Van
der Poel Wim HM1, Verstraten Betty RAM2, Van
der Heide Reina1, Kramps Hans A2 Van
der Poel Wim HM1, Verstraten Betty RAM2, Van
der Heide Reina1, Kramps Hans A2
The European Bat Lyssaviruses, EBL-1 and EBL-2 are classified genotypes 5
and 6 of the genus Lyssavirus in the Rhabdoviridae family. In Europe, EBLs are
endemic in free living insectivorous bats. The Serotine bat (Eptesicus serotinus)
and the Pond bat (Myotis Dasycneme) are regarded the main reservoirs of EBL1
and EBL2 respectively. The Serotine bat can be seen in all European countries,
except Ireland Norway and Finland, and only in the southern parts of England
and Scandinavia. Highest concentrations are found in the Netherlands, Northern
Germany and Poland. The Pond bat is a native species in NorthEastern Europe
with highest numbers in the Netherlands and the Baltic states. European bat
lyssavirus infections in humans have been reported and have resulted in fatal
rabies. 
Therefore
in the Netherlands, bats involved in biting incidents and diseased bats are
send in for lyssavirus testing by standard fluorescent antibody test (FAT).
In a 3-year period, from 1999 to 2001, 280 bats were tested and 17 were lyssavirus
positive. Of these positives, all except one (a Pipistrellus species) were Serotine
bats. The incidence of Lyssavirus in Serotine bats in the Netherlands was 20%
(16/82). Sequencing of the RT-PCR amplified products of nucleoprotein regions
of EBL1 strains detected in the Netherlands between 1997 and 2000 resulted in
96-100% homologies with EBL1 strains isolated in Europe over the last ten years,
whereas EBL2 sequences were not detected in bats in the Netherlands since 1993.
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