Detection and characterization of a novel bat filovirus (Dehong virus, DEHV) in fruit bats

Abstract

Although bats are natural hosts of most filoviruses (FiVs), with the pathogenic ones frequently causing deadly haemorrhagic fevers in Africa, the viruses are difficult to trace. Recently, multiple divergent FiVs have been uncovered in China, raising concerns about their threat to public health. Here we report the detection of bat-borne FiVs at the interface of orchards between bats and humans, eventually resulting in the discovery of a novel FiV, Dehong virus (DEHV), from Rousettus leschenaultii (R. leschenaultii) bats. DEHV has the largest genome, and the phylogeny places it between the genera Dianlovirus and Marburgvirus, suggesting its classification as a prototype of a new genus within the family Filoviridae. Our study emphasizes the importance of further understanding the distribution and potential risk of FiVs in the region.