U.K. bats found to harbour COVID-like viral material

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Bats in the United Kingdom have been discovered to harbour a virus capable of infecting the surface of human cells.

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The Daily Mail reports that scientists have found a COVID-like virus in these bats that could pose a threat to humans with only a few adaptations.

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The pathogen, called RhGB07, is one of two new viruses found by bat-studying scientists; the second virus did not show signs of being able to infect humans.

Thus far, the risk posed by RhGB07 is said to be small.

The ongoing risk of zoonotic diseases, however, is not small and gets worse as people (and climate change) continue to encroach on wild animal habitats.

Scientists continue to test animals as part of ongoing research into zoonotic diseases and potential pandemics.

The team of researchers did not specify where in the U.K. the bats were located, but three places where bat species tend to mix were specified: Bristol, Birmingham and Brighton.

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Scientists conducted the testing using bat droppings from 16 bats living in the U.K. The fecal matter was screened for viruses; nine viruses were discovered.

Two of them were previously unknown and were found in samples from the Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

The viruses were designated RhGB07 and RfGB02 and hail from the same family of pathogens as SARS-CoV-2.

Further testing showed only RhGB07 had the potential to “infect” human cells, and not much potential at that.

However, even a single mutation to the RhGB07 spike protein could change the scenario, and not in a good way.

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The involved scientists were quick to reassure the public that no “gain of function” research was involved and no live virus was used.

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The scientists involved in the study reiterated the importance of preventing habitat loss, writing, “Recent studies have shown that human-associated stressors such as habitat loss and changes in land-use can be important drivers of zoonotic spillover from wildlife, and that bat culls are ineffective in minimizing cross-species transmission.

“As such, it is vitally important that an integrated ecological conservation approach is taken that includes maintaining legal protection, rather than destruction of wildlife and its habitat, in future approaches to mitigate zoonotic risk.”

Bats and their resting sites are protected by law in the U.K.