Chinese Horseshoe Bats — the SARS-CoV Reservoir?

Both the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the recently identified Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus appear to have been transmitted to humans from animals. Although initial studies had suggested that the palm civet was the animal reservoir for the SARS-CoV, subsequent investigations have implicated several bat species (NEJM JW Infect Dis Nov 18 2005). A multinational team of investigators has now found more-definitive evidence that Chinese horseshoe bats are the natural reservoir for the SARS-CoV.

The researchers obtained 117 anal swabs or fecal specimens from a colony of Chinese horseshoe bats over a 12-month period; 27 of the samples were coronavirus positive by polymerase chain reaction. Seven differ…