Abstract
Bats are natural reservoirs for many viruses, including several that are zoonotic. Two unusual H17N10 and H18N11 influenza viruses have been found in New World bats. Although neither of these viruses have been isolated, infectious clone technology has permitted significant progress to understand their biology, which include unique features compared to all other known influenza A viruses. In addition, an H9N2-like influenza A virus was isolated from Old World bats and it shows similar characteristics of normal influenza A viruses. In this review, current status and perspective on influenza A viruses identified in bats is reviewed and discussed.
Highlights
Influenza is an important respiratory disease that is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths each year during seasonal epidemics in the USA alone [1,2,3]
The disease is principally caused by influenza A virus (IAV) and influenza B virus (IBV) that belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family
Avian influenza viruses preferentially bind to α-2,3 sialic acids, whereas human influenza viruses preferentially bind to α-2,6 sialic acids [11,12]
Summary
Influenza is an important respiratory disease that is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths each year during seasonal epidemics in the USA alone [1,2,3]. A novel H9N2-like IAV was isolated from Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), which is distant from known. Viruses 2021, 13, 547 of conventional IAVs. Based on significant difference from all known IAV subtypes, the novel virus (A/bat/Guat/09) has been classified as an H17N10 subtype [24]. Evolutionary analysis suggests that the H17N10 bat influenza virus is ancestral to currently known conventional IAVs [30]. Three H17N10 genome sequences have been detected in bat samples in Guatemala; two were found in samples collected in EI Jobo in 2009 and one in samples collected during 2010 in Aguero that is approximately 50 km from EI Jobo [24] These three H17N10 genome sequences are similar and show high homology in each gene segment [24]. Detection of the H17N10 genome sequences in different places and time suggests that the H17N10 virus has been circulating in bats for many years
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
