Discovery of a Novel Coronavirus in Swedish Bank Voles (Myodes glareolus)

Abstract

The unprecedented pandemic COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with bats as original reservoirs, has once again highlighted the importance of exploring the interface of wildlife diseases and human health. In this study, we identified a novel Betacoronavirus from bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in Grimso, Sweden, and this virus is designated as Grimso virus. Repeated detection over three years and an overall prevalence of 3.4% suggest that the virus commonly occurs in bank voles. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses indicate that the Grimso virus belongs to a highly divergent Embecovirus lineage predominantly associated with bank voles. Given that bank voles are one of the most common rodent species in Sweden and Europe, our findings indicate that Grimso virus might be circulating widely in bank voles and further point out the importance of sentinel surveillance of coronaviruses in wild small mammalian animals, especially in wild rodents.

Keywords

coronavirus; bank voles; RNA-sequencing; prevalence

Published in

Viruses
2022, Volume: 14, number: 6, article number: 1205

SLU Authors

• Lindahl, Johanna

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
  • Uppsala University

UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology in the medical area


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v14061205

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/120641