Immune System Modulation and Viral Persistence in Bats: Understanding Viral Spillover

Author

Sonu Subudhi
Noreen Rapin
Vikram Misra

Files

Publication Date

2-23-2019

Publication Title

Viruses

Volume Number

11

Issue Number

2

Abstract

Bats harbor a myriad of viruses and some of these viruses may have spilled over to other species including humans. Spillover events are rare and several factors must align to create the “perfect storm” that would ultimately lead to a spillover. One of these factors is the increased shedding of virus by bats. Several studies have indicated that bats have unique defense mechanisms that allow them to be persistently or latently infected with viruses. Factors leading to an increase in the viral load of persistently infected bats would facilitate shedding of virus. This article reviews the unique nature of bat immune defenses that regulate virus replication and the various molecular mechanisms that play a role in altering the balanced bat–virus relationship.

Document Type

Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.3390/v11020192

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Subudhi, Sonu; Rapin, Noreen; and Misra, Vikram, "Immune System Modulation and Viral Persistence in Bats: Understanding Viral Spillover" (2019). KIP Articles. 9904.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/9904