Lagos bat virus transmission in an Eidolon helvum bat colony, Ghana

• Lagos bat virus was isolated from a straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) from Ghana.
• Phylogenetically the virus was classified as member of lineage A.
• Conspecifics of the colony had neutralizing antibodies (74% of 567 animals) when the homologous virus was used as test virus, but not using a different Lagos bat virus (lineage B).

A brain sample of a straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) from Ghana without evident signs of disease tested positive by generic Lyssavirus RT-PCR and direct antigen staining. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of a Lagos bat virus belonging to phylogenetic lineage A. Virus neutralization tests using the isolate with sera from the same group of bats yielded neutralizing antibodies in 74% of 567 animals. No cross-neutralization was observed against a different Lagos bat virus (lineage B).