Bat species assemblage predicts coronavirus prevalence

Magdalena Meyer (), Dominik W. Melville, Heather J. Baldwin, Kerstin Wilhelm, Evans Ewald Nkrumah, Ebenezer K. Badu, Samuel Kingsley Oppong, Nina Schwensow, Adam Stow, Peter Vallo, Victor M. Corman, Marco Tschapka, Christian Drosten and Simone Sommer ()
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Magdalena Meyer: Ulm University
Dominik W. Melville: Ulm University
Heather J. Baldwin: Ulm University
Kerstin Wilhelm: Ulm University
Evans Ewald Nkrumah: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Ebenezer K. Badu: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Samuel Kingsley Oppong: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Nina Schwensow: Ulm University
Adam Stow: Macquarie University
Peter Vallo: Ulm University
Victor M. Corman: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institute of Virology
Marco Tschapka: Ulm University
Christian Drosten: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institute of Virology
Simone Sommer: Ulm University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Anthropogenic disturbances and the subsequent loss of biodiversity are altering species abundances and communities. Since species vary in their pathogen competence, spatio-temporal changes in host assemblages may lead to changes in disease dynamics. We explore how longitudinal changes in bat species assemblages affect the disease dynamics of coronaviruses (CoVs) in more than 2300 cave-dwelling bats captured over two years from five caves in Ghana. This reveals uneven CoV infection patterns between closely related species, with the alpha-CoV 229E-like and SARS-related beta-CoV 2b emerging as multi-host pathogens. Prevalence and infection likelihood for both phylogenetically distinct CoVs is influenced by the abundance of competent species and naïve subadults. Broadly, bat species vary in CoV competence, and highly competent species are more common in less diverse communities, leading to increased CoV prevalence in less diverse bat assemblages. In line with the One Health framework, our work supports the notion that biodiversity conservation may be the most proactive measure to prevent the spread of pathogens with zoonotic potential.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46979-1

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