key: cord-299443-nggl87u6
authors: Stockman, Lauren J.; Haynes, Lia M.; Miao, Congrong; Harcourt, Jennifer L.; Rupprecht, Charles E.; Ksiazek, Thomas G.; Hyde, Terri B.; Fry, Alicia M.; Anderson, Larry J.
title: Coronavirus Antibodies in Bat Biologists
date: 2008-06-17
journal: Emerg Infect Dis
DOI: 10.3201/eid1406.070964
sha: 
doc_id: 299443
cord_uid: nggl87u6

nan

from Australia to Europe, some participants who indicated that they worked with the Rhinolopus spp. may likely have worked with species found outside of Asia. Involvement with bats most often consisted of capturing or handling them in the fi eld (90%), followed by capturing or handling them in the laboratory (36%). Urine and feces were encountered most frequently ("always" or "most of the time" by 66%-68% of participants); contact with blood, saliva, or tissues and bites or scratches reportedly occurred less often ("always" or "most of the time" by 4%-28% of participants).

The serum samples from all 90 participants were negative for antibodies against inactivated SARS-CoV, and samples from all but 1 were negative for SARS-CoV N protein. The 1 positive sample gave a strong signal (optical density 1.08 at 405 nm at a 1:400 dilution) by SARS-CoV N protein EIA and against SARS-CoV N by Western blot but gave no reactivity against recombinant SARS-CoV spike protein or inactivated SARS-CoV by either EIA or Western blot. Because the N protein has a region that is relatively conserved among all known coronaviruses (7), the antibodies against SARS-CoV N protein could have been induced by other CoVs. Previous studies have demonstrated that SARS-CoV N protein can cross-react with polyclonal antiserum induced by group 1 animal CoVs (8) .

To address the possibility that the antibodies from this serum sample were not specifi c to SARS-CoV, we tested it against recombinant N proteins of human CoVs, HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, NL63, and HKU-1. The serum reacted to all 4 N proteins, by EIA and Western blot, at titers of 400-1,600. We then tested the sample against 3 recombinant fragments of the N protein from each of 3 viruses: SARS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-OC43. One of these fragments, N2, contains a highly conserved motif (FYYLGTGP) that should detect cross-reacting antibodies; the other 2 fragments should detect antibodies specifi c to the strain or group. The serum reacted to 2 of 3 fragments from HCoV-OC43 and -229E but to only the N2 fragment with the conserved motif from SARS-CoV ( Figure) , which suggests that the antibodies against SARS-CoV N were likely induced by a CoV that was not SARS-like.

If the antibodies were induced by a SARS-like CoV infection, we would expect to have also detected antibodies against recombinant S protein (9) or recombinant fragments representing antigenically distinct regions of the N protein of SARS-CoV. We did not detect either; instead, we detected antibodies against the antigenically distinct N fragments from group 1 and 2 human CoVs. Thus, this survey of a sample of bat biologists, who were exposed primarily to North American bats but also to bats from Asia and Africa, showed no evidence of SARSlike CoV infection.

Our survey found no evidence of SARS-CoV transmission from bats to humans. However, since the conclusion of this study, Dominguez et al. found coronavirus RNA in bats in North America, particularly Eptesicus fuscus and Myotis occultus (10), 2 species of the genera handled by 25% of the participants in our survey. Of interest is whether the bat biologists who worked with these bats might be at risk for infection with group 1 bat CoVs. Unfortunately, the high likelihood of infection with human group 1 CoVs will make it diffi cult to address this question. Additional studies of bat SARS-CoV infections in a larger number of persons who have been in contact with the species found to be positive for SARS-like CoV are needed before the risk for SARS-like CoV transmission from bats to humans can be clearly understood. Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 14, No. 6, June 2008 (7). This conserved motif is found in HCoV-OC43 N2, HCoV-229E N2, and SARS-CoV N2 recombinant protein fragments. The sizes of the expressed protein fragments used in this study were confi rmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In addition, the reactivity of each protein fragment was confi rmed by using Western blot with the anti-His antibody and the respective convalescent-phase serum. The mean optical density (OD) of absorbance at 405 nm (490-nm reference) of duplicate wells is shown. Error bars represent the standard deviation of duplicate wells.

Letters commenting on recent articles as well as letters reporting cases, outbreaks, or original research are welcome. Letters commenting on articles should contain no more than 300 words and 5 references; they are more likely to be published if submitted within 4 weeks of the original article's publication. Letters reporting cases, outbreaks, or original research should contain no more than 800 words and 10 references. They may have one Figure or Table and should not be divided into sections. All letters should contain material not previously published and include a word count.

Summary of probable SARS cases with onset of illness from 1

Bats are natural reservoirs of SARS-like coronaviruses

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-like virus in Chinese horseshoe bats

Coronavirus antibodies in African bat species

A novel coronavirus associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome

Recombinant protein-based assays for detection of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike and nucleocapsid proteins. Clin Vaccine Immunol

Characterization of a novel coronavirus associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome

Antigenic cross-reactivity between the nucleocapsid protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and polyclonal antisera of antigenic group I animal coronaviruses: implication for SARS diagnosis

False-positive results in a recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay due to HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E rectifi ed by Western blotting with recombinant SARS-CoV spike polypeptide

Detection of group 1 coronaviruses in bats in North America