Bats host major mammalian paramyxoviruses

Drexler, Jan Felix; Corman, Victor Max; Müller, Marcel Alexander; Maganga, Gael Darren; Vallo, Peter; Binger, Tabea; Gloza-Rausch, Florian; Rasche, Andrea; Yordanov, Stoian; Seebens, Antje; Oppong, Samuel; Sarkodie, Yaw Adu; Pongombo, Célestin; Lukashev, Alexander N.; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Stöcker, Andreas; Carneiro, Aroldo José Borges; Erbar, Stephanie; Maisner, Andrea; Fronhoffs, Florian; Buettner, Reinhard; Kalko, Elisabeth K.V.; Kruppa, Thomas; Franke, Carlos Roberto; Kallies, René; Yandoko, Emmanuel R.N.; Herrler, Georg; Reusken, Chantal; Hassanin, Alexandre; Krüger, Detlev H.; Matthee, Sonja; Ulrich, Rainer G.; Leroy, Eric M.; Drosten, Christian

In applying the above considerations to larger taxa of mammalian viruses, such as the members of the mammalian paramyxoviruses (PVs), mammals come into focus as potential AR. In mammals, the criterion of large natural group sizes is particularly met by species within the orders Chiroptera (bats) and Rodentia (rodents) 1, 8 . Indeed, sporadic detection of PV in members of both orders has been previously reported by us and other groups [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] . Here we tested 119 bat and rodent species worldwide, and identified a large range of novel PV related to major pathogens. These included very large diversities of henipa-and rubulaviruses, as well as relatives of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), mouse pneumoniaand canine distemper virus in bats. Multiple morbilli-related viruses were found in bats and rodents. These data will change our conception of PV host associations and influence future attempts to assess and predict epidemic risks.