Molecular Characterisation and Phylogeny of Tula Virus in Kazakhstan
Nur Tukhanova,
Anna Shin,
Nurkeldi Turebekov,
Talgat Nurmakhanov,
Karlygash Abdiyeva,
Alexandr Shevtsov,
Toktasyn Yerubaev,
Gulnara Tokmurziyeva,
Almas Berdibekov,
Vitaliy Sutyagin,
Nurbek Maikanov,
Andrei Zakharov,
Ilmars Lezdinsh,
Lyazzat Yeraliyeva,
Guenter Froeschl,
Michael Hoelscher,
Stefan Frey,
Edith Wagner,
Lukas Peintner,
Sandra Essbauer
Affiliations
Nur Tukhanova
Center for International Health, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University, 80336 Munich, Germany
Anna Shin
Center for International Health, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University, 80336 Munich, Germany
Nurkeldi Turebekov
Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Almaty 050054, Kazakhstan
Talgat Nurmakhanov
Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Almaty 050054, Kazakhstan
Karlygash Abdiyeva
Almaty Branch National Center for Biotechnology, Almaty 050054, Kazakhstan
Alexandr Shevtsov
National Center for Biotechnology, Nur Sultan 010000, Kazakhstan
Toktasyn Yerubaev
Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Almaty 050054, Kazakhstan
Gulnara Tokmurziyeva
Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Almaty 050054, Kazakhstan
Almas Berdibekov
Taldykorgan Antiplague Station, Branch Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Taldykorgan 040000, Kazakhstan
Vitaliy Sutyagin
Taldykorgan Antiplague Station, Branch Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Taldykorgan 040000, Kazakhstan
Nurbek Maikanov
Oral Antiplague Station, Branch Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Oral 09002, Kazakhstan
Andrei Zakharov
Oral Antiplague Station, Branch Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Oral 09002, Kazakhstan
Ilmars Lezdinsh
Taldykorgan Antiplague Station, Branch Aikimbayev’s National Scientific Center for Especially Dangerous Infections, Taldykorgan 040000, Kazakhstan
Lyazzat Yeraliyeva
National Scientific Center of Phthisiopulmonology, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan
Guenter Froeschl
Center for International Health, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University, 80336 Munich, Germany
Michael Hoelscher
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University, 80802 Munich, Germany
Stefan Frey
Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRN Protection, 29633 Munster, Germany
Edith Wagner
Section of Experimental Virology, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Jena University Hospital, 07745 Jena, Germany
Lukas Peintner
German Centre for Infection Research, Department Virology and Intracellular Agents, Munich Partner Site Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937 Munich, Germany
Sandra Essbauer
German Centre for Infection Research, Department Virology and Intracellular Agents, Munich Partner Site Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, 80937 Munich, Germany
Orthohantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that play a significant role in public health. These viruses can cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the first human cases were registered in the year 2000 in the West Kazakhstan region. Small mammals can be reservoirs of orthohantaviruses. Previous studies showed orthohantavirus antigens in wild-living small mammals in four districts of West Kazakhstan. Clinical studies suggested that there might be further regions with human orthohantavirus infections in Kazakhstan, but genetic data of orthohantaviruses in natural foci are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate small mammals for the presence of orthohantaviruses by molecular biological methods and to provide a phylogenetic characterization of the circulating strains in Kazakhstan. Small mammals were trapped at 19 sites in West Kazakhstan, four in Almaty region and at seven sites around Almaty city during all seasons of 2018 and 2019. Lung tissues of small mammals were homogenized and RNA was extracted. Orthohantavirus RT-PCR assays were applied for detection of partial S and L segment sequences. Results were compared to published fragments. In total, 621 small mammals from 11 species were analysed. Among the collected small mammals, 2.4% tested positive for orthohantavirus RNA, one sample from West Kazakhstan and 14 samples from Almaty region. None of the rodents caught in Almaty city were infected. Sequencing parts of the small (S) and large (L) segments specified Tula virus (TULV) in these two regions. Our data show that geographical distribution of TULV is more extended as previously thought. The detected sequences were found to be split in two distinct genetic clusters of TULV in West Kazakhstan and Almaty region. TULV was detected in the common vole (Microtus arvalis) and for the first time in two individuals of the forest dormouse (Dryomys nitedula), interpreted as a spill-over infection in Kazakhstan.
