Influence of age and body condition on astrovirus infection of bats in Singapore: An evolutionary and epidemiological analysis

Mendenhall, Ian H.; Skiles, Maggie M.; Neves, Erica Sena; Borthwick, Sophie A.; Low, Dolyce H.W.; Liang, Benjamin; Lee, Benjamin P.Y.-H.; Su, Yvonne C.F.; Smith, Gavin J.D.

The developed model provides a predictive framework for understanding the burden of astrovirus in Singapore bats. Periodic sampling of tagged bats may help to determine if reproductive status plays a role in female bats' infection status, and further, if there are periods within the life cycle that coincide with higher pulses of virus [63] . Dichotomizing female sex by reproduction status not only in the study design phase, but also in the study analysis phase, may shed light on the effects of pregnancy and lactation, which may be currently hidden within the female variable. For example, Heideman and Utzurrum [64] showed that there are two distinct periods of births in E. spelaea -February to mid-May and from July to mid-October. Sampling of adults within these two periods as well as outside would be useful for the detection patterns in astrovirus infection. Serological testing would have revealed if older bats had been exposed to astrovirus at a younger age. Performing a longitudinal study with both PCR testing and serological surveys would help to characterize the distribution of astrovirus infection as well as determine temporal patterns of immunity in the bats.