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Mbou-Boutambe C, Mombo IM, Rougeron V, Degrugillier F, Gauthier P, Makanga B, Ngoubangoye B, Leroy EM, Prugnolle F, Boundenga L. Investigation of caliciviruses and astroviruses in Gabonese rodents: A possible influence of national and international trade on the spread of enteric viruses. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 122:105607. [PMID: 38806078 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2024.105607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Caliciviruses (Caliciviridae) and astroviruses (Astroviridae) are among the leading cause of non-bacterial foodborne disease and gastroenteritis in human. These non-enveloped RNA viruses infect a wide range of vertebrate species including rodents. Rodents are among the most important hosts of infectious diseases globally and are responsible for over 80 zoonotic pathogens that affect humans. Therefore, screening pathogens in rodents will be is necessary to prevent cross-species transmission to prevent zoonotic outbreaks. In the present study, we screened caliciviruses and astroviruses in order to describe their diversity and whether they harbor strains that can infect humans. RNA was then extracted from intestine samples of 245 rodents and retrotranscribed in cDNA to screen caliciviruses and astroviruses by PCRs. All the samples tested negative for caliciviruses and while astroviruses were detected in 18 (7.3%) samples of Rattus rattus species. Phylogenetic analyses based on the RdRp gene showed that all the sequences belonged to Mamastrovirus genus in which they were genetically related to R. rattus related AstVs previously detected in Gabon or in Rattus spp. AstV from Kenya and Asia. These findings suggested that transportation such as land and railway, as well national and international trade, are likely to facilitate spread of AstVs by the dissemination of rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clark Mbou-Boutambe
- Unité de Recherche en Écologie de la Santé (URES), Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, BP 769, Gabon; Ecole Doctorale Régionale d'Afrique Centrale en Infectiologie Tropicale (EDR), Franceville, BP 876, Gabon.
| | - Illich Manfred Mombo
- Unité Émergence des Maladies Virales, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC) (Université de Montpellier-IRD 224-CNRS 5290), Montpellier 34394, France
| | - Virginie Rougeron
- International Research Laboratory-REHABS, CNRS-Université Lyon 1-Nelson Mandela University, Nelson Mandela University George Campus, George 6531, South Africa
| | - Fanny Degrugillier
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC) (Université de Montpellier-IRD 224-CNRS 5290), Montpellier 34394, France
| | - Philippe Gauthier
- CBGP, IRD, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier SupAgro, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Boris Makanga
- Institut de Recherche en Écologie Tropicale (IRET/CENAREST), Libreville, BP 13354, Gabon
| | - Barthélemy Ngoubangoye
- Centre de Primatologie, Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, BP 769, Gabon
| | - Eric M Leroy
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs, Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC) (Université de Montpellier-IRD 224-CNRS 5290), Montpellier 34394, France
| | - Franck Prugnolle
- International Research Laboratory-REHABS, CNRS-Université Lyon 1-Nelson Mandela University, Nelson Mandela University George Campus, George 6531, South Africa
| | - Larson Boundenga
- Unité de Recherche en Écologie de la Santé (URES), Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, BP 769, Gabon; Département d'Anthropologie, Université de Durham, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
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Carcauzon V, Herrera JP, Kaufman K, Baudino F, Wickenkamp N, Randriamoria TM, Soarimalala V, Goodman SM, Nunn CL, Lebarbenchon C, Tortosa P. Astroviruses in terrestrial Malagasy mammals. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012263. [PMID: 38875307 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Small terrestrial mammals are major hosts of infectious agents responsible for zoonotic diseases. Astroviruses (AstVs)-the cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis mainly affecting young children-have been detected in a wide array of mammalian and avian host species. However, understanding the factors that influence AstV infection within and across hosts is limited. Here, we investigated the impact of land use changes on AstVs in terrestrial small mammals in rural northeastern Madagascar. We sampled 515 small mammals, representing seven endemic and four introduced species. Twenty-two positive samples were identified, all but one of which were found in the introduced species Mus musculus and Rattus rattus (family Muridae), with a positivity rate of 7.7% (6/78) and 5.6% (15/266), respectively. The non-introduced rodent case was from an endemic shrew-tenrec (family Tenrecidae). We found the highest positivity rate of AstVs infection in brushy regrowth (17.5%, 7/40) as compared to flooded rice fields (4.60%, 8/174), secondary forest (4.1%, 3/74), agroforest (3.6%, 1/28), village (2.61%, 3/115), and semi-intact forest (0%, 0/84). A phylogenetic analysis revealed an association between AstVs and their rodent host species. None of the viruses were phylogenetically related to AstVs previously described in Malagasy bats. This study supports AstV circulation in synanthropic animals in agricultural habitats of Madagascar and highlights the need to assess the spillover risk to human populations in rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Carcauzon
- Université de La Réunion, Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - James P Herrera
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Lemur Center SAVA Conservation, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kayla Kaufman
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- University of California Santa Barbara, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Fiona Baudino
- Université de La Réunion, Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Natalie Wickenkamp
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Toky M Randriamoria
- Duke Lemur Center SAVA Conservation, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Association Vahatra, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Steven M Goodman
- Association Vahatra, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Charles L Nunn
- Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Camille Lebarbenchon
- Université de La Réunion, Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, Unité Mixte de Recherche Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical (UMR PIMIT), CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte Clotilde, La Réunion, France
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3
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Huang X, Hou J, Le X, Hou Y, Yang L, Li Q, Wang B, Xia X. Diversity of astroviruses in wild animals in Yunnan province, China. Virol J 2024; 21:51. [PMID: 38414022 PMCID: PMC10900740 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02314-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Astroviruses (AstVs) are single-stranded RNA viruses that have been detected in a wide range of mammals and birds. They are associated with numerous interspecies transmissions and viral recombination events, posing a threat to human and animal health. METHODS We collected 1,333 samples from wild animals, including bats, rodents, wild boars, and birds, from various states and cities in the Yunnan Province, China, between 2020 and 2023 to investigate the presence of AstVs. AstVs were detected using a polymerase chain reaction targeting the RdRp gene. Finally, the Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis software was used to construct the phylogenetic tree. RESULTS The overall positivity rate for AstVs was 7.12% in four species, indicating their widespread occurrence in the region. High genetic diversity among AstVs was observed in different animal species, suggesting the potential for interspecies transmission, particularly among rodents and birds. Additionally, we identified a novel AstV strain and, for the first time, provided information on the presence of bastroviruses in Yunnan, China. CONCLUSIONS The widespread distribution and high genetic diversity of AstVs, along with the observed potential for interspecies transmission, highlight the importance of further investigation and surveillance in the region. The findings emphasize the need for increased attention to AstVs and their potential impact on human and animal health in Yunnan and other regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Huang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Junjie Hou
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Xiang Le
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Yutong Hou
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Lingsi Yang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Qian Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
| | - Binghui Wang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China.
