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1 The University of Hong Kong;
2 Guangxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention;
3 East China Normal University;
4 State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Ko
5 E-mail: yguan{at}hkucc.hku.hk
Astroviruses infect many different animal species and humans and is associated with gastroenteritis. Recent investigation first detected the virus from bat species in Hong Kong. To further understand astrovirus distribution in the wider region, we examined the prevalence of this virus family from bat specimens collected from a large geographic region of mainland China. We collected 500 anal swabs from 20 bat species in 51 natural habitats from 11 provinces of China that were tested for astroviruses. Our study revealed a remarkably high genetic diversity of astroviruses with five monophyletic groups identified, including two novel groups, with evidence for varying degrees of host-restriction for astroviruses from bats. Phylogenetic analyses also provided insight into the inter-species transmission of astroviruses, suggesting that bat species may represent a primary host of Mamastrovirus.
Received 2 October 2008;
accepted 18 December 2008.
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