New study reveals bats are key players in cross-species spread of morbilliviruses Bats in the tropics of the Americas are a reservoir for morbilliviruses—a genus of RNA viruses that includes the human measles virus. However, their role in spreading morbilliviruses to other mammalian species is unclear. An international team of researchers led by Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Center for Infection Research has now studied the spread of morbilliviruses in bats and monkeys in Brazil and Costa Rica and discovered new virus species and host switches from bats to other mammalian species. The scientists call for increased surveillance and experimental risk assessments of reservoir-bound morbilliviruses. The study was published in Nature Microbiology on May 27, 2025.

30-May-2025
New study reveals #bats are key players in cross-species spread of #morbilliviruses

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1085800 #science #ecology #viruses #zoonoses #measles

Ecology and evolutionary trajectories of morbilliviruses in Neotropical bats - Nature Microbiology Investigations in wild bats and non-human primates in Brazil and Costa Rica inform about diverse Morbillivirus ecology in neotropical bats and host jumps, and about zoonotic potential of morbillivirus...

Excited to share our latest research exploring #morbilliviruses in Neotropical bats in #NatureMicrobiology.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...