Overview
- Scientists sequenced a previously unknown betacoronavirus, dubbed BRZ batCoV, from a Parnell’s mustached bat collected in Brazil in 2019.
- The virus’s spike protein contains a functional furin cleavage site differing by one amino acid from the site in SARS‑CoV‑2.
- Based on genetic analysis, the authors propose BRZ batCoV represents a new subgenus within the betacoronavirus genus.
- The study, released on bioRxiv, is based on genomic data from gut tissue and the virus has not been isolated or tested for infectivity.
- Researchers and outside virologists highlight major surveillance gaps in Latin America and caution that human risk cannot be inferred without further lab studies.