Abstract
Bats are a unique group of mammals of the order Chiroptera. They are highly diversified and are the group of mammals with the second largest number of species. Such highly diversified cell types and receptors facilitate them to be potential hosts of a large variety of viruses. Bats are the only group of mammals capable of sustained flight, which enables them to disseminate the viruses they harbor and enhance the chance of interspecies transmission. This article aims at reviewing the various aspects of the global epidemiology of bat coronaviruses (CoVs). Before the SARS epidemic, bats were not known to be hosts for CoVs. In the last 15 years, bats have been found to be hosts of >30 CoVs with complete genomes sequenced, and many more if those without genome sequences are included. Among the four CoV genera, only alphaCoVs and betaCoVs have been found in bats. As a whole, both alphaCoVs and betaCoVs have been detected from bats in Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America and Australasia; but alphaCoVs seem to be more widespread than betaCoVs, and their detection rate is also higher. For betaCoVs, only those from subgenera Sarbecovirus, Merbecovirus, Nobecovirus and Hibecovirus have been detected in bats. Most notably, horseshoe bats are the reservoir of SARS-CoV, and several betaCoVs from subgenus Merbecovirus are closely related to MERS-CoV. In addition to the interactions among various bat species themselves, bat–animal and bat–human interactions, such as the presence of live bats in wildlife wet markets and restaurants in Southern China, are important for interspecies transmission of CoVs and may lead to devastating global outbreaks.
Highlights
Coronaviruses (CoVs) infect humans and a wide variety of animals, causing diseases in the respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurological systems with varying severity
In 2018, these four lineages were reclassified as subgenera of Betacoronavirus, and renamed as Embecovirus, Sarbecovirus, Merbecovirus and Nobecovirus [2]
We review the various aspects of the global epidemiology of bat CoVs
Summary
Coronaviruses (CoVs) infect humans and a wide variety of animals, causing diseases in the respiratory, enteric, hepatic, and neurological systems with varying severity. CoVs are classified into four genera, Alphacoronavirus, Betacoronavirus, Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus. Betacoronavirus, they can be further subclassified into lineages A, B, C and D [1]. In 2018, these four lineages were reclassified as subgenera of Betacoronavirus, and renamed as Embecovirus (previous lineage A), Sarbecovirus (previous lineage B), Merbecovirus (previous lineage C) and Nobecovirus (previous lineage D) [2]. CoVs may achieve rapid adaptation to new host and ecological niches, Viruses 2019, 11, 174; doi:10.3390/v11020174 www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses. Viruses 2019, 11 FOR PEER REVIEW as a result of their tendency for recombination and the inherently high mutation rates, which are result of their tendency for recombination and the inherently high mutation rates, which are typical typical of RNA viruses of RNA [9]. Maximum-likelihood phylogeny on on the the complete genome sequences of 17 bat of
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
