Abstract:
Kasokero virus (KASV; genus Orthonairovirus) was first
isolated in 1977 at Uganda Virus Research Institute from
serum collected from Rousettus aegyptiacus bats captured at Kasokero Cave, Uganda. During virus characterization studies at the institute, 4 laboratory-associated
infections resulted in mild to severe disease. Although
orthonairoviruses are typically associated with vertebrate
and tick hosts, a tick vector of KASV never has been reported. We tested 786 Ornithodoros (Reticulinasus) faini
tick pools (3,930 ticks) for KASV. The ticks were collected
from a large R. aegyptiacus bat roosting site in western
Uganda. We detected KASV RNA in 43 tick pools and
recovered 2 infectious isolates, 1 of which was derived
from host blood–depleted ticks. Our findings suggest that
KASV is maintained in an enzootic transmission cycle involving O. (R.) faini ticks and R. aegyptiacus bats and has
the potential for incidental virus spillover to humans.
