Abstract
The Peribunyaviridae family contains the genera Orthobunyavirus, Herbevirus, Pacuvirus, and Shangavirus. Orthobunyaviruses and pacuviruses are mainly transmitted by blood-feeding insects and infect a variety of vertebrates whereas herbeviruses and shangaviruses have a host range restricted to insects. Here, we tested mosquitoes from a tropical rainforest in Mexico for infections with peribunyaviruses. We identified and characterized two previously unknown viruses, designated Baakal virus (BKAV) and Lakamha virus (LAKV). Sequencing and de novo assembly of the entire BKAV and LAKV genomes revealed that BKAV is an orthobunyavirus and LAKV is likely to belong to a new genus. LAKV was almost equidistant to the established peribunyavirus genera and branched as a deep rooting solitary lineage basal to herbeviruses. Virus isolation attempts of LAKV failed. BKAV is most closely related to the bird-associated orthobunyaviruses Koongol virus and Gamboa virus. BKAV was successfully isolated in mosquito cells but did not replicate in common mammalian cells from various species and organs. Also cells derived from chicken were not susceptible. Interestingly, BKAV can infect cells derived from a duck species that is endemic in the region where the BKAV-positive mosquito was collected. These results suggest a narrow host specificity and maintenance in a mosquito–bird transmission cycle.
Highlights
The family Peribunyaviridae comprises the genera Orthobunyavirus, Herbevirus, Pacuvirus and Shangavirus
In this study we identified two novel viruses, Baakal virus (BKAV) and Lakamha virus (LAKV), and detected Wyeomyia virus (WYOV) for the first time in Mexico
The phenotypic characterization of BKAV provided evidence that BKAV is a host-specific arbovirus, which can neither infect cell lines derived from mammalian species commonly used in virus research nor avian cell lines that are widely susceptible for viral infection
Summary
The family Peribunyaviridae (order Bunyavirales) comprises the genera Orthobunyavirus, Herbevirus, Pacuvirus and Shangavirus. The genus Orthobunyavirus contains 88 species and 15 serogroups according to the current ICTV report [1]. Orthobunyaviruses circulate between blood-feeding arthropods and vertebrates. They can infect a wide variety of different hosts including birds, livestock, and humans. Clinical manifestations can range from acute but self-limiting fever, joint pain or rash to more severe symptoms like encephalitis or haemorrhagic fever [2,3]. The viruses show an almost worldwide distribution. Important orthobunyaviruses occurring in Central and South America are, for example, Viruses 2019, 11, 832; doi:10.3390/v11090832 www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses
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