CC BY 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0010504 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:1624 article application/pdf 2022 PloS Neglected Tropical Diseases 16(6) (2022) Fruit Bats; Reservoirs; Infection; Virus Public Library of Science Seifert, Stephanie N. (Washington State University / National Institutes of Health) Munster, Vincent J. (National Institutes of Health) Nina, Rock Aimé (Ministére de L'Agriculture et de L'Élevage) Miegakanda, Valchy Bel-Bebi (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Mavoungou, Yanne (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Macosso, Lucette Nathalie (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Louzolo, Igor (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Kaba, Serge D. (Wildlife Conservation Society) Indolo, Ghislain Dzeret (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Dieudonne, Ankara (Ministére de L'Agriculture et de L'Élevage) Ampiri, Vishnou Reize Bani (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Akoundzie, Beal-Junior (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Niama, Fabien Roch (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Escudero-Pérez, Beatriz (Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine / German Centre for Infection Research) Schulz, Jonathan E. (National Institutes of Health) Akongo, Marc-Joël (Wildlife Conservation Society) Bounga, Gerard (Wildlife Conservation Society) Badzi Nkoua, Cynthia (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Fischer, Robert J. (National Institutes of Health) Kuisma, Eeva (Wildlife Conservation Society) Walzer, Chris (University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna / Wildlife Conservation Society) Olson, Sarah H (Wildlife Conservation Society) Mombouli, Jean-Vivien (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique) Muñoz-Fontela, César (Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine) Ntoumi, Francine (Université Marien N'Gouabi / Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale / University of Tübingen) Ondzie, Alain I. (Wildlife Conservation Society) Samabide, Kevin Tolovou (Laboratoire National de Santé Publique / Université Marien N'Gouabi) Zaire ebolavirus surveillance near the Bikoro region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 2018 outbreak reveals presence of seropositive bats On the 8th of May, 2018, an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) was declared, originating in the Bikoro region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) near the border with neighboring Republic of the Congo (ROC). Frequent trade and migration occur between DRC and ROC-based communities residing along the Congo River. In June 2018, a field team was deployed to determine whether Zaire ebolavirus (Ebola virus (EBOV)) was contemporaneously circulating in local bats at the human-animal interface in ROC near the Bikoro EVD outbreak. Samples were collected from bats in the Cuvette and Likouala departments, ROC, bordering the Équateur Province in DRC where the Bikoro EVD outbreak was first detected. EBOV genomic material was not detected in bat-derived samples by targeted quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or by family-level consensus polymerase chain reaction; however, serological data suggests recent exposure to EBOV in bats in the region. We collected serum from 144 bats in the Cuvette department with 6.9% seropositivity against the EBOV glycoprotein and 14.3% seropositivity for serum collected from 27 fruit bats and one Molossinae in the Likouala department. We conclude that proactive investment in longitudinal sampling for filoviruses at the human-animal interface, coupled with ecological investigations are needed to identify EBOV wildlife reservoirs. eng