Ecological surveillance of bat coronaviruses in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

Tan, Cheng Siang and Vaenessa Noni and Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan and Azroie Denel and Faisal Ali Anwarali Khan (2021) Ecological surveillance of bat coronaviruses in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. BMC Research Notes, 14. pp. 1-6. ISSN 1756-0500

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Abstract

Objective: Coronaviruses (CoVs) are natural commensals of bats. Two subgenera, namely Sarbecoviruses and Merbecoviruses have a high zoonotic potential and have been associated with three separate spillover events in the past 2 decades, making surveillance of bat-CoVs crucial for the prevention of the next epidemic. The study was aimed to elucidate the presence of coronavirus in fresh bat guano sampled from Wind Cave Nature Reserve (WCNR) in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Samples collected were placed into viral transport medium, transported on ice within the collection day, and preserved at − 80 °C. Nucleic acid was extracted using the column method and screened using consensus PCR primers targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene. Amplicons were sequenced bidi‑ rectionally using the Sanger method. Phylogenetic tree with maximum-likelihood bootstrap and Bayesian posterior probability were constructed. Results: CoV-RNA was detected in ten specimens (47.6%, n =21). Six alphacoronavirus and four beta coronaviruses were identifed. The bat-CoVs can be phylogenetically grouped into four novel clades which are closely related to Decacovirus-1 and Decacovirus-2, Sarbeco virus, and an unclassifed CoV. CoVs lineages unique to the Island of Borneo were discovered in Sarawak, Malaysia, with one of them closely related to Sarbecovirus. All of them are distant from currently known human coronaviruses.

Item Type:	Article
Keyword:	Bat , Cave , Coronavirus , Guano , Sarawak
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA1-1270 Public aspects of medicine > RA421-790.95 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive medicine > RA648.5-767 Epidemics. Epidemiology. Quarantine. Disinfection
Department:	FACULTY > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Depositing User:	SITI AZIZAH BINTI IDRIS -
Date Deposited:	16 Jun 2022 16:29
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2022 16:29
URI:	https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/32842

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