Molecular Survey on Kobuviruses in Domestic and Wild Ungulates From Northwestern Italian Alps.

Barbara Di Martino,Paola Fruci,Andrea Palombieri,Fulvio Marsilio,Vittorio Sarchese,Vito Martella,Riccardo Orusa,Serena Robetto,Federica Di Profio,Irene Melegari

doi:10.3389/fvets.2021.679337

Abstract

Since the first identification in 1989 in humans, kobuviruses (KoVs) have been identified from a wide range of animal species including carnivores, rodents, birds, ungulates, rabbits, and bats. Several studies have described the identification of genetically related KoVs in the fecal virome of domestic and wild animals suggesting a mutual exchange of viruses. By screening a total of 231 fecal samples from wild and domestic ungulates, KoVs RNA was detected in wild boars (3.2%; 2/63), chamois (4.6%; 2/43), and goats (2.6%; 2/77). On phylogenetic analysis of the partial RdRp sequence, the wild boar strains clustered within the species Aichivirus C whilst the strains identified in domestic and wild ruminants grouped into the species Aichivirus B. The complete VP1 gene was obtained for chamois and goat KoVs. Interestingly, upon phylogenetic analysis the strains grouped together with a KoV of ovine origin within a distinct genetic type (B3) of the species Aichivirus B.

Highlights

Kobuviruses (KoVs) are small (∼30–32 nm), icosahedral, non-enveloped viruses with a single stranded positive sense RNA genome of 8.2–8.4 kb in length, classified in the genus Kobuvirus within the family Picornaviridae [1]
Among the five ungulate species investigated in this study, viral RNA was found in wild boars (3.2%; 2/63), chamois (4.6%; 2/43), and goats (2.6%; 2/77), whilst all the samples collected from red deer and sheep resulted negative (Figure 1B)
The detection rate obtained in our survey was lower (3.2%, 2/63), our results indicate that circulation of porcine KoVs among wild boars is not uncommon and it is not limited to some settings [25, 26]

Summary

Introduction

Kobuviruses (KoVs) are small (∼30–32 nm), icosahedral, non-enveloped viruses with a single stranded positive sense RNA genome of 8.2–8.4 kb in length, classified in the genus Kobuvirus within the family Picornaviridae [1]. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the complete nt sequence of the VP1 encoding gene [15], the genus Kobuvirus is currently classified into six established species, Aichivirus A to F, and 20 genetic types [https://talk. Aichivirus A includes a total of ten genetic types (Aichivirus A1–A10) identified in humans (A1) [3], canids (A2) [10, 11], rodents (A3, A6–A10) [14,15,16,17], domestic cats

Methods

Results

Conclusion