Characterization of a novel alphaherpesvirus isolated from the fruit bat Pteropus lylei, in Viet Nam.

Herpesviruses exist in nature within each host animal. Ten herpesviruses have been isolated from bats and their biological properties reported. A novel bat alphaherpesvirus, which we propose to name "Pteropus lylei-associated alphaherpesvirus (PLAHV)", was isolated from urine of the fruit bat Pteropus lylei in Viet Nam and characterized. The entire genome sequence was determined to be 144,008 bp in length and predicted to code 72 genes. PLAHV was assigned to genus Simplexvirus with other bat alphaherpesviruses isolated from pteropodid bats in Southeast Asia and Africa. The replication capacity of PLAHV in several cells was evaluated in comparison with that of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). PLAHV replicated better in the bat-originated cell line and less in human embryonic lung fibroblast cells than HSV-1 did. PLAHV was serologically related with another bat alphaherpesvirus, Pteropodid alphaherpesvirus 1 (PtAHV1), isolated from a Pteropus hypomelanus-related bat captured in Indonesia, but not with HSV-1. PLAHV caused lethal infection in mice. PLAHV was as susceptible to acyclovir as HSV-1 was. Characterization of this new member of bat alphaherpesviruses, PLAHV, expands the knowledge on bat-associated alphaherpesvirology.IMPORTANCE A novel bat alphaherpesvirus, Pteropus lylei-associated alphaherpesvirus (PLAHV), was isolated from urine of the fruit bat Pteropus lylei in Viet Nam. The whole genome sequence was determined and was predicted to code 72 open reading frames in the 144,008-bp virus genome. PLAHV is circulating in a species of fruit bats, Pteropus lylei, in Asia. This study expands the knowledge on bat-associated alphaherpesvirology.