Abstract
The filoviruses Ebola (EBOV) and Marburg (MARV) cause fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates but are associated with subclinical infections in bats, with Rousettus aegyptiacus (Egyptian rousette/ERB) being a natural MARV reservoir. To understand the nature of this resistance, we have analyzed the effects of filovirus infection on the transcriptomes of multiple ERB tissues. We have found that while the primary locus of infection was the liver, transcriptomic changes occurred in multiple tissues, suggesting systemic responses. The transcriptional changes are indicative of inhibition of the complement system, induction of vasodilation, changes in coagulation, modulation of iron regulation, activation of a T cell response, and converting macrophages from the M1 to M2 state. We propose that these events are facets of a systemic anti-inflammatory state that enables effective control of the infection in bats and dissecting this state can inform how to control a filovirus infection in humans.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
Footnotes
The text has been edited extensively to improve focus on the message and clarify certain discussions. Many of the figures have been moved to supplementary material and new figures have been added, to explain the data better.