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Review
. 2014 Oct:8:68-72.
doi: 10.1016/j.coviro.2014.07.004. Epub 2014 Jul 26.

The role of viral evolution in rabies host shifts and emergence

Nardus Mollentze  1 , Roman Biek  1 , Daniel G Streicker  2
Affiliations
Review

The role of viral evolution in rabies host shifts and emergence

Nardus Mollentze et al. Curr Opin Virol. 2014 Oct.

Abstract

Despite its ability to infect all mammals, Rabies virus persists in numerous species-specific cycles that rarely sustain transmission in alternative species. The determinants of these species-associations and the adaptive significance of genetic divergence between host-associated viruses are poorly understood. One explanation is that epidemiological separation between reservoirs causes neutral genetic differentiation. Indeed, recent studies attributed host shifts to ecological factors and selection of 'preadapted' viral variants from the existing viral community. However, phenotypic differences between isolates and broad scale comparative and molecular evolutionary analyses indicate multiple barriers that Rabies virus must overcome through adaptation. This review assesses various lines of evidence and proposes a synthetic hypothesis for the respective roles of ecology and evolution in Rabies virus host shifts.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The ecological and evolutionary factors affecting Rabies virus host shifts at various stages. Despite many cross-species transmission events, and presumably even more unsuccessful exposures, comparatively few infections result in onward spread in the recipient species. An even smaller number of such outbreaks result in long term establishment of RV in the new host species. In the simplest case, the cross-species emergence of RV is determined purely by ecological factors (here termed the ‘ecology only’ model). However, several lines of evidence point to a need for viral adaptation to the recipient host to allow progression to the next stage.
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