Presence of Recombinant Bat Coronavirus GCCDC1 in Cambodian Bats

Bats have been recognized as an exceptional viral reservoir, especially for coronaviruses. At least three bat zoonotic coronaviruses (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) have been shown to cause severe diseases in humans and it is expected more will emerge. One of the major features of CoVs is that they are all highly prone to recombination. An extreme example is the insertion of the P10 gene from reoviruses in the bat CoV GCCDC1, first discovered in Rousettus leschenaultii bats in China. Here, we report the detection of GCCDC1 in four different bat species (Eonycteris spelaea, Cynopterus sphinx, Rhinolophus shameli and Rousettus sp.) in Cambodia. This finding demonstrates a much broader geographic and bat species range for this virus and indicates common cross-species transmission. Interestingly, one of the bat samples showed a co-infection with an Alpha CoV most closely related to RsYN14, a virus recently discovered in the same genus (Rhinolophus) of bat in Yunnan, China, 2020. Taken together, our latest findings highlight the need to conduct active surveillance in bats to assess the risk of emerging CoVs, especially in Southeast Asia.

Automated summary

Bats are considered an important reservoir for viruses, especially coronaviruses. A novel bat coronavirus, GCCDC1, was found in four different bat species in Cambodia, indicating a broader geographic and bat species range for this virus as well as cross-species transmission. Interestingly, a bat sample also showed co-infection with an Alpha coronavirus related to a virus discovered in Yunnan, China in 2020. These findings highlight the need for active surveillance in bats to assess the risk of emerging coronaviruses, particularly in Southeast Asia.