Subfamily: Orthohepevirinae

Genus: Chirohepevirus

Distinguishing features

Members of the genus Chirohepevirus are phylogenetically distinct from other viruses in the subfamily, and have a different host range, being found only in bats.

Biology

Members of the genus Chirohepevirus have a global distribution in bats with no evidence of transmission to humans (Drexler et al., 2012).

Species demarcation criteria

Members of different species in the genus are phylogenetically distinct based upon analysis of ORF1 codon positions 1−450 (methyltransferase), ORF1 codon positions 971–1692 (RNA-directed RNA polymerase) and ORF2 codon positions 121−473 (capsid protein not including the region encoded by the overlapping ORF3). Members of different species may also have different host ranges, although limited data is available.