Miniopterus Bat coronavirus 1

Miniopterus Bat coronavirus 1
Virus classification
Group: Group IV ((+)ssRNA)
Order: Nidovirales
Family: Coronaviridae
Subfamily: Coronavirinae
Genus: Alphacoronavirus
Species: Miniopterus Bat coronavirus 1

Miniopterus Bat coronavirus 1 is a novel enveloped, single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus species in the Alphacoronavirus, or Group 1, genus with a corona-like morphology. It causes severe acute respiratory syndrome in bats. Isolates have not been found in humans.[1]

Reservoir

The Miniopterus bat is a bent-winged bat found throughout Asia and the Middle East. Isolates of Miniopterus Bat CoV-1 have not been found in humans. Bat-CoV-1A and 1B have been also isolated from Miniopterus magnater and Minipterus pusillus in Hong Kong. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these group 1 bat coronaviruses have descended from a common ancestor. The four different but closely related group 1 alphacoronaviruses (bat-CoV 1A, 1B, HKU7 and HKU8), have been isolated from otherwise healthy bats which suggests that these viruses are well established in these species.

Transmission

Transmission of Miniopterus Bat CoV-1 within the species is believed to be through droplet-respiration from contaminates of saliva and excreta. There is also evidence of interspecies transmission of coronavirus among bats.[2]

Genome

All the Alpha and betacoronaviruses, Group 1 and Group 2, are derived from the bat gene pool. There are at least four different, but closely related, Alphacoronaviruses (bat-CoV 1A, 1B, HKU7 and HKU8) circulating in bent-winged bats. Coronaviruses in bats are descended from a common ancestor and have been evolving in bats over a long period of time.[3]

A significant percentage of newly emerging viruses are RNA viruses. It is believed this is due to the fact that RNA viruses have a much higher nucleotide mutation rate than DNA viruses.[4]

Habitat

The common bent-wing bat can be found in the following countries:Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Croatia, Republica Dominicana, possibly Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Gibraltar, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, possibly Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, and Yemen.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chu DK, Poon LL, Chan KH, Chen H, Guan Y, Yuen KY, Peiris JS. Coronaviruses in bent-winged bats (Miniopterus spp.). J Gen Virol. 2006 Sep;87(Pt 9):2461-6.
  2. ↑ Susanna K. P. Laua,Kenneth S. M. Lid,Alan K. L. Tsangd,Chung-Tong Sheke,Ming Wangf,et al. Recent Transmission of a Novel Alphacoronavirus, Bat Coronavirus HKU10, from Leschenault's Rousettes to Pomona Leaf-Nosed Bats: First Evidence of Interspecies Transmission of Coronavirus between Bats of Different Suborders.J. Virol. November 2012 vol. 86
  3. ↑ Chu DK, Peiris JS, Chen H, Guan Y, Poon LL. Genomic characterizations of bat coronaviruses (1A, 1B and HKU8) and evidence for co-infections in Miniopterus bats..J Gen Virol. 2008 May;89(Pt 5):1282-7. doi 10.1099/vir.0.83605-0.
  4. ↑ Chu, David K.W.,Peiris, J.S. Malik, and Poon, Leo, L.M. Novel Coronaviruses and Astroviruses in Bats. Virologica Sinica. April 2009, 24(2): 100-104.

External links

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