Extensive Diversity of RNA Viruses in Ticks Revealed by Metagenomics in Northeastern China

Overview

Journal PLoS Negl Trop Dis

Specialties Infectious Diseases
Tropical Medicine

Date 2022 Dec 21

PMID 36542659

Authors

Ziyan Liu

Liang Li

Wenbo Xu

Yongxu Yuan

Xiaojie Liang

Li Zhang

Zhengkai Wei

Liyan Sui

Yinghua Zhao

Yanyan Cui

Qing Yin

Dajun Li

Qianxue Li

Zhijun Hou

Feng Wei

Quan Liu

Zedong Wang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Ticks act as important vectors of infectious agents, and several emerging tick-borne viruses have recently been identified to be associated with human diseases in northeastern China. However, little is known about the tick virome in northeastern China.

Methods: Ticks collected from April 2020 to July 2021 were pooled for metagenomic analysis to investigate the virome diversity in northeastern China.

Results: In total, 22 RNA viruses were identified, including four each in the Nairoviridae and Phenuiviridae families, three each in the Flaviviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Solemoviridae families, two in the Chuviridae family, and one each in the Partitiviridae, Tombusviridae families and an unclassified virus. Of these, eight viruses were of novel species, belonging to the Nairoviridae (Ji'an nairovirus and Yichun nairovirus), Phenuiviridae (Mudanjiang phlebovirus), Rhabdoviridae (Tahe rhabdovirus 1-3), Chuviridae (Yichun mivirus), and Tombusviridae (Yichun tombus-like virus) families, and five members were established human pathogens, including Alongshan virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Songling virus, Beiji nairovirus, and Nuomin virus. I. persulcatus ticks had significant higher number of viral species than H. japonica, H. concinna, and D. silvarum ticks. Significant differences in tick viromes were observed among Daxing'an, Xiaoxing'an and Changbai mountains.

Conclusions: These findings showed an extensive diversity of RNA viruses in ticks in northeastern China, revealing potential public health threats from the emerging tick-borne viruses. Further studies are needed to explain the natural circulation and pathogenicity of these viruses.

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