Scientists Find New Bat Viruses in China Linked to Deadly Hendra and Nipah Viruses

The discovery of 20 novel viruses in bat kidneys raises ‘urgent concerns,’ researchers say.
Scientists Find New Bat Viruses in China Linked to Deadly Hendra and Nipah Viruses
A team of ecologists from Kasetsart University collect wingspan data from a wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bat at an on site lab near the Khao Chong Pran Cave in Ratchaburi, Thailand, on Sept. 12, 2020. Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images
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Researchers from China and Australia have found 20 novel viruses in bats from southwest China, including two henipaviruses that are related to the deadly Hendra and Nipah viruses, according to a study published on June 24.

The 22 viruses—including 20 novel viruses—were found after researchers examined the kidneys of 142 bats collected between 2017 and 2021 from five cities or counties in China’s Yunnan Province. Researchers also found two “highly abundant” bacterial species, including a newly discovered species, according to the study.