https://www.bat.com/group/sites/UK__9D9KCY.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DOBN8QNL#
I would be tickled if the tobacco industry saved the day! 
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THAT would be a hoot!
I read this earlier today and thought “hmmm…wouldn’t that be ironic?”
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A bit ironic that a viral microbe thought to have emerged via the Bat might be slayed by another “BAT” !
… tobacco plants can’t host pathogens which cause human disease.
(At least) in the case of harvested Tobacco leaves, not actually the case. It seems that even if they plop the plants into processing immediately upon harvest, there may well exist various critters and spores to be removed from an extracted desired substance(s):
The “Microbiology of Tobacco” has been the focus of many studies. It was not surprising to learn from our paper that most of all the major tobacco companies have studied this issue for many years. Listed below are varying topics addressing bacteria, mold, and mycotoxins in tobacco and references:
(a) chemical and microbiological changes during curing [16, 19, 70–75],
(b) bacteria in cigarettes; product comparison (also, see below) [17, 76–79],
c) databases of tobacco microbes [33, 40, 80],
(d) tobacco microbe control [81],
(e) microflora community of tobacco [82–88],
(f) quantitative studies of tobacco microflora [89–91],
(g) growth of mold in stored tobacco [26, 92],
(h) growth of Aspergillus from tobacco [93–95],
(i) microbial degradation of nicotine [18, 96],
(j) examination of cigarettes from mold-damaged and nondamaged tobacco [97],
(k) isolation of viable fungi from snuff [98],
(l) sterilization/treatment to remove NNK [37, 99–105],
(m) removal of harmful toxins on tobacco [35, 95],
(n) inhibiting mycotoxin production [106],
(o) microbiology of cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and snuff [27–30, 107–111].
Source: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jo/2011/819129/
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“Mold on Curing Tobacco, Andy Bailey, Extension Dark Tobacco Specialist, Univ of Kentucky”
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“Dealing With Mold on Curing Tobacco, Nesmith, Duncan, and Palmer, University of Kentucky”
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