| | - Xueshan Xia
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, 650500, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China.
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Yi B, Deng Q, Guo C, Li X, Wu Q, Zha R, Wang X, Lu J. Evaluating the zoonotic potential of RNA viromes of rodents provides new insight into rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens in Guangdong, China. One Health 2023; 17:100631. [PMID: 38024253 PMCID: PMC10665145 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have been on the rise, with a significant proportion being zoonotic. Rodents, as the natural reservoirs of numerous diverse zoonotic viruses, pose a substantial threat to human health. To investigate the diversity of known and unknown viruses harbored by rodents in Guangdong (southern province of China), we conducted a comprehensive analysis of viral genomes through metagenomic sequencing of organs from 194 rodents. Our analysis yielded 2163 viral contigs that were assigned to 25 families known to infect a wide range of hosts, including vertebrates, invertebrates, amoebas, and plants. The viral compositions vary considerably among different organs, but not in rodent species. We also assessed and prioritized zoonotic potential of those detected viruses. Ninety-two viral species that are either known to infect vertebrates and invertebrates or only vertebrates were identified, among which 21 are considered high-risk to humans. The high-risk viruses included members of the Hantavirus, Picobirnaviruses, Astroviruses and Pestivirus. The phylogenetic trees of four zoonotic viruses revealed features of novel viral genomes that seem to fit evolutionarily into a zone of viruses that potentially pose a risk of transmission to humans. Recognizing that zoonotic diseases are a One Health issue, we approached the problem of identifying the zoonotic risk from rodent-transmitted disease in the Guangdong province by performing next-generation sequencing to look for potentially zoonotic viruses in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyang Yi
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research & Training, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qiang Deng
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research & Training, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Cheng Guo
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York 10032, USA
| | - Xiaokang Li
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research & Training, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qin Wu
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research & Training, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Renyun Zha
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research & Training, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xianhua Wang
- School of Health Sciences, Guangzhou Xinhua University, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Jiahai Lu
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- One Health Center of Excellence for Research & Training, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
- National Medical Products Administration Key Laboratory for Quality Monitoring and Evaluation of Vaccines and Biological Products, Guangzhou 510080, China
- Hainan Key Novel Thinktank “Hainan Medical University ‘One Health’ Research Center”, Haikou 571199, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control, Sun Yat-Sen University, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510080, China
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Zhuang Z, Qian L, Lu J, Zhang X, Mahmood A, Cui L, Wang H, Wang X, Yang S, Ji L, Shan T, Shen Q, Zhang W. Comparison of viral communities in the blood, feces and various tissues of wild brown rats ( Rattus norvegicus). Heliyon 2023; 9:e17222. [PMID: 37389044 PMCID: PMC10300334 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral diseases caused by new outbreaks of viral infections pose a serious threat to human health. Wild brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), considered one of the world's largest and most widely distributed rodents, are host to various zoonotic pathogens. To further understand the composition of the virus community in wild brown rats and explore new types of potentially pathogenic viruses, viral metagenomics was conducted to investigate blood, feces, and various tissues of wild brown rats captured from Zhenjiang, China. Results indicated that the composition of the virus community in different samples showed significant differences. In blood and tissue samples, members of the Parvoviridae and Anelloviridae form the main body of the virus community. Picornaviridae, Picobirnaviridae, and Astroviridae made up a large proportion of fecal samples. Several novel genome sequences from members of different families, including Anelloviridae, Parvoviridae, and CRESS DNA viruses, were detected in both blood and other samples, suggesting that they have the potential to spread across organs to cause viremia. These viruses included not only strains closely related to human viruses, but also a potential recombinant virus. Multiple dual-segment picornaviruses were obtained from fecal samples, as well as virus sequences from the Astroviridae and Picornaviridae. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these viruses belonged to different genera, with multiple viruses clustered with other animal viruses. Whether they have pathogenicity and the ability to spread across species needs further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Zhuang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Lingling Qian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Juan Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Xiaodan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Zhenjiang Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Zhenjiang, 212002, China
| | - Asif Mahmood
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Lei Cui
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Huiying Wang
- Department of Swine Infectious Disease, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xiaochun Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Shixing Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Likai Ji
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Tongling Shan
- Department of Swine Infectious Disease, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Quan Shen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
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Huang X, Zhou J, Hou Y, Wang R, Li Q, Wang Y, Yuan R, Chen P, Wang B, Xia X. Diversity and Genetic Characteristics of Astroviruses from Animals in Yunnan Province. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102234. [PMID: 36298789 PMCID: PMC9607396 DOI: 10.3390/v14102234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Astroviruses (AstVs) are single-stranded RNA viruses, including two main genera: Mamastroviruses (MAstVs) and Avastroviruses (AAstVs). AstVs have been detected in more than 80 different mammals and birds, with the characteristics of multiple cross-species transmission and gene recombination. All these have accelerated the process of virus mutation and posed a potential threat to human beings and animal husbandry. Yunnan province is a global hotspot with rich biodiversity and abundant animal resources and an important area with significance for public health and security because it neighbors a few Southeast Asian countries. This study collected 860 samples from 13 species of animals in Yunnan province for AstVs detection. The results showed that the positive rate of AstVs was 6.05%, and its extremely high genetic diversity was observed in different animal species. Potential cross-species transmission events were also detected from rodents to birds. Therefore, AstVs, which are widely distributed with highly diverse genes and the risk of cross-species transmission to people, deserve more attention in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Huang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Jiuxuan Zhou
- Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Yutong Hou
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Qian Li
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Ruiling Yuan
- Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Peng Chen
- Yunnan Academy of Forestry and Grassland, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Binghui Wang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Correspondence: (B.W.); (X.X.)
| | - Xueshan Xia
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Correspondence: (B.W.); (X.X.)
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Yin HC, Wan DC, Chen HY. Metagenomic analysis of viral diversity and a novel astroviruse of forest rodent. Virol J 2022; 19:138. [PMID: 36045380 PMCID: PMC9429442 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-022-01847-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rodents are important virus reservoirs and natural hosts for multiple viruses. They are one of the wild animals that are extremely threatening to the spread of human viruses. Therefore, research on rodents carrying viruses and identifying new viruses that rodents carry is of great significance for preventing and controlling viral diseases. Methods In this study, fecal samples from six species of forest rodents in Northeast China were sequenced using metagenomics, and an abundance of virome information was acquired. Selection of important zoonotic in individual rodents for further sequence and evolutionary analysis. Results Among the top 10 most abundant viral families, RNA virus include Orthomyxoviridae, Picornaviridae, Bunyaviridae and Arenaviridae, DNA virus include Herpesviridae, Insect virus include Nodaviridae and Baculoviridae, Plant virus Tombusviridae and Phage (Myoriviridae). Except for Myoviridae, there was no significant difference in the abundance of virus families in the feces of each rodent species. In addition, a new strain of astrovirus was discovered, with an ORF and genome arrangement comparable to other rodent astroviruses.The newly identified astrovirus had the highest similarity with the rodent astrovirus isolate, CHN/100. Conclusions The data obtained in this study provided an overview of the viral community present in these rodent fecal samples, revealing some rodent-associated viruses closely related to known human or animal pathogens. Strengthening our understanding of unclassified viruses harbored by rodents present in the natural environment could provide scientific guidance for preventing and controlling new viral outbreaks that can spread via rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Chang Yin
- College of Life Science and Agriculture Forestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China
| | - De-Cai Wan
- College of Life Science and Agriculture Forestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hong-Yan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, The Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, 678 Haping Road, Harbin, 150069, China.
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Zhao M, Yue C, Yang Z, Li Y, Zhang D, Zhang J, Yang S, Shen Q, Su X, Qi D, Ma R, Xiao Y, Hou R, Yan X, Li L, Zhou Y, Liu J, Wang X, Wu W, Zhang W, Shan T, Liu S. Viral metagenomics unveiled extensive communications of viruses within giant pandas and their associated organisms in the same ecosystem. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 820:153317. [PMID: 35066043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cross-species transmission events were commonplace, with numerous cases of host-switching during the viral evolutionary history, but relatively little evidence for onward transmission in different species living in the same ecosystem. For understanding the communications of viruses in giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and their associated organisms, based on a large size of samples (N = 2305) collected between 2015 and 2020 from giant panda (N = 776) and other four giant panda-associated organisms in the same ecosystem, red pandas (N = 700), stray cats (N = 32), wild rats (N = 42), and mosquitoes (N = 755), viromics was used for the virus identification and subsequent virus traceability. The results showed that a feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) was found in giant pandas with clinical signs of vomiting and mild diarrhea. Meanwhile, the same FPV strain was also prevalent in the healthy red panda (Ailurus fulgens) population. From the viromes of the five different organisms, 250 virus genomes were determined. Our data revealed that besides FPV, other putative pathogenic viruses, such as red panda amdoparvoviruses (RPAVs) and Getah viruses (GETVs) were responsible for previous disease or death of some red pandas. We also demonstrated that a number of viruses were involved in potential interspecies jumping events between giant pandas and their associated species. Collectively, our results shed light on the genetic diversity and relationship of diverse viral pathogens in 'Giant pandas-Associated animals-Arthropods' and report some cases of possible viral host-switching among these host species living in the same ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chanjuan Yue
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Zijun Yang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunli Li
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhang
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Ju Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shixing Yang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Quan Shen
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyan Su
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Dunwu Qi
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Rui Ma
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuqing Xiao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong Hou
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Xia Yan
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin Li
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanshan Zhou
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiabin Liu
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaochun Wang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Tongling Shan
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Songrui Liu
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Chengdu 610081, Sichuan, China.
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Kelly SP, Ricart Arbona RJ, Michel AO, Wang C, Henderson KS, Lipman NS. Biology and Cellular Tropism of a Unique Astrovirus Strain: Murine Astrovirus 2. Comp Med 2021; 71:474-484. [PMID: 34794533 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-21-000039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Murine astrovirus 2 (MuAstV2) is a novel murine astrovirus recently identified in laboratory and wild mice. MuAstV2readily transmits between immunocompetent mice yet fails to transmit to highly immunocompromised mouse strains-a unique characteristic when contrasted with other murine viruses including other astroviruses. We characterized the viralshedding kinetics and tissue tropism of MuAstV2 in immunocompetent C57BL/6NCrl mice and evaluated the apparentresistance of highly immunocompromised NOD Prkdcem26Cd52Il2rgem26Cd22/NjuCrl mice to MuAstV2 after oral inoculation. Temporal patterns of viral shedding were determined by serially measuring fecal viral RNA. Tissue tropism and viral load were characterized and quantified by using in-situ hybridization (ISH) targeting viral RNA. Cellular tropism was characterized by evaluating fluorescent colocalization of viral ISH with various immunohistochemical markers. We found a rapidincrease of fecal viral RNA in B6 mice, which peaked at 5 d after inoculation (dpi) followed by cessation of shedding by 168dpi. The small intestine had the highest percentage of hybridization (3.09% of tissue area) of all tissues in which hybridization occurred at 5 dpi. The thymus displayed the next highest degree of hybridization (2.3%) at 7 dpi, indicating extraintestinal viral spread. MuAstV2 RNA hybridization was found to colocalize with only 3 of the markers evaluated: CD3 (T cells), Iba1 (macrophages), and cytokeratin (enterocytes). A higher percentage of CD3 cells and Iba1 cells hybridized with MuAstV2 as compared with cytokeratin at 2 dpi (CD3, 59%; Iba1, 46%; cytokeratin, 6%) and 35 dpi (CD3, 14%; Iba1, 55%; cytokeratin, 3%). Neither fecal viral RNA nor viral hybridization was noted in NCG mice at the time points examined. In addition, mice of mixed genetic background were inoculated, and only those with a functioning Il2rg gene shed MuAstV2. Results from this study suggest that infection of, or interaction with, the immune system is required for infection by or replication of MuAstV2.
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Pankovics P, Boros Á, László Z, Szekeres S, Földvári G, Altan E, Delwart E, Reuter G. Genome characterization, prevalence and tissue distribution of astrovirus, hepevirus and norovirus among wild and laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (Mus musculus) in Hungary. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2021; 93:104942. [PMID: 34044191 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.104942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Rodents including rats are reservoir of several pathogens capable of affecting human health. In this study, faecal and different organ specimens from free-living Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) (N = 18) and faecal samples from laboratory rodents (rats N = 21 and mice N = 20) collected from different geographic areas in Hungary between 2017 and 2020 were investigated by viral metagenomics and conventional RT-PCR methods. The complete genome of three different RNA viruses, rat astrovirus, rat norovirus and rat hepevirus were characterized and analysed in detail. Rat norovirus was detected in faecal (17.6%, 3/17) and kidney (7.1%, 1/14) samples; rat astrovirus in faecal (23.5%, 4/17) and spleen (13.3%, 2/15) samples, and rat hepevirus in 43% to 67% the faecal, liver, kidney, lung, heart, muscle, brain and blood samples from Norway rats, respectively. Rat norovirus was also identifiable in 5% (1/21) of laboratory rats and rat astrovirus in 40% (8/20) of faecal samples from laboratory mice. Co-infections were found in 28% (5/18) wild Norway rats. The highest RNA viral load of astrovirus (1.81 × 108 copy/g) and norovirus (3.49 × 107 copy/g) were measured in faecal samples; while the highest RNA viral load of hepevirus (1.16 × 109 copy/g) was found in liver samples of Norway rats, respectively. This study confirms the wide geographic distribution and high prevalence of astrovirus, norovirus and hepevirus among wild rats in Hungary with confirmation of different organ involvement of as well as the detection of norovirus and astrovirus in laboratory rats and mice, respectively. This finding further strengthens the role of rodents in the spread of viral pathogens especially infecting human.
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Affiliation(s)
- Péter Pankovics
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
| | - Ákos Boros
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Zoltán László
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Sándor Szekeres
- Department of Parasitology and Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Földvári
- Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eda Altan
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Eric Delwart
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA; University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gábor Reuter
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
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Presence and Diversity of Different Enteric Viruses in Wild Norway Rats ( Rattus norvegicus). Viruses 2021; 13:v13060992. [PMID: 34073462 PMCID: PMC8227696 DOI: 10.3390/v13060992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rodents are common reservoirs for numerous zoonotic pathogens, but knowledge about diversity of pathogens in rodents is still limited. Here, we investigated the occurrence and genetic diversity of enteric viruses in 51 Norway rats collected in three different countries in Europe. RNA of at least one virus was detected in the intestine of 49 of 51 animals. Astrovirus RNA was detected in 46 animals, mostly of rat astroviruses. Human astrovirus (HAstV-8) RNA was detected in one, rotavirus group A (RVA) RNA was identified in eleven animals. One RVA RNA could be typed as rat G3 type. Rat hepatitis E virus (HEV) RNA was detected in five animals. Two entire genome sequences of ratHEV were determined. Human norovirus RNA was detected in four animals with the genotypes GI.P4-GI.4, GII.P33-GII.1, and GII.P21. In one animal, a replication competent coxsackievirus A20 strain was detected. Additionally, RNA of an enterovirus species A strain was detected in the same animal, albeit in a different tissue. The results show a high detection rate and diversity of enteric viruses in Norway rats in Europe and indicate their significance as vectors for zoonotic transmission of enteric viruses. The detailed role of Norway rats and transmission pathways of enteric viruses needs to be investigated in further studies.
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Küchler L, Rüfli I, Koch MC, Hierweger MM, Kauer RV, Boujon CL, Hilbe M, Oevermann A, Zanolari P, Seuberlich T, Gurtner C. Astrovirus-Associated Polioencephalomyelitis in an Alpaca. Viruses 2020; 13:v13010050. [PMID: 33396858 PMCID: PMC7824642 DOI: 10.3390/v13010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An 8-year-old alpaca was admitted to the emergency service of the Clinic for Ruminants in Bern due to a reduced general condition and progressive neurological signs. Despite supportive treatment, its condition deteriorated and the animal had to be euthanized. Histopathological analysis revealed a severe non-suppurative polioencephalomyelitis with neuronal necrosis, most likely of viral origin. We detected abundant neuronal labelling with antibodies directed against two different epitopes of Bovine Astrovirus CH13/NeuroS1 (BoAstV-CH13/NeuroS1), which is a common viral agent associated with non-suppurative encephalitis in Swiss cattle. These findings were further verified by detection of viral RNA by use of in-situ hybridization and real-time RT-PCR. Next generation sequencing revealed that the detected virus genome had a pairwise identity of 98.9% to the genome of BoAstV-CH13/NeuroS1. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an astrovirus-associated polioencephalomyelitis in an alpaca. These results point to the possibility of an interspecies transmission of BoAstV-CH13/NeuroS1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonore Küchler
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, Universitiy of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Isabelle Rüfli
- Clinic for Ruminants, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (I.R.); (P.Z.)
| | - Michel C. Koch
- Division of Experimental Clinical Research, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (M.C.K.); (M.M.H.); (R.V.K.); (C.L.B.); (A.O.); (T.S.)
| | - Melanie M. Hierweger
- Division of Experimental Clinical Research, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (M.C.K.); (M.M.H.); (R.V.K.); (C.L.B.); (A.O.); (T.S.)
| | - Ronja V. Kauer
- Division of Experimental Clinical Research, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (M.C.K.); (M.M.H.); (R.V.K.); (C.L.B.); (A.O.); (T.S.)
| | - Céline L. Boujon
- Division of Experimental Clinical Research, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (M.C.K.); (M.M.H.); (R.V.K.); (C.L.B.); (A.O.); (T.S.)
| | - Monika Hilbe
- Institute for Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Anna Oevermann
- Division of Experimental Clinical Research, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (M.C.K.); (M.M.H.); (R.V.K.); (C.L.B.); (A.O.); (T.S.)
| | - Patrik Zanolari
- Clinic for Ruminants, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (I.R.); (P.Z.)
| | - Torsten Seuberlich
- Division of Experimental Clinical Research, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; (M.C.K.); (M.M.H.); (R.V.K.); (C.L.B.); (A.O.); (T.S.)
| | - Corinne Gurtner
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, Universitiy of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
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Intra-host non-synonymous diversity at a neutralizing antibody epitope of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein N-terminal domain. Clin Microbiol Infect 2020; 27:1350.e1-1350.e5. [PMID: 33144203 PMCID: PMC7605743 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Objectives SARS-CoV-2 has evolved rapidly into several genetic clusters. However, data on mutations during the course of infection are scarce. This study aims to determine viral genome diversity in serial samples of COVID-19 patients. Methods Targeted deep sequencing of the spike gene was performed on serial respiratory specimens from COVID-19 patients using nanopore and Illumina sequencing. Sanger sequencing was then performed to confirm the single nucleotide polymorphisms. Results A total of 28 serial respiratory specimens from 12 patients were successfully sequenced using nanopore and Illumina sequencing. A 75-year-old patient with severe disease had a mutation, G22017T, identified in the second specimen. The frequency of G22017T increased from ≤5% (nanopore: 3.8%; Illumina: 5%) from the first respiratory tract specimen (sputum) to ≥60% (nanopore: 67.7%; Illumina: 60.4%) in the second specimen (saliva; collected 2 days after the first specimen). The difference in G22017T frequency was also confirmed by Sanger sequencing. G22017T corresponds to W152L amino acid mutation in the spike protein which was only found in <0.03% of the sequences deposited into a public database. Spike amino acid residue 152 is located within the N-terminal domain, which mediates the binding of a neutralizing antibody. Discussion A spike protein amino acid mutation W152L located within a neutralizing epitope has appeared naturally in a patient. Our study demonstrated that monitoring of serial specimens is important in identifying hotspots of mutations, especially those occurring at neutralizing epitopes which may affect the therapeutic efficacy of monoclonal antibodies.
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14
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Ricart Arbona RJ, Kelly S, Wang C, Dhawan RK, Henderson KS, Shek WR, Williams SH, Altan E, Delwart E, Wolf F, Lipman NS. Serendipitous Discovery of a Novel Murine Astrovirus Contaminating a Murine Helper T-cell Line and Incapable of Infecting Highly Immunodeficient Mice. Comp Med 2020; 70:359-369. [PMID: 32674749 PMCID: PMC7446642 DOI: 10.30802/aalas-cm-19-000106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The unexpected seroconversion of sentinel mice in our facility to murine T lymphotrophic virus (MTLV) positivity led to our identification of a novel murine astrovirus that we designated murine astrovirus 2 (MuAstV-2). During our investigation, MuAstV-2 was found to be a contaminant of the T helper cell line (D10. G4.1) that was used to generate the MTLV antigen that we included in the multiplex fluorometric immunoassay (MFIA) that we used for sentinel screening. We eventually determined that cross-reactivity with the astrovirus generated a positive result in the MTLV assay. A confirmatory immunofluorometric assay (IFA) using the same MTLV-infected cell line yielded a similar result. However, the use of antigen prepared from MTLV-infected neonatal mouse thymus did not reproduce a positive result, leading us to suspect that the seroreactivity we had observed was not due to infection with MTLV. A mouse antibody production test showed that mice inoculated with naïve D10. G4.1 cells and their contact sentinels tested positive for MTLV using cell-line generated antigen, but tested negative in assays using MTLV antigen produced in mice. Metagenomic analysis was subsequently used to identify MuAstV-2 in feces from 2 sentinel mice that had recently seroconverted to MTLV. Two closely related astrovirus sequences (99.6% capsid identity) were obtained and shared 95% capsid amino acid identity with the MuAstV-2 virus sequenced from the D10. G4.1 cell line. These viruses are highly divergent from previously identified murine astroviruses, displaying <30% capsid identity, yet were closely related to murine astrovirus 2 (85% capsid identity), which had recently been isolated from feral mice in New York City. A MuAstV-2 specific PCR assay was developed and used to eradicate MuAstV-2 from the infected colony using a test and cull strategy. The newly identified MuAstV2 readily transmits to immunocompetent mouse strains by fecal-oral exposure, but fails to infect NOD-Prkdcem26Cd52Il2rgem26Cd22/NjuCrl (NCG) mice, which have significantly impaired adaptive and innate immune systems. Neither immunocompetent nor immunodeficient mice showed any astrovirus-associated pathology. MuAstV-2 may provide a valuable model for the study of specific aspects of astrovirus pathogenesis and virus-host interactions.
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Key Words
- ifa, immunofluorescent assay
- lab 1, 2: laboratory 1, 2
- mfia, multiplexed fluorometric immunoassay
- mtlv, murine t lymphotrophic virus
- muastv, murine astrovirus
- muastv-2, murine astrovirus 2
- mulv, murine leukemia virus
- ncg, nod-prkdcem26cd52il2rgem26cd22/njucrl
- nsg, nod.cg-prkdcscid il2rgtm1wjl/szj
- v1, v2, v3: vivarium 1, 2, 3
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo J Ricart Arbona
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, New York, New York;,
| | - Sean Kelly
- Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Chuanwu Wang
- Charles River Laboratories Research Animal Diagnostic Services, Wilmington, Massachusetts
| | - Rajeev K Dhawan
- Charles River Laboratories Research Animal Diagnostic Services, Wilmington, Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth S Henderson
- Charles River Laboratories Research Animal Diagnostic Services, Wilmington, Massachusetts
| | - William R Shek
- Charles River Laboratories Research Animal Diagnostic Services, Wilmington, Massachusetts
| | - Simon H Williams
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Eda Altan
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Eric Delwart
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, California; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Felix Wolf
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Neil S Lipman
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York; Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
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15
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Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of feline astrovirus from Anhui province in eastern China. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:354. [PMID: 32766095 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02308-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the phylogenetic and molecular characteristics of feline astrovirus. A total of 33 fecal samples of domestic cats with or without diarrhea were collected from the Anhui province, and two positive samples were detected. The complete genome and ORF2 of the two strains were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. AH-1-2020 and AH-2-2020 displayed 83.4% homology, and their homologies with other reference strains were 75.3%-83.4% and 83.4%-95.0%, respectively. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that all strains could be classified into three different clusters; therefore, the mean amino acid genetic distances (p-dist) among the three clusters were estimated. The results suggested that the two strains and other FeAstV strains were grouped into three genotypes, with AH-1-2020 belonging to a novel genotype. High similarity was observed (65.9%-66.5% nucleotide identity and 63.8%-64.8% amino acid identity) in ORF2 between porcine astrovirus type 1 and AH-1-2020. Furthermore, inter-specific recombination between porcine astrovirus type 1 and FeAstV was observed. We, therefore, inferred that inter-specific transmission may exist between pigs and cats; however, further studies are required to verify this. This is the first report on the genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of FeAstVs in the Anhui province and would further the current understanding of the genetic diversity and epidemiology of FeAstVs.
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16
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Nanopore Sequencing Reveals Novel Targets for Detection and Surveillance of Human and Avian Influenza A Viruses. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58:JCM.02127-19. [PMID: 32132187 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02127-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate detection of influenza A virus (IAV) is crucial for patient management, infection control, and epidemiological surveillance. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended using the M gene as the diagnostic gene target for reverse-transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). However, M gene RT-PCR has reduced sensitivity for recent IAV due to novel gene mutations. Here, we sought to identify novel diagnostic targets for the molecular detection of IAV using long-read third-generation sequencing. Direct nanopore sequencing from 18 nasopharyngeal specimens and one saliva specimen showed that the 5' and 3' ends of the PB2 gene and the entire NS gene were highly abundant. Primers selected for PB2 and NS genes were well matched with seasonal or avian IAV gene sequences. Our novel PB2 and NS gene real-time RT-PCR assays showed limits of detection similar to or lower than that of M gene RT-PCR and achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity in the detection of A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and A(H7N9) in nasopharyngeal and saliva specimens. For 10 patients with IAV detected by M gene RT-PCR conversion in sequentially collected specimens, NS and/or PB2 gene RT-PCR was positive in 2 (20%) of the initial specimens that were missed by M gene RT-PCR. In conclusion, we have shown that PB2 or NS gene RT-PCRs are suitable alternatives to the recommended M gene RT-PCR for diagnosis of IAV. Long-read nanopore sequencing facilitates the identification of novel diagnostic targets.
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17
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Chan JFW, Yuan S, Kok KH, To KKW, Chu H, Yang J, Xing F, Liu J, Yip CCY, Poon RWS, Tsoi HW, Lo SKF, Chan KH, Poon VKM, Chan WM, Ip JD, Cai JP, Cheng VCC, Chen H, Hui CKM, Yuen KY. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet 2020; 395:514-523. [PMID: 31986261 PMCID: PMC7159286 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30154-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5282] [Impact Index Per Article: 1320.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An ongoing outbreak of pneumonia associated with a novel coronavirus was reported in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China. Affected patients were geographically linked with a local wet market as a potential source. No data on person-to-person or nosocomial transmission have been published to date. METHODS In this study, we report the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and microbiological findings of five patients in a family cluster who presented with unexplained pneumonia after returning to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, after a visit to Wuhan, and an additional family member who did not travel to Wuhan. Phylogenetic analysis of genetic sequences from these patients were done. FINDINGS From Jan 10, 2020, we enrolled a family of six patients who travelled to Wuhan from Shenzhen between Dec 29, 2019 and Jan 4, 2020. Of six family members who travelled to Wuhan, five were identified as infected with the novel coronavirus. Additionally, one family member, who did not travel to Wuhan, became infected with the virus after several days of contact with four of the family members. None of the family members had contacts with Wuhan markets or animals, although two had visited a Wuhan hospital. Five family members (aged 36-66 years) presented with fever, upper or lower respiratory tract symptoms, or diarrhoea, or a combination of these 3-6 days after exposure. They presented to our hospital (The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen) 6-10 days after symptom onset. They and one asymptomatic child (aged 10 years) had radiological ground-glass lung opacities. Older patients (aged >60 years) had more systemic symptoms, extensive radiological ground-glass lung changes, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and increased C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase levels. The nasopharyngeal or throat swabs of these six patients were negative for known respiratory microbes by point-of-care multiplex RT-PCR, but five patients (four adults and the child) were RT-PCR positive for genes encoding the internal RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and surface Spike protein of this novel coronavirus, which were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of these five patients' RT-PCR amplicons and two full genomes by next-generation sequencing showed that this is a novel coronavirus, which is closest to the bat severe acute respiatory syndrome (SARS)-related coronaviruses found in Chinese horseshoe bats. INTERPRETATION Our findings are consistent with person-to-person transmission of this novel coronavirus in hospital and family settings, and the reports of infected travellers in other geographical regions. FUNDING The Shaw Foundation Hong Kong, Michael Seak-Kan Tong, Respiratory Viral Research Foundation Limited, Hui Ming, Hui Hoy and Chow Sin Lan Charity Fund Limited, Marina Man-Wai Lee, the Hong Kong Hainan Commercial Association South China Microbiology Research Fund, Sanming Project of Medicine (Shenzhen), and High Level-Hospital Program (Guangdong Health Commission).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Shuofeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kin-Hang Kok
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Hin Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jin Yang
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Fanfan Xing
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jieling Liu
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Cyril Chik-Yan Yip
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Rosana Wing-Shan Poon
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hoi-Wah Tsoi
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Simon Kam-Fai Lo
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Kwok-Hung Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vincent Kwok-Man Poon
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wan-Mui Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan Daniel Ip
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jian-Piao Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Honglin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Christopher Kim-Ming Hui
- Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China.
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Abstract
We report the identification of astrovirus WI65268 in a white-tailed deer with respiratory disease in the United States in 2018. This virus is a recombinant of Kagoshima1-7 and Kagoshima2-3-2 (both bovine astroviruses from Japan) and was characterized as a potential new genotype. Further surveillance of deer might help identify related isolates.
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19
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Abstract
This chapter discusses infections of rats with viruses in the following 14 virus families: Adenoviridae, Arenaviridae, Coronaviridae, Flaviviridae, Hantaviridae, Hepeviridae, Herpesviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Pneumoviridae, Polyomaviridae, Poxviridae, and Reoviridae . Serological surveys indicate that parvoviruses, coronaviruses, cardioviruses, and pneumoviruses are the most prevalent in laboratory rats. A new polyomavirus and a new cardiovirus that cause disease in laboratory rats are described. Metagenomic analyses of feces or intestinal contents from wild rats have detected viruses from an additional nine virus families that could potentially cause infections in laboratory rats.
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20
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Chan WM, Wong LH, So CF, Chen LL, Wu WL, Ip JD, Lam AHY, Yip CCY, Yuen KY, To KKW. Development and evaluation of a conventional RT-PCR for differentiating emerging influenza B/Victoria lineage viruses with hemagglutinin amino acid deletion from B/Yamagata lineage viruses. J Med Virol 2019; 92:382-385. [PMID: 31608480 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent influenza B/Victoria lineage viruses contain amino acid deletions at positions 162 to 164 of the haemagglutinin (HA) protein. These amino acid deletions have affected the detection of B/Victoria lineage viruses by the lineage-specific conventional reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that was recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). OBJECTIVES We aimed to develop and evaluate a novel lineage-specific RT-PCR for rapid differentiation of the contemporary B/Victoria lineage from B/Yamagata lineage viruses. STUDY DESIGN Primers of our in-house RT-PCR were designed to avoid amino acid positions 162 to 164 and to target conserved regions of the HA gene that are specific for B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineage viruses. Our in-house RT-PCR and WHO RT-PCR were evaluated using influenza B positive clinical specimens or virus culture isolates. Influenza B virus lineage was confirmed by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS A total of 105 clinical specimens or virus culture isolates were retrieved, including 83 with B/Victoria lineage and 22 with B/Yamagata lineage viruses. Our in-house RT-PCR correctly identified B/Victoria lineage viruses in all 83 samples, including 82 samples with double or triple amino acid deletion in the HA protein. Conversely, the WHO lineage-specific conventional RT-PCR failed to detect any of the 82 samples with HA amino acid deletions. For the 22 samples with B/Yamagata lineage viruses, both RT-PCR assays have correctly identified B/Yamagata lineage in all samples. CONCLUSIONS Our novel lineage-specific RT-PCR has successfully detected all contemporary B/Victoria lineage viruses with amino acid deletions in HA. This protocol is especially useful for laboratories without the equipment for real-time PCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Mui Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lok-Hin Wong
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chun-Fung So
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lin-Lei Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wai-Lan Wu
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan D Ip
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Athene Hoi-Ying Lam
- Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Cyril C Y Yip
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin K W To
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.,Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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21
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Detection of novel astroviruses among rodents of Gabon, Central Africa. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 68:43-46. [PMID: 30529088 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Astroviruses (AstVs) are mostly responsible for mild to severe gastroenteritis infections in humans and animals. AstVs infect a wide range of host species, have a large genetic diversity with different circulating variants and are thus a high zoonotic risk for human populations. Among these host species, rodents are known to harbor several AstVs variants. Therefore, it is important to identify in rodent species which AstVs are circulating and evaluate their potential zoonotic risk for humans. In this context, this study aimed to screen the presence of AstVs in 267 rodents trapped in 2012 in Franceville and Makokou, two cities in Gabon. RNA extracted from grinded intestines were used for the screening of AstVs by amplification of a conserved region of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Results report the identification of AstVs in 12 individuals (4.6% rate), belonging to three different species including Rattus rattus, Mus musculus and Hybomys univittatus. These findings report the first identification of AstVs in R. rattus and H. univittatus. The phylogenetic analyses indicate host specificity of rodents AstVs. The absence of rodent AstVs within the human AstV clade suggests a low rate of interspecies transmission of these viruses and consequently a low zoonotic risk.
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22
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Drewes S, Straková P, Drexler JF, Jacob J, Ulrich RG. Assessing the Diversity of Rodent-Borne Viruses: Exploring of High-Throughput Sequencing and Classical Amplification/Sequencing Approaches. Adv Virus Res 2017; 99:61-108. [PMID: 29029730 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aivir.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Rodents are distributed throughout the world and interact with humans in many ways. They provide vital ecosystem services, some species are useful models in biomedical research and some are held as pet animals. However, many rodent species can have adverse effects such as damage to crops and stored produce, and they are of health concern because of the transmission of pathogens to humans and livestock. The first rodent viruses were discovered by isolation approaches and resulted in break-through knowledge in immunology, molecular and cell biology, and cancer research. In addition to rodent-specific viruses, rodent-borne viruses are causing a large number of zoonotic diseases. Most prominent examples are reemerging outbreaks of human hemorrhagic fever disease cases caused by arena- and hantaviruses. In addition, rodents are reservoirs for vector-borne pathogens, such as tick-borne encephalitis virus and Borrelia spp., and may carry human pathogenic agents, but likely are not involved in their transmission to human. In our days, next-generation sequencing or high-throughput sequencing (HTS) is revolutionizing the speed of the discovery of novel viruses, but other molecular approaches, such as generic RT-PCR/PCR and rolling circle amplification techniques, contribute significantly to the rapidly ongoing process. However, the current knowledge still represents only the tip of the iceberg, when comparing the known human viruses to those known for rodents, the mammalian taxon with the largest species number. The diagnostic potential of HTS-based metagenomic approaches is illustrated by their use in the discovery and complete genome determination of novel borna- and adenoviruses as causative disease agents in squirrels. In conclusion, HTS, in combination with conventional RT-PCR/PCR-based approaches, resulted in a drastically increased knowledge of the diversity of rodent viruses. Future improvements of the used workflows, including bioinformatics analysis, will further enhance our knowledge and preparedness in case of the emergence of novel viruses. Classical virological and additional molecular approaches are needed for genome annotation and functional characterization of novel viruses, discovered by these technologies, and evaluation of their zoonotic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Drewes
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Petra Straková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology v.v.i., Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan F Drexler
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Virology, Berlin, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Münster, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hamburg-Luebeck-Borstel-Insel Riems, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
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