Insect-specific Alphamesonivirus-1 (Mesoniviridae) in lymph node and lung tissues from two horses with acute...

Members of the RNA virus order Nidovirales infect hosts ranging from marine invertebrates to terrestrial mammals. As such, understanding the determinants of host range in this group of viruses, as well as their patterns of emergence and disease potential, is of clear importance. The Mesoniviridae are a recently documented family within the Nidovirales. To date, mesoniviruses have only been associated with the infection of arthropod species, particularly mosquitoes, and hence are regarded as insect-specific viruses (ISVs). Herein, we report the first detection of a mesonivirus-Alphamesonivirus-1 -in mammals. Specifically, we utilized genomic and histological techniques to identify Alphamesonivirus-1 in lung and lymph node tissues of two horses (a mare and its foal) from Italy that succumbed to an acute respiratory syndrome. The genome sequences of Alphamesonivirus-1 obtained from the two horses were closely related to each other and to those from a local Culex mosquito pool and an Alphamesonivirus-1 previously identified in Italy, indicative of ongoing local transmission. The discovery of Alphamesonivirus-1 in horse tissues prompts further investigation into the host range of mesoniviruses, the possible role of insect-specific viruses in mammalian disease processes, the determinants of and barriers to cross-species virus transmission, and the potential epizootic threats posed by understudied viral families.

Alphamesoniviruses, members of the family Mesoniviridaeare, are considered insect-specific RNA viruses with no known association with vertebrate hosts. Herein, we report the identification of Alphamesonivirus-1 in mammals. Using detailed molecular and histological analyses, we identified Alphamesonivirus-1 in lung and lymph node tissues of two horses that presented with an acute respiratory syndrome and that was phylogenetically related to virus sequences found in local Culex mosquitoes. Hence, Alphamesoniviruses may possess a broader host range than previously believed, prompting the investigation of their possible role in mammalian disease. This work highlights the need for increased surveillance of atypical viruses in association with unexplained respiratory illness, including those commonly assumed to be insect-specific, and may have implications for epizootic disease emergence.