Cross-Species Transmission of Bat Coronaviruses in the Americas: Contrasting Patterns between Alphacoronavirus and Betacoronavirus
Diego A. Caraballo
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) have a strong zoonotic potential due to their high rates of evolvability and their capacity for overcoming host-specific barriers. Bats harbor the largest number of CoV species among mammals, with the highest CoV diversity found in areas with the highest levels of bat species richness. Understanding their origin and patterns of cross-species transmission is crucial for pandemic preparedness. This study aims to understand how bat-CoVs diversify in the Americas, circulate among and transmit between bat families and genera, and ultimately identify bat hosts and regions where the risk of CoV spillover is the highest.
Topics & Concepts
BetacoronavirusBiologyTransmission (telecommunications)Species richness2019-20 coronavirus outbreakSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Host specificityHost (biology)ZoologyEcologyCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)VirologyMedicineElectrical engineeringInfectious disease (medical specialty)PathologyDiseaseEngineeringOutbreakSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchViral Infections and Outbreaks ResearchViral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology