In recent years, several novel circular single-stranded DNA viruses have been detected in various mammals, birds, insects, and environmental samples using metagenomic and high-throughput sequencing approaches. In this study, we tested for the presence of circoviruses in 243 bat fecal samples collected between 2018 and 2019 from 48 sampling sites across Korea. To detect circoviruses, nested PCR was performed with degenerate primers targeting a conserved replication-associated protein (rep) gene of circovirus/cyclovirus. Among 243 samples tested, a total of 37 fecal samples from 14 sampling sites were PCR-positive for circoviruses at a frequency rate of 15.23%. We obtained 36 partial rep gene sequences of circoviruses and one complete genome sequence of bat-associated circovirus 12, encompassing a genome size of 2097 nt containing two inversely arranged open reading frames and a conserved nonamer sequence in the apex of a stem-loop structure. In addition, we found four bat species that were harboring circoviruses in Korea based on species identification PCR of circovirus-positive bat fecal samples. Detailed sequence analysis indicated that the bat-associated circovirus sequences identified in this study were related to those of known bat and avian groups of circoviruses. Herein, we report evidence for the presence of bat-associated circoviruses in Korean bats.

近年来，使用宏基因组和高通量测序方法在各种哺乳动物、鸟类、昆虫和环境样本中检测到了几种新型环状单链 DNA 病毒。在这项研究中，我们测试了 2018 年至 2019 年间从韩国 48 个采样点收集的 243 份蝙蝠粪便样本中是否存在圆环病毒。为了检测圆环病毒，使用针对圆环病毒/环病毒的保守复制相关蛋白 (rep) 基因的简并引物进行巢式 PCR。在检测的 243 个样本中，来自 14 个采样点的总共 37 个粪便样本为圆环病毒 PCR 阳性，频率为 15.23%。我们获得了 36 个圆环病毒的部分 rep 基因序列和一个蝙蝠相关圆环病毒 12 的完整基因组序列，包含 2097 nt 的基因组大小，包含两个反向排列的开放阅读框和茎环结构顶端的保守九聚体序列。此外，我们根据圆环病毒阳性蝙蝠粪便样本的物种鉴定 PCR，在韩国发现了四种携带圆环病毒的蝙蝠物种。详细的序列分析表明，本研究中鉴定的蝙蝠相关圆环病毒序列与已知的蝙蝠和鸟类圆环病毒群的序列相关。在此，我们报告了韩国蝙蝠中存在与蝙蝠相关的圆环病毒的证据。详细的序列分析表明，本研究中鉴定的蝙蝠相关圆环病毒序列与已知的蝙蝠和鸟类圆环病毒群的序列相关。在此，我们报告了韩国蝙蝠中存在与蝙蝠相关的圆环病毒的证据。详细的序列分析表明，本研究中鉴定的蝙蝠相关圆环病毒序列与已知的蝙蝠和鸟类圆环病毒群的序列相关。在此，我们报告了韩国蝙蝠中存在与蝙蝠相关的圆环病毒的证据。