Lagos bat virus

Lagos bat virus is a lyssavirus that causes a rabies-like illness in mammals in southern and central Africa. It was first isolated from a fruit bat (Eidolon helvum) from Lagos Island, Nigeria in 1956. Brain samples showed poor cross-reactivity to rabies antibodies, leading to the discovery of the first rabies-related virus. Until this time, rabies was thought to have a single causal agent. Four more lyssavirus species and numerous tentative species have since been identified.

Lagos bat virus has been isolated from wild and domestic mammals. One isolate was made in France in 1999 when a fruit bat (Rousettus egypticus) which had been displaying signs of aggression, died. The bat had been imported from Africa (Picard-Meyer et al).

No human cases of Lagos bat virus infection have been documented.