# Novel Bat Adenovirus Closely Related to Canine Adenoviruses Identified via Fecal Virome Surveillance of Bats in New Mexico, USA, 2020–2021

## TL;DR

A new adenovirus related to dog viruses was found in bats in New Mexico, suggesting possible cross-species transmission.

## Contribution

Discovery of a novel bat adenovirus closely related to canine adenoviruses through fecal virome surveillance.

## Key findings

- A novel adenovirus (LCPV) was identified in a big brown bat, closely related to canine adenoviruses.
- No coronaviruses or SARS-CoV-2 were detected in the studied bat populations.
- All virus-positive bats were from urban areas and showed no signs of disease.

## Abstract

Bats host a wide range of viruses, including several high-profile pathogens of humans and other animals. The COVID-19 pandemic raised the level of concern regarding the risk of spillover of bat-borne viruses to humans and, conversely, human-borne viruses to bats. From August 2020 to July 2021, we conducted viral surveillance on 254 bats from 10 species across urban, periurban, and rural environments in New Mexico, USA. We used a pan-coronavirus RT-PCR to assay rectal swabs and performed metagenomic sequencing on a representative subset of 14 rectal swabs and colon samples. No coronaviruses were detected by either RT-PCR or metagenomic sequencing. However, four novel viruses were identified: an adenovirus (proposed name lacepfus virus, LCPV), an adeno-associated virus (AAV), an astrovirus (AstV), and a genomovirus (GV). LCPV, detected in a big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), is more closely related to canine adenoviruses than to other bat adenoviruses, suggesting historical transmission between bats and dogs. All virus-positive bats were either juvenile or adult individuals captured in urban environments; none exhibited obvious clinical signs of disease. Our findings suggest limited or no circulation of enzootic coronaviruses or SARS-CoV-2 in southwestern U.S. bat populations during the study period. The discovery of a genetically distinct adenovirus related to canine adenoviruses highlights the potential for cross-species viral transmission and underscores the value of continued virome surveillance in animals living with and near humans.