Detection of novel coronaviruses from dusky fruit bat (Penthetor lucasi) in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Sarawak has one of the highest diversity of fruit bats species (family Pteropodidae) in Malaysia, with 19 species described. Most coronavirus (CoV) studies have mainly focused on insectivorous bats, resulting in a lack of information on CoVs present in frugivorous bats. In addition, bat CoV surveillance activities are lacking in Malaysia.

Objectives

Our study focuses on determining the presence of bat CoVs in dusky fruit bat (Penthetor lucasi).

Methods

Guano samples belonging to P. lucasi were collected from Wind Cave Nature Reserve. The samples were screened for the presence of CoVs using validated hemi-nested consensus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase consensus primers.

Results

The bat CoV positivity rate was 38.5% (n = 15/39), with the viruses belongi

SUBMITTER: Habeebur-Rahman SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10650259 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature