Chinese horseshoe bats have been identified as the origin of SARS, which killed 774 people the 2002 pandemic.

The pandemic ran across 2002 and 2003, during which 8094 people were infected, leading to a fatality ratio of almost 10 per cent. It also had a major impact on international travel and trade.

Results published by a collaborative team of Chinese and Australian scientists have been published in the journal Nature, showing that bats are a natural reservoir for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV).

The team successfully isolated a SARS-like CoV, named SL-CoV WIV1, directly from faecal samples of Chinese Horseshoe bats using the world renowned bat virus isolation methodology developed by scientists at CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong.

The results will help governments design more effective prevention strategies for SARS and similar epidemics.

Horseshoe bats are found around the world, including Australia and play an important ecological role. Their role in SARS-CoV transmission highlights the importance of protecting the bat’s natural environment so they are not forced into highly populated urban areas in search of food.

Full results are available online.