Coronavirus Antibodies in African Bat Species
group 4 coronavirus, SARS-coronavirus, bat, SARS-like coronavirus, zoonosis, reservoir
Asian bats have been identified as potential reservoir hosts of coronaviruses associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV). We detected antibody reactive with SARS-CoV antigen in 47 (6.7%) of 705 bat serum specimens comprising 26 species collected in Africa; thus, African bats may harbor agents related to putative group 4 CoV.
Marcel A. Müller, Janusz T. Paweska, Patricia A. Leman, Sung Sup Park, Klaus Grywna, Alan Kemp, L.E.O. Braack, Karen Sonnenberg, Matthias Niedrig, Robert Swanepoel
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine