Epidemiological and molecular analysis and screening of caliciviruses and viral hepatitis in bats from Northeastern Brazil.

• Grant number: 25/05645-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Durães de Carvalho
• Grantee: Clara Lacerda de Athayde
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/01255-9 - Bats: epidemiological surveillance, high-resolution phylodynamics, search and design of peptides of biotechnological interest in emergent and reemerging viruses, AP.JP

Abstract

Some bat species are widely recognized as natural reservoirs of viruses from various families, playing an essential role in the maintenance, transmission, and spread of these pathogens. The increasing degradation and fragmentation of natural habitats have forced these mammals to seek new shelter and food sources, often in anthropogenic environments. This process of adaptation to urban and peri-urban areas has favored the development of synanthropic behaviors, enhancing their role in the spread of zoonotic diseases. In this context, bats assume a central position in viral ecology, particularly due to their harboring a wide diversity of viruses capable of infecting humans and other animals. This project aims to investigate the presence of caliciviruses (CalV) and viral hepatitis in bats, viruses of relevance to both human and animal health, through PCR and genetic sequencing. Furthermore, it intends to conduct phylogenetic analyses and evolutionary reconstructions to enhance the understanding of their genetic diversity, providing important insights into their evolution. (AU)