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Identification of Distinct Rodent-Associated Adenovirus Lineages from Mixed-Use Landscape
B R Ansil1, Avirup Sanyal1,2, Darshan Sreenivas1
1National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560065, India.
Ecohealth
|February 4, 2025
Summary
Researchers found diverse adenoviruses in small mammals like Rattus satarae in the Western Ghats. These findings highlight potential novel DNA viruses and underscore the need for enhanced surveillance in biodiverse areas.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Ecology
- Biodiversity
Background:
- Land-use change and increased host interactions create opportunities for viral spillover.
- Biodiverse regions require enhanced surveillance for emerging infectious diseases.
- Small mammals are understudied reservoirs for novel viruses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate adenovirus diversity in small mammals from the Western Ghats.
- To assess the prevalence of adenoviruses in the dominant small mammal species, Rattus satarae.
- To identify novel adenoviruses and understand their genetic distinctiveness.
Main Methods:
- Field sampling of small mammals in a forest-plantation mosaic.
- Molecular detection and characterization of adenoviruses.
- Phylogenetic analysis to compare identified lineages with known adenoviruses.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of adenoviruses (up to 39.39%) was observed in small mammals.
- Five distinct adenovirus lineages with unique mutations were identified in Rattus satarae.
- These lineages showed significant genetic divergence (>25% p-distance) from known murine adenoviruses.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest the presence of novel adenoviruses in Rattus satarae.
- This study indicates unexplored DNA virus diversity in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
- Enhanced surveillance for viral pathogens in small mammals is crucial in such regions.
