title: Circulation of group 2 coronaviruses in a bat species common to urban areas in Western Europe.
abstract: Fecal samples of 211 bats representing 13 different bat species from 31 locations in the Netherlands were analyzed for the presence of coronaviruses (CoV) using a genus-wide reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction. CoVs are known for their high potential for interspecies transmission, including zoonotic transmission with bats as reservoir hosts. For the first time, a group 2 CoV was found in a bat, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, in Europe. This is of particular interest for public health as the reservoir host is a species that is common to urban areas in most of Europe and notorious for its close interactions with humans. Four verspertilionid bat species were found to excrete group 1 CoVs, viz. Myotis daubentonii, M. dasycneme, P. pipistrellus, and Nyctalus noctula. The last species is a newly identified reservoir. The overall prevalence was 16.9% and positive bats were found at multiple widespread locations. The circulating group 1 CoV lineages were rather species associated than location associated.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands. chantal.reusken@rivm.nl
authors.forename: Chantal B E M
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Reusken
authors.forename: Peter H C
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lina
authors.forename: Annemarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pielaat
authors.forename: Ankje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dam-Deisz
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adema
authors.forename: Jan Felix
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drosten
authors.forename: Engbert A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kooi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera; D017934:Coronavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003710:Demography; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral