Detection of a virus related to betacoronaviruses in Italian greater horseshoe bats

作者：Balboni A; Palladini A; Bogliani G; Battilani M^*

来源：Epidemiology and Infection, 2011, 139(2): 216-219.

DOI：10.1017/S0950268810001147

• Bats
• coronavirus
• Rhinolophus spp
• SARS

The association between coronaviruses and bats is a worldwide phenomenon and bats belonging to genus Rhinolophus are the reservoir host for several coronaviruses, including a large number of viruses closely related genetically to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV). We carried out a survey in colonies of Italian bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) for the presence of coronaviruses. Two of 52 R. ferrumequinum captured from different Italian areas tested positive by reverse transcription-PCR for a fragment of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of viruses related to Coronavirus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close correlations between one of the positive samples and SARS-related CoV belonging to the genus Betacoronavirus.

• 出版日期2011-2