A novel Hepacivirus in wild rodents from South America

The Hepacivirus genus comprises single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses within the family Flaviviridae. Several hepaciviruses have been identified in different mammals, including multiple rodent species in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. To date, no rodent hepacivirus has been identified in the South American continent. Here, we describe an unknown hepacivirus discovered during a metagenomic screen in Akodon montensis, Calomys tener, Oligoryzomys nigripes, Necromys lasiurus, and Mus musculus from São Paulo State, Brazil. Molecular detection of this novel hepacivirus by RT-PCR showed a frequency of 11.11% (2/18) in Oligoryzomys nigripes. This is the first identification of hepavivirus in sigmondonine rodents and in rodents from South America. In sum, our results expand the host range, viral diversity, and geographical distribution of the Hepacivirus genus

Novel orthohepeviruses in wild rodents from São Paulo State, Brazil

The Hepeviridae comprise single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses classified into two genera, Orthohepevirus and Piscihepevirus. Orthohepeviruses have a wide host range that includes rodents, but previous studies had been restricted to rodents of the Muridae family. In this study, we applied a high-throughput sequencing approach to examine the presence of orthohepeviruses in rodents from São Paulo State, Brazil. We also used RT-PCR to determine the frequency of orthohepeviruses in our sampled population. We identified novel orthohepeviruses in blood samples derived from Necromys lasiurus (1.19%) and Calomys tener (3.66%). Therefore, our results expand the host range and viral diversity of the Hepeviridae family

Novel parvoviruses from wild and domestic animals in Brazil provide new insights into parvovirus distribution and diversity

Parvoviruses (family Parvoviridae) are small, single-stranded DNA viruses. Many parvoviral pathogens of medical, veterinary and ecological importance have been identified. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to investigate the diversity of parvoviruses infecting wild and domestic animals in Brazil. We identified 21 parvovirus sequences (including twelve nearly complete genomes and nine partial genomes) in samples derived from rodents, bats, opossums, birds and cattle in Pernambuco, São Paulo, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul states. These sequences were investigated using phylogenetic and distance-based approaches and were thereby classified into eight parvovirus species (six of which have not been described previously), representing six distinct genera in the subfamily Parvovirinae. Our findings extend the known biogeographic range of previously characterized parvovirus species and the known host range of three parvovirus genera (Dependovirus, Aveparvovirus and Tetraparvovirus). Moreover, our investigation provides a window into the ecological dynamics of parvovirus infections in vertebrates, revealing that many parvovirus genera contain well-defined sub-lineages that circulate widely throughout the world within particular taxonomic groups of hosts

Discovery of novel anelloviruses in small mammals expands the host range and diversity of the Anelloviridae

The Anelloviridae comprises single-stranded DNA viruses currently grouped in sixty-eight species classified in twelve genera. They have been found in many vertebrate hosts including primates. In this study, we describe the application of the high-throughput sequencing to examine the frequency and diversity of anelloviruses in rodents, bats and opossums captured in São Paulo State, Brazil. We report a total of twenty-six anelloviruses with sixteen nearly complete genomes and ten partial genomes, which include eleven potential novel species identified in rodents (Cricetidae), bats (Molossidae and Phyllostomidae), and opossums (Didelphidae). We also propose the inclusion of two potential new genera within the Anelloviridae family, provisionally named Omegatorquevirus and Sigmatorquevirus, including six and three novel species of anelloviruses, respectively. In summary, this study expands the diversity and the host range of the known anelloviruses

Study of infections by flaviviruses in wild rodents in the northeast of São Paulo state.

