Following publication of this article [1], a number of concerns were raised which question the scientific validity of the reported results. The concerns were discussed with two members of the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editorial Board who stated that:

Existing literature [2, 3, 4, 5] indicates that detection of Lyssavirus rabies in bats in the West African nation of Cameroon is implausible. The direct immunofluorescence assay reported in Fig 2 alone is not sufficient to detect rabies virus as this assay cannot distinguish between different types of Lyssavirus. According to one member of the Editorial Board, the representative image provided for the positive detection of rabies ribo-nuclear protein in Fig 2B appears to contain microscopy artefacts and is therefore not sufficient as a positive control. The results of multiple studies [6, 7, 8, 9] referenced in this article are inaccurately reported, with estimates of prevalence reported as being derived from Lyssavirus antigen detection in bat brains as opposed to seroprevalence reporting of anti-lyssavirus antibodies in serum. Antigen detection and estimated prevalence in these studies was significantly lower than detection of neutralising antibodies. The risk assessment reported in the article does not meet required standards for prevention of human exposure to bat lyssavirus for which there is no rabies vaccine cross-protection.

The corresponding author responded to the above points, however the members of the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editorial Board concluded that these responses did not adequately address the concerns listed above.

In light of the unresolved concerns that question the reliability and validity of the reported results and conclusions, the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editors retract this article.

ID did not agree with the retraction. RSPN, MMMM, SDJ, RNGN, IC, LF, LGY, JMKF, AW, DM and JAN either did not respond directly or could not be reached.

1. Dah I, Poueme Namegni RS, Mouiche Mouliom MM, Dickmu Jumbo S, Nguena Guefack Noumedem R, Conclois I, et al. (2023) Prevalence and public health significance of rabies virus in bats in the North Region of Cameroon. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 17(10): e0010803. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010803 pmid:37871008 2. Gilbert A. 2018. Rabies virus vectors and reservoir species. OIE Scientific and Technical Review 37(2): 371–384 3. Marston D.A., Banyard A.C., McElhinney L.M., Freuling C.M., Finke S., de Lamballerie X., Müller T. and Fooks A.R., 2018. The lyssavirus host-specificity conundrum—rabies virus—the exception not the rule. Current opinion in virology, 28, pp.68–73. pmid:29182939 4. Banyard A.C., Davis A., Gilbert A., Markotter W.. 2020. Bat rabies. In Rabies: Scientific basis of the disease and its management (Fooks A.R and Jackson A.C. eds), Academic Press, pp 231–276 5. Viljoen N., Weyer J., Coertse J. and Markotter W., 2023. Evaluation of Taxonomic Characteristics of Matlo and Phala Bat Rabies-Related Lyssaviruses Identified in South Africa. Viruses, 15(10), p.2047. pmid:37896824 6. Kalemba LN, Niezgoda M, Amy TG, Jeffrey BD, Ryan MW, Malekani JM et al. Exposure to Lyssaviruses in Bats of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. J. Wildl. Dis. 2017; 53(2): 408–410. pmid:28151079. 7. Kuzmin IV, Niezgoda M, Franka R, Agwanda B, Markotter W, Beagley JC, et al. Lagos Bat Virus in Kenya. J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Feb 27; 46 (4): 1451–1461. pmid:18305130 8. Dzikwi A, Kuzmin I, Jarlath U, Kwaga JKP, Aliyu AA and Rupprecht CE. Evidence of Lagos Bat Virus Circulation among Nigerian Fruit Bats. J. Wildl Dis. 2010; 46(1): 267–271. pmid:20090042. . 9. Hayman DTS, Fooks AR, Horton D, Suu-Ire R, Breed AC, Cunningham AA et al. Antibodies against Lagos bat virus in Megachiroptera from West Africa. Emerg Infect Dis, 2008 Jun, 14(6): 926–928. pmid:18507903.

Citation: The PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editors (2024) Retraction: Prevalence and public health significance of rabies virus in bats in the North Region of Cameroon. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 18(5): e0012171. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012171

Published: May 9, 2024

Copyright: © 2024 The PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editors. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.