Review of Bats and SARS

Abstract

TOC Summary: The discovery of SARS-like coronaviruses in horseshoe bats highlights the possibility of future outbreaks caused by different coronaviruses of bat origin.

A previously unknown reovirus of bat origin is associated with an acute respiratory disease in humans

“…Ephrin B2 has been identified as the main receptor for henipaviruses (30,31), and its wide distribution and status as a member of a conserved family of cell-surface glycoprotein ligands (32) may help to account for the wide host range of henipaviruses in vivo and in vitro. Similarly, the receptor for the SARS coronavirus, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (33), is also conserved among different animals (34), an observation consistent with the finding that SARS coronavirus seems to be able to infect most mammalian species tested under experimental conditions (35). In this regard, it is worth noting that MelV and PulV are also capable of replicating in a wide range of cell lines, including one derived from mosquitoes (see SI Table 2).…”

Identification of key amino acid residues required for horseshoe bat angiotensin-I converting enzyme 2 to function as a receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

“…Although it was recognized very early during the outbreaks that SARS-CoV was most probably a virus of animal origin and that the virus entered the human population as a result of a spillover event(s), the exact reservoir species of the SARS-CoV and the path of the spillover event remain unknown Normile & Enserink, 2003;Wang & Eaton, 2007;Wang et al, 2006). However, it is well established that Himalayan palm civets (Paguma larvata) played a key role as an intermediate adapting/ amplifying host for the introduction of SARS-CoV into the human population Wang et al, 2006).The search for the origin of SARS-CoV was boosted when genetically similar SARS-like coronaviruses (SL-CoVs) were discovered in horseshoe bats in the genus Rhinolophus by two independent groups in Hong Kong and mainland China (Lau et al, 2005;Li et al, 2005b). SLCoVs and SARS-CoVs share identical genome organization and very high sequence identities.…”

“…Although it was recognized very early during the outbreaks that SARS-CoV was most probably a virus of animal origin and that the virus entered the human population as a result of a spillover event(s), the exact reservoir species of the SARS-CoV and the path of the spillover event remain unknown Normile & Enserink, 2003;Wang & Eaton, 2007;Wang et al, 2006). However, it is well established that Himalayan palm civets (Paguma larvata) played a key role as an intermediate adapting/ amplifying host for the introduction of SARS-CoV into the human population Wang et al, 2006).…”

Guano exposed: Impact of aerobic conditions on bat fecal microbiota

“…Many bats dwell in isolated locations (e.g., caves, abandoned mines), and they are mostly nocturnal so they often only hunt and forage at night. Many zoonotically and epizootically relevant pathogens (e.g., Bartonella , Histoplasma ) (Calisher, Childs, Field, Holmes, & Schountz, 2006; Muhldorfer, 2013; Wang et al., 2006) do not cause significant die‐offs so carcasses are not available for collection. Furthermore, the protected status and “uncharismatic” nature of bats may lead to substantial biases, which cause bats to be underrepresented in surveillance efforts (Grogan et al., 2014; Stallknecht, 2007).…”