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16 October 2024 LITTLE BROWN BATS (MYOTIS LUCIFUGUS) ARE RESISTANT TO SARS-COV-2 INFECTION
Jeffrey S. Hall, Sean Nashold, Erik Hofmeister, Ariel E. Leon, Elizabeth A. Falendysz, Hon S. Ip, Carly M. Malavé, Tonie E. Rocke, Mariano Carossino, Udeni Balasuriya, Susan Knowles
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

It has been proposed that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that spread through human populations as a pandemic originated in Asian bats. There is concern that infected humans could transmit the virus to native North American bats; therefore, the susceptibility of several North American bat species to the pandemic virus has been experimentally assessed. Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were shown to be resistant to infection by SARS-CoV-2, whereas Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) became infected and orally excreted moderate amounts of virus for up to 18 d postinoculation. Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) frequently contact humans, and their populations are threatened over much of their range due to white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that is continuing to spread across North America. We experimentally challenged little brown bats with SARS-CoV-2 to determine their susceptibility and host potential and whether the virus presents an additional risk to this species. We found that this species was resistant to infection by SARS-CoV-2. These findings provide reassurance to wildlife rehabilitators, biologists, conservation scientists, and the public at large who are concerned with possible transmission of this virus to threatened bat populations.

Jeffrey S. Hall, Sean Nashold, Erik Hofmeister, Ariel E. Leon, Elizabeth A. Falendysz, Hon S. Ip, Carly M. Malavé, Tonie E. Rocke, Mariano Carossino, Udeni Balasuriya, and Susan Knowles "LITTLE BROWN BATS (MYOTIS LUCIFUGUS) ARE RESISTANT TO SARS-COV-2 INFECTION," Journal of Wildlife Diseases 60(4), 924-930, (16 October 2024). https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-23-00114
Received: 12 July 2023; Accepted: 8 May 2024; Published: 16 October 2024
KEYWORDS
challenge
infection
Little Brown Bat
Myotis lucifugus
resistance
SARS-CoV-2
susceptibility
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