Virome of Terrestrial Mammals and Bats from Southern Brazil: Circulation of New Putative Members of the <i>Togaviridae</i> Family and Other Findings
Julyana Sthéfanie Simões Matos,
Meriane Demoliner,
Juliana Schons Gularte,
Micheli Filippi,
Vyctoria Malayhka de Abreu Góes Pereira,
Mariana Soares da Silva,
Matheus Nunes Weber,
Marcelo Pereira de Barros,
Fernando Rosado Spilki
Affiliations
Julyana Sthéfanie Simões Matos
Environmental Quality Graduate Program, Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
Meriane Demoliner
Virology Master Program, Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
Juliana Schons Gularte
Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540-000, Brazil
Micheli Filippi
Virology Master Program, Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
Vyctoria Malayhka de Abreu Góes Pereira
Environmental Quality Graduate Program, Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
Mariana Soares da Silva
Virology Master Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
Matheus Nunes Weber
Immunology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540-000, Brazil
Marcelo Pereira de Barros
Environmental Quality Graduate Program, Zoology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
Fernando Rosado Spilki
Environmental Quality Graduate Program and Virology Graduate Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo 93525-075, Brazil
The surveillance of wildlife viromes is essential for identifying zoonotic threats within the One Health framework. This study analyzed rectal and oral swabs from 88 individuals representing 13 species as felids, wild rodents, marsupials and non-human primates in Southern Brazil using metagenomic sequencing. Akodon montensis (n = 15 individuals) and Coendou spinosus (n = 4) harbored Chikungunya virus (ChikV, Togaviridae), marking its first detection in these hosts. Molossus molossus (n = 17) presented Coronaviridae and Orthoherpesviridae, while Eptesicus furinalis (n = 1) also carried Coronaviridae. A broad virome diversity, including Togaviridae and Adenoviridae members, was identified in Didelphis albiventris (n = 43), with significant relevance to human health. Additional species, such as Callithrix jacchus (n = 1), Leopardus guttulus (n = 1), Myocastor coypus (n = 1), Monodelphis iheringi (n = 1), Thaptomys nigrita (n = 1), Sooretamys angouya (n = 1), Brucepattersonius iheringi (n = 1), and Lasiurus blossevillii (n = 1), contributed to insights into viral reservoirs. These results underscore the importance of virome studies in regions harboring high biodiversity, emphasizing genomic surveillance as a vital tool for monitoring zoonotic viruses and safeguarding global health.
