Emerging Rhabdoviruses and Human Infection

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The viral family Rhabdoviridae comprises over 140 different viral species, the most well-known being the Rabies lyssavirus, the principle cause of rabies. There are, however, a large number of other viruses within the Rhabdoviridae family that are less well studied but may also represent human pathogens. Modern techniques such as metagenomic next-generation sequencing have facilitated the discovery of new and previously neglected viruses. This review describes the evidence for human infection by rhabdoviruses and highlights the gaps in our knowledge of the contribution of this large viral family to human disease. ABSTRACT: Rhabdoviridae is a large viral family, with members infecting a diverse range of hosts including, vertebrate species, arthropods, and plants. The predominant human pathogen within the family is Rabies lyssavirus, the main cause of human rabies. While rabies is itself a neglected disease, there are other, less well studied, rhabdoviruses known to cause human infection. The increasing application of next-generation sequencing technology to clinical samples has led to the detection of several novel or rarely detected rhabdoviruses associated with febrile illness. Many of these viruses have been detected in low- and middle-income countries where the extent of human infection and the burden of disease remain largely unquantified. This review describes the rhabdoviruses other than Rabies lyssavirus that have been associated with human infection. The discovery of the Bas Congo virus and Ekpoma virus is discussed, as is the re-emergence of species such as Le Dantec virus, which has recently been detected in Africa 40 years after its initial isolation. Chandipura virus and the lyssaviruses that are known to cause human rabies are also described. Given their association with human disease, the viruses described in this review should be prioritised for further study.