Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden

Abstract Background Rodent borne hantaviruses are emerging viruses infecting humans through inhalation. They cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hemorrhagic cardiopulmonary syndrome. Recently, hantaviruses have been detected in other small mammals such as Soricomorpha (shrews, moles) and...

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Main Authors: Olivia Wesula Lwande, Nahla Mohamed, Göran Bucht, Clas Ahlm, Gert Olsson, Magnus Evander
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020-12-01
Series:Virology Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01477-w
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spelling doaj-de8d0bee487d445fbf04622797f671482021-01-03T12:11:57ZengBMCVirology Journal1743-422X2020-12-011711510.1186/s12985-020-01477-wSeewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in SwedenOlivia Wesula Lwande0Nahla Mohamed1Göran Bucht2Clas Ahlm3Gert Olsson4Magnus Evander5Department of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Umeå UniversityDepartment of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Clinical Microbiology, Virology, Umeå UniversityAbstract Background Rodent borne hantaviruses are emerging viruses infecting humans through inhalation. They cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hemorrhagic cardiopulmonary syndrome. Recently, hantaviruses have been detected in other small mammals such as Soricomorpha (shrews, moles) and Chiroptera (bats), suggested as reservoirs for potential pandemic viruses and to play a role in the evolution of hantaviruses. It is important to study the global virome in different reservoirs, therefore our aim was to investigate whether shrews in Sweden carried any hantaviruses. Moreover, to accurately determine the host species, we developed a molecular method for identification of shrews. Method Shrews (n = 198), caught during 1998 in Sweden, were screened with a pan-hantavirus PCR using primers from a conserved region of the large genome segment. In addition to morphological typing of shrews, we developed a molecular based typing method using sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I (COI) and cytochrome B (CytB) genes. PCR amplified hantavirus and shrew fragments were sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Results Hantavirus RNA was detected in three shrews. Sequencing identified the virus as Seewis hantavirus (SWSV), most closely related to previous isolates from Finland and Russia. All three SWSV sequences were retrieved from common shrews (Sorex araneus) sampled in Västerbotten County, Sweden. The genetic assay for shrew identification was able to identify native Swedish shrew species, and the genetic typing of the Swedish common shrews revealed that they were most similar to common shrews from Russia. Conclusion We detected SWSV RNA in Swedish common shrew samples and developed a genetic assay for shrew identification based on the COI and CytB genes. This was the first report of presence of hantavirus in Swedish shrews.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01477-wHantavirusShrewSeewis virusCytochrome C oxidase I geneCytochrome B geneMolecular barcoding
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Olivia Wesula Lwande
Nahla Mohamed
Göran Bucht
Clas Ahlm
Gert Olsson
Magnus Evander
spellingShingle Olivia Wesula Lwande
Nahla Mohamed
Göran Bucht
Clas Ahlm
Gert Olsson
Magnus Evander
Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden
Virology Journal
Hantavirus
Shrew
Seewis virus
Cytochrome C oxidase I gene
Cytochrome B gene
Molecular barcoding
author_facet Olivia Wesula Lwande
Nahla Mohamed
Göran Bucht
Clas Ahlm
Gert Olsson
Magnus Evander
author_sort Olivia Wesula Lwande
title Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden
title_short Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden
title_full Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden
title_fullStr Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden
title_full_unstemmed Seewis hantavirus in common shrew (Sorex araneus) in Sweden
title_sort seewis hantavirus in common shrew (sorex araneus) in sweden
publisher BMC
series Virology Journal
issn 1743-422X
publishDate 2020-12-01
description Abstract Background Rodent borne hantaviruses are emerging viruses infecting humans through inhalation. They cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hemorrhagic cardiopulmonary syndrome. Recently, hantaviruses have been detected in other small mammals such as Soricomorpha (shrews, moles) and Chiroptera (bats), suggested as reservoirs for potential pandemic viruses and to play a role in the evolution of hantaviruses. It is important to study the global virome in different reservoirs, therefore our aim was to investigate whether shrews in Sweden carried any hantaviruses. Moreover, to accurately determine the host species, we developed a molecular method for identification of shrews. Method Shrews (n = 198), caught during 1998 in Sweden, were screened with a pan-hantavirus PCR using primers from a conserved region of the large genome segment. In addition to morphological typing of shrews, we developed a molecular based typing method using sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I (COI) and cytochrome B (CytB) genes. PCR amplified hantavirus and shrew fragments were sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. Results Hantavirus RNA was detected in three shrews. Sequencing identified the virus as Seewis hantavirus (SWSV), most closely related to previous isolates from Finland and Russia. All three SWSV sequences were retrieved from common shrews (Sorex araneus) sampled in Västerbotten County, Sweden. The genetic assay for shrew identification was able to identify native Swedish shrew species, and the genetic typing of the Swedish common shrews revealed that they were most similar to common shrews from Russia. Conclusion We detected SWSV RNA in Swedish common shrew samples and developed a genetic assay for shrew identification based on the COI and CytB genes. This was the first report of presence of hantavirus in Swedish shrews.
topic Hantavirus
Shrew
Seewis virus
Cytochrome C oxidase I gene
Cytochrome B gene
Molecular barcoding
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-020-01477-w
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