Identification and molecular characterization of highly divergent RNA viruses in cattle, Uganda

Abstract

The risk for the emergence of novel viral zoonotic diseases in animals and humans in Uganda is high given its geographical location with high biodiversity. We aimed to identify and characterize viruses in 175 blood samples from cattle selected in Uganda using molecular approaches. We identified 8 viral species belonging to 4 families (Flaviviridae, Peribunyaviridae, Reoviridae and Rhabdoviridae) and 6 genera (Hepacivirus, Pestivirus, Orthobunya-virus, Coltivirus, Dinovernavirus and Ephemerovirus). Four viruses were highly divergent and tetantively named Zikole virus (Family: Flaviviridae), Zeboroti virus (Family: Reoviridae), Zebtine virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae) and Kokolu virus (Family: Rhabdoviridae). In addition, Bovine Hepacivirus, Obodhiang virus, Aedes pseudoscutellaris reovirus and Schmallenberg virus were identified for the first time in Ugandan cattle. We report 8 viral species belonging to 4 viral families including divergent ones in the blood of cattle in Uganda. Hence, cattle may be reservoir hosts for likely emergence of novel viruses with pathogenic potential to cause zoonotic diseases in different species with serious public health implications.

Keywords

Cattle; Zoonoses; pan-PCR; Metagenomics; RNA virus; Uganda

Published in

Virus Research
2022, Volume: 313, article number: 198739Publisher: ELSEVIER

SLU Authors

• Hayer, Juliette

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Cholleti, Harindranath

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Malmberg, Maja

  • Department of Animal Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology in the medical area


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2022.198739

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117049