Rodents as potential reservoirs for toroviruses

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Genomics
• Zoonotic Diseases

Background:

• Emerging zoonotic viruses, including coronaviruses within the order Nidovirales, pose significant global health risks.
• Toroviruses, a less-studied genus in Nidovirales, are mainly linked to ungulate gastrointestinal issues, with potential human presence.
• Rodents are increasingly recognized as reservoirs for novel viruses with zoonotic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To sequence and characterize full-length genomes of potentially emerging viruses from small mammals.
• To identify novel viral species and understand their phylogenetic relationships.
• To investigate the role of rodents as potential reservoirs for viruses like toroviruses.

Main Methods:

• Fecal samples were collected from small mammals, primarily rodents, in Spain.
• High-throughput Illumina sequencing was used to obtain viral reads.
• Phylogenetic analysis was employed to determine viral relationships and identify novel species.

Main Results:

• A novel torovirus, Dormouse torovirus (DToV), was discovered in a dormouse fecal sample.
• This is the first reported complete genome of a torovirus associated with rodents.
• DToV's genome exhibits low sequence identity to other toroviruses, suggesting a new species, and its phylogenetic position indicates rodents as a potential reservoir.

Conclusions:

• The discovery of DToV expands the known host range of toroviruses.
• The findings highlight the potential for cross-species transmission of toroviruses.
• Continued surveillance of wildlife viruses is crucial for identifying and mitigating emerging zoonotic threats.