Trafficked Malayan pangolins contain viral pathogens of humans.
Nat Microbiol
; 7(8): 1259-1269, 2022 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1972611
ABSTRACT
Pangolins are the most trafficked wild animal in the world according to the World Wildlife Fund. The discovery of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins has piqued interest in the viromes of these wild, scaly-skinned mammals. We sequenced the viromes of 161 pangolins that were smuggled into China and assembled 28 vertebrate-associated viruses, 21 of which have not been previously reported in vertebrates. We named 16 members of Hunnivirus, Pestivirus and Copiparvovirus pangolin-associated viruses. We report that the L-protein has been lost from all hunniviruses identified in pangolins. Sequences of four human-associated viruses were detected in pangolin viromes, including respiratory syncytial virus, Orthopneumovirus, Rotavirus A and Mammalian orthoreovirus. The genomic sequences of five mammal-associated and three tick-associated viruses were also present. Notably, a coronavirus related to HKU4-CoV, which was originally found in bats, was identified. The presence of these viruses in smuggled pangolins identifies these mammals as a potential source of emergent pathogenic viruses.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Chiroptera
/
COVID-19
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Nat Microbiol
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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