International scientists have used an Australian method to provide almost certain evidence the deadly 2002 SARS pandemic started in bats.
The outbreak killed 774 people and infected 8094 across the world, causing fear and disrupting international travel and trade.
The Chinese-led study is the first time a live virus closely related to SARS has been isolated in bats.
This is more convincing than previous genetic evidence implicating bats for starting the pandemic.
The researchers used a technique developed by CSIRO scientists in Geelong to isolate a SARS-like bug in faeces from horseshoe bats in China.
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Horseshoe bats are found around the world, including Australia.
The study, published in the journal Nature, will help governments design more effective prevention strategies for SARS and similar viruses, says a CSIRO statement.
Curtin University Professor Charles Watson says the current virus outbreak in the Middle East (MERS) is a reminder of the potential threat.
The study disproves the assumption that SARS cannot be directly transmitted to humans, he says.
Australian National University Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake says the study is important because humans are living closer to animals, including bats, creating opportunity for the direct transmission of dangerous viruses.
"While neither SARS or MERS have been found in Australia, the ease of global travel means that a case can easily enter here."
