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Updated: May 10, 2026
15:31
Tissue Collection of Bats for -Omics Analyses and Primary Cell Culture
Published on: October 23, 2019
Highly diversified coronaviruses in neotropical bats.
Victor Max Corman1, Andrea Rasche2,1, Thierno Diawo Diallo1
1Institute of Virology, University of Bonn Medical Centre, Bonn, Germany.
The Journal of General Virology
|June 14, 2013
Summary
Neotropical bats harbor diverse coronaviruses (CoVs) unrelated to human pathogens. This study identified novel CoVs in nine bat species, expanding knowledge of viral diversity and host associations.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Ecology
- Zoology
Background:
- Bats are known reservoirs for a wide array of coronaviruses (CoVs), including those closely related to human pathogens.
- Limited data exists on the diversity and prevalence of CoVs in Neotropical bat populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diversity of coronaviruses in Neotropical bats.
- To analyze CoV prevalence across different bat species and geographical regions.
- To assess potential zoonotic spill-over risks by comparing identified CoVs with known human or animal pathogens.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fecal, blood, and intestinal specimens from 1562 bats across Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and Brazil.
- Utilized broad-range PCR for the detection of CoV RNA.
- Employed RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)-based grouping units (RGUs) for CoV species identification.
Main Results:
- Coronaviruses were detected in 50 bats from nine different species, encompassing both frugivorous and insectivorous bats.
- The identified bat CoVs were distinct from known human and animal pathogens, suggesting no recent zoonotic spill-over events.
- Five distinct alphacoronavirus RGUs and two betacoronavirus RGUs were identified among the detected viruses.
- Closely related alphacoronaviruses were found in Carollia perspicillata and C. brevicauda bats over a distance exceeding 5600 km.
Conclusions:
- This study significantly expands the understanding of CoV diversity within Neotropical bat populations.
- Findings highlight a strong association between specific CoVs and distinct bat host genera.
- The genetic distinctiveness of these CoVs suggests a low risk of immediate zoonotic transmission to humans from these specific bat populations.
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