Investigating the emergence of a zoonotic virus: phylogenetic analysis of European bat lyssavirus 1 in the UK

Abstract

European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBLV-1, Lyssavirus hamburg) is predominantly detected in serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) and is responsible for the majority of bat rabies cases in mainland Europe. A passive bat rabies surveillance scheme detected the virus in a serotine bat in the UK for the first time in October 2018. As of May 2024, 34 cases have been reported, 20 of which involved contact with an animal and 5 reported human contact. We investigated the emergence of EBLV-1 by undertaking comprehensive sequence analysis and Bayesian phylogenetics, based on complete virus genomes of 33 UK sequences and 108 sequences covering six countries in mainland Europe (1968 to 2023), including 21 French EBLV-1 positive RNA samples sequenced for this study. Sequence analysis revealed extreme similarity among UK EBLV-1 sequences (99.9-100%), implying a single source of introduction rather than multiple independent introductions. Bayesian analysis revealed the UK EBLV-1 sequences shared their most recent common ancestor with an EBLV-1 sequence from a serotine bat detected in Brittany, France in 2001, with an estimated date of divergence of 1997. Within the UK sequences, the earliest divergence was estimated to occur in 2007. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular epidemiology of an emerging zoonotic pathogen, and improved understanding of the risks posed to public and animal health.