BayCEER Workshop 2024

Global biogeography of bat-associated virus diversity

Bats are one of the most species-rich orders of mammals and harbour a highly diverse virome. Some bat-associated viruses spilled over to livestock and humans, causing zoonotic diseases. However, a comprehensive overview on the diversity and biogeography of bat-associated viruses is missing, but highly relevant for holistic health frameworks like Planetary Health. Here we provide a biogeographic overview of global hotspots and biogeographic patterns of bat-associated virus diversity in relation to biomes and continents by combining publicly available data on bat-associated viruses with data on global bat distribution. Viral diversity patterns can be confirmed for major virus families with distinct hotspots in tropical regions of the Old World and North America. These patterns are mostly driven by differences between the continents. The identified diversity hotspots may harbour potential zoonotic viruses and must be treated as potential areas with high uncertainty. Especially considering the high anthropogenic pressure on these ecosystems with high viral diversity due to Global Change. However, the hotspots need to be considered with caution due to biases and knowledge gaps, mostly in tropical regions. Future research efforts are needed to sharpen our understanding of the bat virome and to identify potential areas at risk for future spillover events.