Dr. Alison Peel holds a black flying fox in Queensland in preparation for sampling. Credit: Kathleen Flynn / University of Sydney
New research from the University of Sydney offers important information on how and when new variants of coronavirus occur in bats.
Bats are beneficial for our ecosystems and economies, but, as the destruction of housing and environmental stressors put them near humans, risks of illness can emerge. Research, published in Nature communicationsOffers an approach to anticipate the emergence of coronavirus.
He found that young bats are infected more frequently and could be a key source of viral overflow in other species. The study also reveals the dynamics of coronaviruses circulating in Australian bats, which have no known risk for humans.
Endemic in batulations of bats, most coronaviruses never infect humans. When they do it, as for SRAS, COVVI-19 and MERS epidemics, they generally spread bats via a bristing animal.
“Coronaviruses tend not to be a major concern for bats,” said Dr. Alison Peel of the University’s veterinary school school, who led the study. “But they can behave differently if they spread to new species.”
In one of the most complete unique studies of this type, the researchers collected more than 2,500 fecal samples, through which bats lose coronavirus, over three years. Samples have been taken from black flying foxes and ruffle foxes with gray heads on five perch sites across the east coast of Australia.
The viral tests of the samples have shown that coronaviruses were the most widespread in young bats between March and July, while they sought and approached maturity. This was consistent in the three -year study. The high proportion of bats infected with several coronaviruses is particularly notable.
“We were surprised by this high rate of co-infection among juveniles and subadults,” said Dr. Peel. “Co-infection has the possibility for a single cell to be infected with several viruses, an important natural precursor of the generation of new strains.”
Drilling models depending on time at the population level for the four most identified coronavirus clades. Credit: Nature communications (2025). Two: 10.1038 / S41467-025-61521-7
The six coronaviruses detected in the study were the NoBécovirus, a subclass that does not jump to humans. Three of them were new. They were useful to analyze because they present a minimum risk for people, but are the evolutionary cousins of the Sarbecovirus, so -called sras type viruses which are more likely to manage to other species. Understanding the evolution of NoBécovirus offers parallel information on the evolution of more dangerous coronavirus.
“We followed in complete safety how and when the coronaviruses have circulated naturally in batulations of bats. Use of genomics to follow infections to individual animals”, Dr. John-Sebastian Eden, co-author of the study of the Westmead Institute for Medical Research and the Faculty of Medicine and Health of the University.
“The results offer a model to scientists who seek to understand the emergence of the coronavirus and future risks in the populations of bats in the world.
Dr. Peel said that more research is necessary to understand why young bats is more sensitive to infection and co-infection.
“This could be the result of newly weaned animals whose immune systems are still developing or stress faced with adolescent bats looking for a companion for the first time,” she said.
The changing environment could also be a factor.
“We know through previous research on other viruses than the loss of habitat caused by the encroachment of human populations and food shortages can create stress in bats which weakens immunity and makes them sensitive to infections. It will be important to know if it is also the case for coronavirus.”
The research of Dr Peel and Dr. Eden began in 2020, while the Pandemic Covid-19 was set up. He relied on previous research on the propagation of the Hendra virus, which also comes from bats.
“It is rare to see this scale and this data depth in virological research, even among human viruses,” said Dr. Peel. “The gathering of samples of individual bats and under perch, and monitoring individual strains on several sites and years, provides a solid basis for continuous research on the role of environmental stress on the emergence of coronavirus.”
More information:
Alison J. Peel et al, the synchronized seasonal excretion of several coronavirus coincides with high levels of co-infection in immature bats, Nature communications (2025). Two: 10.1038 / S41467-025-61521-7
Supplied by the University of Sydney
Quote: Young bats with several infections can lead to new coronavirus strains in nature (2025, July 21) recovered on July 23, 2025 from https://phys.org/news/2025-07-young-multiple-infections-coronavirus-strains.html
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