title: Coronaviruses in bent-winged bats (Miniopterus spp.).
abstract: A novel group 1 coronavirus was previously identified in bent-winged bats (Miniopterus spp.). Here, results are described from our ongoing surveillance of these bats for coronaviruses. These findings show that group 1 coronaviruses are endemic in these bat populations in Hong Kong. Genetic analysis of these viruses indicates that there are at least four different, but closely related, group 1 coronaviruses (bat-CoV 1A, 1B, HKU7 and HKU8) circulating in bent-winged bats. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these group 1 bat coronaviruses have descended from a common ancestor and that these viruses have been established in these bats for a long period of time. These data provide a better understanding of the emergence and evolution of coronaviruses. Bat-CoV 1A and 1B were detected in apparently healthy Miniopterus magnater and Miniopterus pusillus, respectively, on repeated sampling occasions at a single habitat, suggesting that these viruses have established a persistent infection in these populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: D K W
authors.initials: DKW
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: L L M
authors.initials: LLM
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: J S M
authors.initials: JSM
authors.lastname: Peiris
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology*; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006723:Hong Kong; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins