The fecal and oropharyngeal eukaryotic viromes of healthy infants during the first year of life are personal

Abstract

Abstract Using a metagenomic sequencing approach, we described and compared the diversity and dynamics of the oropharyngeal and fecal eukaryotic virome of nine asymptomatic children in a semi-rural community setting located in the State of Morelos, Mexico. Ninety oropharyngeal swabs and 97 fecal samples were collected starting 2 weeks after birth and monthly thereafter until 12 months of age. In both niches, more than 95% of the total sequence reads were represented by viruses that replicate either in humans or in plants. Regarding human viruses, three families were most abundant and frequent in the oropharynx: Herpesviridae, Picornaviridae, and Reoviridae; in fecal samples, four virus families predominated: Caliciviridae, Picornaviridae, Reoviridae, and Anelloviridae. Both niches showed a high abundance of plant viruses of the family Virgaviridae. Differences in the frequency and abundance of sequence reads and diversity of virus species were observed in both niches and throughout the year of study, with some viruses already present in the first months of life. Our results suggest that the children’s virome is dynamic and likely shaped by the environment, feeding, and age. Moreover, composition analysis suggests that the virome composition is mostly individual. Whether this constant exposition to different viruses has a long-term impact on children’s health or development remains to be studied.