A recent study has identified 22 viruses in the kidneys of bats from Yunnan province, China—20 of which are newly discovered. Alongside common bat viruses, researchers have found two novel henipaviruses closely related to the highly lethal Nipah and Hendra viruses, which carry fatality rates up to 75%.

Unlike typical surveillance focused on faecal samples, this investigation sampled bat kidneys—raising concerns about virus shed via urine and increasing spillover risk to humans and livestock through contaminated orchards. The study emphasizes that fruit bats living near villages may contaminate fruit and water sources, creating direct transmission pathways.

Scientists note that Nipah mortality ranges between 40–70%, while Hendra causes brain inflammation and respiratory failure, typically through horse-to-human transmission with fatality nearing 57%. Although genetic analysis shows these new viruses are related, more research is needed to confirm their human-infection capability.