed nasal discharge for a few days. Virus was detected by immunocytochemistry and PCR in nasal swab samples and by PCR in faeces and pool water. Serology was also positive.

Seasonality of coronavirus shedding in tropical bats.

Anticipating cross-species transmission of zoonotic diseases requires an understanding of pathogen infection dynamics within natural reservoir hosts. Although bats might be a source of coronaviruses (CoVs) for humans, the drivers of infection dynamics in bat populations have received limited attention. We conducted a fine-scale 2-year longitudinal study of CoV infection dynamics in the largest colony of Reunion free-tailed bats (), a tropical insectivorous species.

Astrovirus in Reunion Free-Tailed Bat ().

Astroviruses (AstVs) are RNA viruses infecting a large diversity of avian and mammalian species, including bats, livestock, and humans. We investigated AstV infection in a free-tailed bat species, , endemic to Reunion Island. A total of 380 guano samples were collected in a maternity colony during 38 different sampling sessions, from 21 June 2016 to 4 September 2018.

Analysis of partial sequences of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene as a tool for genus and subgenus classification of coronaviruses.

The recent reclassification of the , and the introduction of multiple new taxonomic categories including both subfamilies and subgenera for coronaviruses (family subfamily ), represents a major shift in how official classifications are used to designate specific viral lineages. While the newly defined subgenera provide much-needed standardization for commonly cited viruses of public health importance, no method has been proposed for the assignment of subgenus based on partial sequence data, or for sequences that are divergent from the designated holotype reference genomes. Here, we describe the genetic variation of a 387 nt region of the coronavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is one of the most used partial sequence loci for both detection and classification of coronaviruses in molecular epidemiology.

Bat coronavirus phylogeography in the Western Indian Ocean.

Bats provide key ecosystem services such as crop pest regulation, pollination, seed dispersal, and soil fertilization. Bats are also major hosts for biological agents responsible for zoonoses, such as coronaviruses (CoVs). The islands of the Western Indian Ocean are identified as a major biodiversity hotspot, with more than 50 bat species.

Bat Astrovirus in Mozambique.

Astroviruses (AstVs) are responsible for infection of a large diversity of mammalian and avian species, including bats, aquatic birds, livestock and humans. We investigated AstVs circulation in bats in Mozambique and Mayotte, a small island in the Comoros Archipelago located between east Africa and Madagascar. Biological material was collected from 338 bats and tested for the presence of the AstV RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase gene with a pan-AstV semi-nested polymerase chain reaction assay.