Overview

• Genetic analysis of kidney tissues from 142 bats collected in Yunnan province between 2017 and 2021 revealed 22 viruses, 20 of which are entirely new to science.
• Two newly identified henipaviruses, named Yunnan bat henipavirus 1 and 2, share approximately 52–57% of their genomes with the lethal Nipah and Hendra viruses.
• Finding these henipaviruses in fruit bats roosting near orchards raises concerns about potential transmission through contaminated fruit or water via bat urine.
• The study also uncovered a novel parasite, Klossiella yunnanensis, and a newly described bacterium, Flavobacterium yunnanensis, underscoring hidden microbial diversity in bat organs.
• Researchers caution that laboratory experiments are required to assess the actual risk of spillover before drawing conclusions about human health implications.