Coronavirus Antibodies in African Bat Species

Coronavirus Antibodies in African Bat Species

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

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.

2007

group 4 coronavirus, SARS-coronavirus, bat, SARS-like coronavirus, zoonosis, reservoir

DOI: 10.3201/eid1309.070342

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Infectious and parasitic diseases, Medicine

EN