Lagos bat virus | |
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Virus classification ![]() | |
(unranked): | Virus |
Realm: | Riboviria |
Kingdom: | Orthornavirae |
Phylum: | Negarnaviricota |
Class: | Monjiviricetes |
Order: | Mononegavirales |
Family: | Rhabdoviridae |
Genus: | Lyssavirus |
Species: | Lyssavirus lagos |
Synonyms | |
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Lagos bat virus (LBV) is a Lyssavirus of southern and central Africa that causes a rabies-like illness in mammals. It was first isolated from a fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) from Lagos Island, Nigeria in 1956 [1] . Brain samples from the bat showed poor cross-reactivity to rabies antibodies but the virus was found to be closely related to the rabies virus. This was the first discovery of a rabies-related virus. Until this time, rabies was thought to have a single causal agent.[ citation needed ]
Lagos bat virus has been isolated from wild and domestic mammals in southern Africa including bats, cats and one dog. [2] One isolate was detected in France in 1999 when a fruit bat ( Rousettus egypticus ), which had been displaying signs of aggression, died. The bat had been imported from Africa [3] .
Four cases of Australian bat lyssavirus (ALBV) have been documented in humans in various regions of Australia [4] . There is no cure for lyssavirus, but it is closely enough related to rabies that all of the preventative measures for rabies, including vaccines and post-exposure treatment, are usually successful in preventing development of the disease. Post-exposure treatment involves immediate wound care, a series of four rabies vaccinations given over 14 days, and prompt administration of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) antibodies [5] [6] . It is rare for post-exposure treatment to fail.