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Bats are a major global reservoir of alphacoronaviruses (alphaCoVs) and betaCoVs. Attempts to discover the causative agents of COVID-19 and SARS have revealed horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) to be the most probable source of the virus. We report the first detection of bat coronaviruses (BtCoVs) in insectivorous bats in Poland and highlight SARS-related coronaviruses found in Rhinolophidae bats. The study included 503 (397 oral swabs and 106 fecal) samples collected from 20 bat species. Genetically diverse BtCoVs (n = 20) of the Alpha- and Betacoronavirus genera were found in fecal samples of two bat species. SARS-related CoVs were in 18 out of 58 lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) samples (31%, 95% CI 20.6–43.8), and alphaCoVs were in 2 out of 55 Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) samples (3.6%, 95% CI 0.6–12.3). The overall BtCoV prevalence was 4.0% (95% CI 2.6–6.1). High identity was determined for BtCoVs isolated from European M. daubentonii and R. hipposideros bats. The detection of SARS-related and alphaCoVs in Polish bats with high phylogenetic relatedness to reference BtCoVs isolated in different European countries but from the same species confirms their high host restriction. Our data elucidate the molecular epidemiology, prevalence, and geographic distribution of coronaviruses and particularly SARS-related types in the bat population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Astroviruses (AstVs) are common pathogens of a wide range of animal hosts, including mammals and avians, causing gastrointestinal diseases, mainly gastroenteritis and diarrhea. They prompt a significant health problem in newborns and young children and economic losses in the poultry sector and mink farms. Recent studies revealed a growing number of bat species carrying astroviruses with a noticeable prevalence and diversity. Here, we demonstrate the first detection of bat astroviruses (BtAstVs) circulating in the population of insectivorous bats in the territory of Poland. Results: Genetically diverse BtAstVs (n = 18) were found with a varying degree of bat species specificity in five out of 15 bat species in Poland previously recognized as BtAstV hosts. Astroviral RNA was found in 12 out of 98 (12.2%, 95% CI 7.1–20.2) bat intestines, six bat kidneys (6.1%, 95% CI 2.8–12.7) and two bat livers (2.0%, 95% CI 0.4–7.1). Deep sequencing of the astroviral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) region revealed co-infections in five single bat individuals with highly distinct astrovirus strains. Conclusions: The detection of highly distinct bat astroviruses in Polish bats favors virus recombination and the generation of novel divergent AstVs and creates a potential risk of virus transmission to domestic animals and humans in the country. These findings provide a new insight into molecular epidemiology, prevalence of astroviruses in European bat populations and the risk of interspecies transmission to other animals including humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bats are known to host a number of nonpathogenic viruses, as well as highly pathogenic viruses causing fatal diseases like rabies. Serological surveys as part of active and passive bat rabies surveillance mainly use seroneutralization assays, demonstrating the presence of lyssavirus-specific antibodies in a variety of European bats, particularly against European bat lyssaviruses type 1 (EBLV-1). Here, we present the first serological survey in European bats of this kind during which European bats from Poland collected in the frame of passive rabies surveillance between 2012 and 2018, as well as Serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) and North American Big Brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) from previous experimental studies, were tested using a commercial ELISA kit for the detection of anti-lyssavirus antibodies. Results: Lyssavirus-specific antibodies were detected in 35 (30.4%) out of 115 Polish bats of both sexes, representing nine out of 13 identified bat species endemic mainly to Central Southern Europe and Western Asia, i.e., Eptesicus serotinus, Nyctalus noctula, Myotis daubentonii, Plecotus auritus, Vespertillo murinus,Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pipilstrellus/Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Myotis brandtii, and Barbastella barbastellus. Seroprevalence was highest in bat species of Nyctalus noctula, Eptesicus serotinus, Plecotus auritus, and Myotis daubentonii. More than 60% of the ELISA seropositive bats originated from the voivodeships of Silesia, Lower-Silesian, Warmian-Mazurian, and Mazowian. Rabies-specific antibodies were also found in Eptesicus fuscus bats from North America. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the principal application of the BioPro Rabies ELISA Ab Kit for the detection of anti-lyssavirus specific antibodies in body fluids and serum samples of bats. However, results may only be reliable for North American bats, whereas interpretation of results for European bats per se is difficult because proper validation of the test is hampered by the protected status of these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]