Published October 31, 2005
| Version v1
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Bats Are Natural Reservoirs of SARS-Like Coronaviruses
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Description
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) emerged in 2002 to 2003 in southern China. The origin of its etiological agent, the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), remains elusive. Here we report that species of bats are a natural host of coronaviruses closely related to those responsible for the SARS outbreak. These viruses, termed SARS-like coronaviruses (SL-CoVs), display greater genetic variation than SARS-CoV isolated from humans or from civets. The human and civet isolates of SARS-CoV nestle phylogenetically within the spectrum of SL-CoVs, indicating that the virus responsible for the SARS outbreak was a member of this coronavirus group.
Several species of bat living in China are natural hosts of coronaviruses closely related to those responsible for the SARS outbreak.
Several species of bat living in China are natural hosts of coronaviruses closely related to those responsible for the SARS outbreak.
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Additional details
Biodiversity
- Host of
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(Miniopterus) → (bat coronavirus, bat-CoV)(Paguma larvata, masked palm civets) → (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV)(Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) → (SARS-like coronavirus isolate Rp3, SL-CoV Rp3)(Rhinolophus macrotis) → (SARS-like coronavirus isolate Rp3, SL-CoV Rp3)(Rhinolophus pearsoni) → (SARS-like coronavirus isolate Rp3, SL-CoV Rp3)(Rhinolophus pussilus) → (SARS-like coronavirus isolate Rp3, SL-CoV Rp3)(Rhinolophus, horseshoe bats) → (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV)(bat) → (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV)