Tissue and cellular tropism of in big brown bats, potential role of pulmonary intravascular macrophages.

Gammaherpesviruses (γHVs) are recognized as important pathogens in humans but their relationship with other animal hosts, especially wildlife species, is less well characterized. Our objectives were to examine natural (EfHV) infections in their host, the big brown bat (), and determine whether infection is associated with disease. In tissue samples from 132 individual big brown bats, EfHV DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in 41 bats.

Eptesipox virus-associated lesions in naturally infected big brown bats.

Bats have many unique qualities amongst mammals; one of particular importance is their reported tolerance to viruses without developing disease. Here, the authors present evidence to the contrary by describing and demonstrating viral nucleic acids within lesions from eptesipox virus (EfPV) infection in big brown bats. One hundred and thirty bats submitted for necropsy from Saskatchewan, Canada, between 2017 and 2021 were screened for EfPV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR); 2 had amplifiable poxvirus DNA.