A multi-disciplinary approach to identify spillover interfaces of bat coronaviruses to pig farms in Italy.

ABSTRACT: Bats are recognized reservoirs of diverse coronaviruses (CoVs), but little is known about the pathways enabling their spillover into livestock. This study applied a multidisciplinary approach, combining bioacoustic surveys, landscape analysis and molecular virology, to assess the risk of CoV transmission from bats to pigs in intensive farming systems of Northern Italy. Between 2021 and 2022, we carried out bioacoustic monitoring in 14 pig farms to assess bat presence, diversity and behaviour. We also analysed landscape and farm-level variables to identify predictors of bat activity and richness. Additionally, we investigated CoV circulation in three populations of Pipistrellus kuhlii through active longitudinal surveillance, performing whole-genome sequencing on new and archival CoV strain

SUBMITTER: Festa F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12527140 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature