Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa

Takehiro Ozeki; Haruka Abe; Yuri Ushijima; Chimène Nze-Nkogue; Etienne F. Akomo-Okoue; Ghislain W.E. Ella; Lilian B.M. Koumba; Branly C.B.B. Nso; Rodrigue Mintsa-Nguema; Patrice Makouloutou-Nzassi; Boris K. Makanga; Fred L.M. Nguelet; Georgelin N. Ondo; Marien J.V.M. Mbadinga; Yui Igasaki; Sayaka Okada; Minato Hirano; Kentaro Yoshii; Bertrand Lell; Laura C. Bonney; Roger Hewson; Yohei Kurosaki; Jiro Yasuda

doi:10.1099/jgv.0.001796

Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa

Takehiro Ozeki, Haruka Abe, Yuri Ushijima, Chimène Nze-Nkogue, Etienne F. Akomo-Okoue, Ghislain W.E. Ella, Lilian B.M. Koumba, Branly C.B.B. Nso, Rodrigue Mintsa-Nguema, Patrice Makouloutou-Nzassi, Boris K. Makanga, Fred L.M. Nguelet, Georgelin N. Ondo, Marien J.V.M. Mbadinga, Yui Igasaki, Sayaka Okada, Minato Hirano, Kentaro Yoshii, Bertrand Lell, Laura C. BonneyRoger Hewson, Yohei Kurosaki, Jiro Yasuda^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research & Development Institute Scientific Leaders

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

In Africa, several emerging zoonotic viruses have been transmitted from small mammals such as rodents and shrews to humans. Although no clinical cases of small mammal-borne viral diseases have been reported in Central Africa, potential zoonotic viruses have been identified in rodents in the region. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be unrecognized zoonotic viruses circulating in small mammals in Central Africa. Here, we investigated viruses that have been maintained among wild small mammals in Gabon to understand their potential risks to humans. We identified novel orthonairoviruses in 24.6% of captured rodents and shrews from their kidney total RNA samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the novel viruses, Lamusara virus (LMSV) and Lamgora virus, were closely related to Erve virus, which was previously identified in shrews of the genus Crocidura and has been suspected to cause neuropathogenic diseases in humans. Moreover, we show that the LMSV ovarian tumour domain protease, one of the virulence determination factors of orthonairoviruses, suppressed interferon signalling in human cells, suggesting the possible human pathogenicity of this virus. Taken together, our study demonstrates the presence of novel orthonairoviruses that may pose unrecognized risks of viral disease transmission in Gabon.

Original language	English
Article number	001796
Journal	Journal of General Virology
Volume	103
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001796
Publication status	Published - 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), JP20jm0110013 and JP20jm0210072, and KAKENHI from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), JP17KK0170 and JP21K10415.

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), JP20jm0110013 and JP20jm0210072, and KAKENHI from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), JP17KK0170 and JP21K10415. We thank Ms Miku Takano (Nagasaki University) and Ms Izumi Suzumori (Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA) for management of logistics, material transportation and linguistic support. We are also grateful to all staff in the Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases of Nagasaki University, CERMEL, IRET and JICA for their support and encouragement. We would also like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors.

Keywords

Gabon
Orthonairovirus
novel virus
small mammals
surveillance
virus screening

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1099/jgv.0.001796

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Ozeki, T., Abe, H., Ushijima, Y., Nze-Nkogue, C., Akomo-Okoue, E. F., Ella, G. W. E., Koumba, L. B. M., Nso, B. C. B. B., Mintsa-Nguema, R., Makouloutou-Nzassi, P., Makanga, B. K., Nguelet, F. L. M., Ondo, G. N., Mbadinga, M. J. V. M., Igasaki, Y., Okada, S., Hirano, M., Yoshii, K., Lell, B., ... Yasuda, J. (2022). Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa. Journal of General Virology, 103(10), Article 001796. https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001796

@article{16e6f6d9cceb432ca9589b202bcab80e,

title = "Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa",

abstract = "In Africa, several emerging zoonotic viruses have been transmitted from small mammals such as rodents and shrews to humans. Although no clinical cases of small mammal-borne viral diseases have been reported in Central Africa, potential zoonotic viruses have been identified in rodents in the region. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be unrecognized zoonotic viruses circulating in small mammals in Central Africa. Here, we investigated viruses that have been maintained among wild small mammals in Gabon to understand their potential risks to humans. We identified novel orthonairoviruses in 24.6% of captured rodents and shrews from their kidney total RNA samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the novel viruses, Lamusara virus (LMSV) and Lamgora virus, were closely related to Erve virus, which was previously identified in shrews of the genus Crocidura and has been suspected to cause neuropathogenic diseases in humans. Moreover, we show that the LMSV ovarian tumour domain protease, one of the virulence determination factors of orthonairoviruses, suppressed interferon signalling in human cells, suggesting the possible human pathogenicity of this virus. Taken together, our study demonstrates the presence of novel orthonairoviruses that may pose unrecognized risks of viral disease transmission in Gabon.",

keywords = "Gabon, Orthonairovirus, novel virus, small mammals, surveillance, virus screening",

author = "Takehiro Ozeki and Haruka Abe and Yuri Ushijima and Chim{\`e}ne Nze-Nkogue and Akomo-Okoue, {Etienne F.} and Ella, {Ghislain W.E.} and Koumba, {Lilian B.M.} and Nso, {Branly C.B.B.} and Rodrigue Mintsa-Nguema and Patrice Makouloutou-Nzassi and Makanga, {Boris K.} and Nguelet, {Fred L.M.} and Ondo, {Georgelin N.} and Mbadinga, {Marien J.V.M.} and Yui Igasaki and Sayaka Okada and Minato Hirano and Kentaro Yoshii and Bertrand Lell and Bonney, {Laura C.} and Roger Hewson and Yohei Kurosaki and Jiro Yasuda",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), JP20jm0110013 and JP20jm0210072, and KAKENHI from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), JP17KK0170 and JP21K10415. Funding Information: This work was supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), JP20jm0110013 and JP20jm0210072, and KAKENHI from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), JP17KK0170 and JP21K10415. We thank Ms Miku Takano (Nagasaki University) and Ms Izumi Suzumori (Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA) for management of logistics, material transportation and linguistic support. We are also grateful to all staff in the Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases of Nagasaki University, CERMEL, IRET and JICA for their support and encouragement. We would also like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors.",

year = "2022",

doi = "10.1099/jgv.0.001796",

language = "English",

volume = "103",

journal = "Journal of General Virology",

issn = "0022-1317",

publisher = "Microbiology Society",

number = "10",

}

Ozeki, T, Abe, H, Ushijima, Y, Nze-Nkogue, C, Akomo-Okoue, EF, Ella, GWE, Koumba, LBM, Nso, BCBB, Mintsa-Nguema, R, Makouloutou-Nzassi, P, Makanga, BK, Nguelet, FLM, Ondo, GN, Mbadinga, MJVM, Igasaki, Y, Okada, S, Hirano, M, Yoshii, K, Lell, B, Bonney, LC, Hewson, R, Kurosaki, Y & Yasuda, J 2022, 'Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa', Journal of General Virology, vol. 103, no. 10, 001796. https://doi.org/10.1099/jgv.0.001796

TY - JOUR

T1 - Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa

AU - Ozeki, Takehiro

AU - Abe, Haruka

AU - Ushijima, Yuri

AU - Nze-Nkogue, Chimène

AU - Akomo-Okoue, Etienne F.

AU - Ella, Ghislain W.E.

AU - Koumba, Lilian B.M.

AU - Nso, Branly C.B.B.

AU - Mintsa-Nguema, Rodrigue

AU - Makouloutou-Nzassi, Patrice

AU - Makanga, Boris K.

AU - Nguelet, Fred L.M.

AU - Ondo, Georgelin N.

AU - Mbadinga, Marien J.V.M.

AU - Igasaki, Yui

AU - Okada, Sayaka

AU - Hirano, Minato

AU - Yoshii, Kentaro

AU - Lell, Bertrand

AU - Bonney, Laura C.

AU - Hewson, Roger

AU - Kurosaki, Yohei

AU - Yasuda, Jiro

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), JP20jm0110013 and JP20jm0210072, and KAKENHI from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), JP17KK0170 and JP21K10415. Funding Information: This work was supported by the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), JP20jm0110013 and JP20jm0210072, and KAKENHI from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), JP17KK0170 and JP21K10415. We thank Ms Miku Takano (Nagasaki University) and Ms Izumi Suzumori (Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA) for management of logistics, material transportation and linguistic support. We are also grateful to all staff in the Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases of Nagasaki University, CERMEL, IRET and JICA for their support and encouragement. We would also like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - In Africa, several emerging zoonotic viruses have been transmitted from small mammals such as rodents and shrews to humans. Although no clinical cases of small mammal-borne viral diseases have been reported in Central Africa, potential zoonotic viruses have been identified in rodents in the region. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be unrecognized zoonotic viruses circulating in small mammals in Central Africa. Here, we investigated viruses that have been maintained among wild small mammals in Gabon to understand their potential risks to humans. We identified novel orthonairoviruses in 24.6% of captured rodents and shrews from their kidney total RNA samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the novel viruses, Lamusara virus (LMSV) and Lamgora virus, were closely related to Erve virus, which was previously identified in shrews of the genus Crocidura and has been suspected to cause neuropathogenic diseases in humans. Moreover, we show that the LMSV ovarian tumour domain protease, one of the virulence determination factors of orthonairoviruses, suppressed interferon signalling in human cells, suggesting the possible human pathogenicity of this virus. Taken together, our study demonstrates the presence of novel orthonairoviruses that may pose unrecognized risks of viral disease transmission in Gabon.

AB - In Africa, several emerging zoonotic viruses have been transmitted from small mammals such as rodents and shrews to humans. Although no clinical cases of small mammal-borne viral diseases have been reported in Central Africa, potential zoonotic viruses have been identified in rodents in the region. Therefore, we hypothesized that there may be unrecognized zoonotic viruses circulating in small mammals in Central Africa. Here, we investigated viruses that have been maintained among wild small mammals in Gabon to understand their potential risks to humans. We identified novel orthonairoviruses in 24.6% of captured rodents and shrews from their kidney total RNA samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the novel viruses, Lamusara virus (LMSV) and Lamgora virus, were closely related to Erve virus, which was previously identified in shrews of the genus Crocidura and has been suspected to cause neuropathogenic diseases in humans. Moreover, we show that the LMSV ovarian tumour domain protease, one of the virulence determination factors of orthonairoviruses, suppressed interferon signalling in human cells, suggesting the possible human pathogenicity of this virus. Taken together, our study demonstrates the presence of novel orthonairoviruses that may pose unrecognized risks of viral disease transmission in Gabon.

KW - Gabon

KW - Orthonairovirus

KW - novel virus

KW - small mammals

KW - surveillance

KW - virus screening

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U2 - 10.1099/jgv.0.001796

DO - 10.1099/jgv.0.001796

M3 - Article

C2 - 36215163

AN - SCOPUS:85139572711

SN - 0022-1317

VL - 103

JO - Journal of General Virology

JF - Journal of General Virology

IS - 10

M1 - 001796

ER -

Identification of novel orthonairoviruses from rodents and shrews in Gabon, Central Africa

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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