Virome and Microbiome of Florida Bats Illuminate Viral Co-Infections, Dietary Viral Signals, and Gut Microbiome Shifts.

ABSTRACT: Florida's bat virome remains poorly characterized despite the state's high bat species diversity and conservation importance. We characterized viral metagenomes from rectal tissues, anal swabs, and feces of Myotis austroriparius and Tadarida brasiliensis sampled across north Florida. We recovered a near-complete Hubei virga-like virus 2 (HVLV2) genome from T. brasiliensis feces, a finding consistent with an arthropod-derived dietary signal rather than active bat infection. An Alphacoronavirus (AlphaCoV) was detected in two M. austroriparius specimens, including one with a putative co-infection involving an Astrovirus (AstV), the first detection of AstV in Florida bats to date. Parallel profiling of the M. austroriparius gut microbiome highli

SUBMITTER: Paoli JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12655238 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature