Xu, F.-H.; Han, P.-Y.; Tian, J.-W.; Zong, L.-D.; Yin, H.-M.; Zhao, J.-Y.; Yang, Z.; Kong, W.; Ge, X.-Y.; Zhang, Y.-Z. Detection of Alpha- and Betacoronaviruses in Small Mammals in Western Yunnan Province, China. Viruses2023, 15, 1965.
Xu, F.-H.; Han, P.-Y.; Tian, J.-W.; Zong, L.-D.; Yin, H.-M.; Zhao, J.-Y.; Yang, Z.; Kong, W.; Ge, X.-Y.; Zhang, Y.-Z. Detection of Alpha- and Betacoronaviruses in Small Mammals in Western Yunnan Province, China. Viruses 2023, 15, 1965.
Xu, F.-H.; Han, P.-Y.; Tian, J.-W.; Zong, L.-D.; Yin, H.-M.; Zhao, J.-Y.; Yang, Z.; Kong, W.; Ge, X.-Y.; Zhang, Y.-Z. Detection of Alpha- and Betacoronaviruses in Small Mammals in Western Yunnan Province, China. Viruses2023, 15, 1965.
Xu, F.-H.; Han, P.-Y.; Tian, J.-W.; Zong, L.-D.; Yin, H.-M.; Zhao, J.-Y.; Yang, Z.; Kong, W.; Ge, X.-Y.; Zhang, Y.-Z. Detection of Alpha- and Betacoronaviruses in Small Mammals in Western Yunnan Province, China. Viruses 2023, 15, 1965.
Abstract
The genetic diversity of coronavirus (CoV) is high, and its infection in animals has not yet been fully revealed. By RT-PCR detection of partial RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene of CoV, we screened a total of 502 small mammals belonging to 18 species in 12 genera and 4 orders collected in Dali and Nujiang Prefecture of Western Yunnan Province, China. The prevalence of β-CoV in Chevrieri's field mouse (Apodemus chevrieri) and Lancangjiang field mouse (A. ilex) were 3.54% (4/113) and 6.67% (6/90), respectively; the prevalence of α-CoV in White-footed Indochinese rat (Rattus nitidus) and long-tailed red-toothed shrew (Episoriculus leucops) was 75% (3/4) and 5.88% (1/17), respectively. The co-infection rates of β-CoV and α-CoV in Kachin red-backed vole (Eothenomys cachinus), Norway rat (R. norvegicus) were 2.22% (2/90), 3.85% (1/26) respectively. The identity of the partial RdRp genes obtained of 13 strains of β-CoV was 83.42%-99.23% at nucleotide level, and it is worth noting that the two strains from Kachin red-backed vole showed highly homology to BOV-36/IND/2015 from Indian bovine and DcCoV-HKU23 from one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) in Morocco, the nucleotide similarity between 97.86%-98.33%. Similarly, the identity of the 7 strains of α-CoV among the partial RdRp sequences was 94.00%-99.18% at nucleotide levels. The viral load in different tissues was measured by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). The average CoV viral load in small mammalian intestinal tissue was 1.25×106copies/g, differently, the mean CoV viral load in liver, heart, lung, spleen and kidney tissue was from 1.29×103 to 4.02×103copies/g, which revealed that CoV has extensive tropism of intestinal tissue in small mammals (P < 0.0001). This result revealed the genetic diversity, epidemiology, and infective tropism of α-CoV and β-CoV in small mammals from Dali and Nujiang, which deepens the comprehending of the retention and infection of coronavirus in natural hosts.
Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services
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