As arboviroses acometem centenas de milhares de pessoas anualmente no Brasil, levando, muitas delas, à morte. O Brasil apresenta uma das maiores biodiversidades em arbovírus do planeta, tendo mais de uma centena de espécies já isoladas e documentadas. Estudos prévios revelaram que espécies de arbovírus estão circulando no país de modo velado em áreas urbanas, rurais e florestais. O conhecimento de aspectos da epidemiologia e biologia viral como ciclo silvestre mantenedor, gama de hospedeiros, sazonalidade, disseminação, área de ocorrência, história evolutiva e diversidade genética, são fundamentais para a definição de estratégias de prevenção e controle pelos órgãos públicos de saúde e vigilância epidemiológica. Nesse sentido, tivemos como objetivo pesquisar a ocorrência de flavivírus em pequenos roedores silvestres. Para tal finalidade, capturamos esses animais em fragmentos de Cerrado e propriedades rurais localizadas nas cidades de Ribeirão Preto, Batatais, Cajuru e Luiz Antônio, no nordeste do estado de São Paulo. Amostras de sangue foram coletadas e submetidas ao ensaio sorológico ELISA indireto para detectar anticorpos IgG contra os flavivírus Rocio, Oeste do Nilo e da Encefalite de Saint Louis. Nosso método utilizou peptídeos recombinantes correspondentes ao domínio III da proteína de envelope de cada um desses 3 vírus. Adicionalmente, realizamos RT-PCR com primers gênero-específicos e espécie-específicos para a detecção de genoma de flavivírus. Altas soroprevalências foram encontradas nas diversas espécies de roedores capturadas, para um ou mais dos vírus testados. Esse achado sustenta a hipótese de que esses vírus são capazes de infectar também pequenos mamíferos selvagens, o que, por sua vez, pode indicar a existência de novos atores em um ciclo silvestre mantenedor.Arboviruses affect hundreds of thousands of people annually in Brazil, leading, many of them, to death. Brazil has one of the largest arbovirus biodiversities in the world, with more than 100 species already isolated and documented. Previous studies have revealed that arbovirus species are circulating in the country veiled in urban, rural and forest areas. The knowledge of aspects of epidemiology and viral biology such as silvatic cycle, range of hosts, seasonality, dissemination, area of occurrence, evolutionary history and genetic diversity, are fundamental for the definition of strategies of prevention and control by public health and epidemiological surveillance agencies. In this sense, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of flavivirus in small wild rodents. For this purpose, we captured these animals in fragments of Cerrado and rural properties located in the cities of Ribeirão Preto, Batatais, Cajuru and Luiz Antônio, in the northeast of the state of São Paulo. Blood samples were collected and subjected to the ELISA-indirect serological assay to detect IgG antibodies against flaviviruses Rocio, West Nile, and Saint Louis Encephalitis. Our method used recombinant peptides corresponding to domain III of the envelope protein of each of these 3 viruses. In addition, we performed RT-PCR with genus-specific and speciesspecific primers for the detection of the flavivirus genome. High seroprevalences were found in several species of rodents captured, for one or more of the viruses tested. This finding supports the hypothesis that these viruses are also capable of infecting small wild mammals, which, in turn, may indicate the existence of new actors in a sustaining silvatic cycle

A novel polyomavirus in sigmodontine rodents from São Paulo State, Brazil

The nearly complete genome sequence of a novel polyomavirus from blood samples of Akodon montensis and Calomys tener collected in Brazil was determined by high-throughput sequencing. This virus showed a typical polyomaviruses genome organization, and it was classified as a member of the genus Betapolyomavirus. Our results expand the host range and viral diversity of the family Polyomaviridae

Infection with Saint Louis encephalitis virus in the city of Ribeirao Preto, Brazil: report of one case

Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus from the Americas. In this report we describe aspects of the laboratory diagnosis of a patient with an acute febrile illness induced by SLEV that was initially diagnosed as dengue by positive IgM-ELISA. Infection with this virus is probably not rare in Brazil, but cases remain undiagnosed. It is necessary to improve the surveillance system, including laboratories, for the diagnosis of SLEV in Brazil

Cacipacore virus as an emergent mosquito-borne Flavivirus

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Cacipacore virus (CPCV), a possible bird-associated flavivirus, has yet to be detected in mosquitoes. Our purpose is examining CPCV in mosquitoes from the Amazon region of Brazil. METHODS: Approximately 3,253 Culicidae (grouped into 264 pools) were collected from the Amazon region during 2002-2006 and analyzed using a Flavivirus genus-specific reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction followed by nested polymerase chain reaction assay and by nucleotide sequencing of amplicons. RESULTS: Nucleotide sequences from five mosquito samples showed high similarity to the those of CPCV originally isolated in the Amazon region. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of CPCV-infected mosquitoes which has implications on the arbovirus maintenance in nature and transmission to man