Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like WIV1-coronavirus (CoV) was first isolated from Rhinolophus sinicus bats and can use the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. In the current study, we investigate the ability of WIV1-CoV to infect Rousettus aegyptiacus bats. No clinical signs were observed throughout the experiment. Furthermore, only four oropharyngeal swabs and two respiratory tissues, isolated on day 3 post inoculation, were found positive for viral RNA. Two out of twelve bats showed a modest increase in coronavirus specific antibodies post challenge. In conclusion, WIV1-CoV was unable to cause a robust infection in Rousettus aegyptiacus bats.
Highlights
Emerging infectious diseases form a significant threat to the human population
We investigate the ability of WIV1-CoV to infect and replicate in Rousettus aegyptiacus bats
Because variation in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been shown to act as a host species barrier [10], we first tested if
Summary
Emerging infectious diseases form a significant threat to the human population. The World Health Organization has identified a list of top emerging diseases likely to cause major epidemics. The list includes severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which caused a pandemic in 2002–2003 [1]. A recombinant virus based on a consensus sequence of SARS-like viruses from bats could not be cultured unless a part of the spike protein was exchanged with SARS-CoV spike protein [4]. This suggests that a substantial portion of the SARS-like viruses circulating in bats cannot infect humans directly
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