A new study published this week describes a novel jeilongvirus identified from a dead cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) found in Gainesville, Florida.
Jeilongvirus is a genus in the family Paramyxoviridae and the subfamily Orthoparamyxovirinae. The family Paramyxoviridae comprises enveloped negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses that infect birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles. Several paramyxoviruses affect humans, including measles, mumps, and parainfluenza viruses. Paramyxoviruses are frequently associated with respiratory infections and interspecies transmissions.
Current information on genus Jeilongvirus indicates that natural infection is restricted to small mammals (bats, cats, rodents). A recent study in China, which aimed to understand the host distribution of jeilongviruses in wild rodents, determined that the distribution of the viruses was widespread in diverse regions and rodent species. However, the host range for each type of jeilongvirus is likely broader.
The researchers further note that Paramyxoviruses should be considered of high concern as potential spillover pathogens, as various species within the Paramyxoviridae family demonstrate the ability to establish infections in humans, and these viruses exhibit remarkable receptor tropism flexibility through the course of their evolution.
Read the full study:
A Novel Jeilongvirus from Florida, USA, Has a Broad Host Cell Tropism Including Human and Non-Human Primate Cells. Pathogens, 24 September 2024.
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Evolution and ecology of Jeilongvirus among wild rodents and shrews in Singapore
Jeilongvirus was proposed as a new genus within the Paramyxoviridae in 2018. The advancement in metagenomic approaches has encouraged multiple reports of Jeilongvirus detection following the initial species discovery, enriching species diversity and host range within the genus. However, Jeilongvirus remains understudied in Singapore, where interfaces between humans and small mammals are plentiful. One Health Outlook
Classification of new morbillivirus and jeilongvirus sequences from bats sampled in Brazil and Malaysia
Findings add to the vast number of viral sequences in public repositories, which have been increasing considerably in recent years due to the rising accessibility of metagenomics. Taxonomic classification of these sequences in the absence of phenotypic data has been a significant challenge, particularly in the subfamily Orthoparamyxovirinae, where the rate of discovery of novel sequences has been substantial. Archives of Virology
Novel Paramyxoviruses in Bats from Sub-Saharan Africa, 2007–2012
As part of a larger survey for detection of pathogens among wildlife in sub-Saharan Africa conducted during 2007–2012, multiple diverse paramyxovirus sequences were detected in renal tissues of bats. Phylogenetic analysis supports the presence of at least 2 major viral lineages and suggests that paramyxoviruses are strongly associated with several bat genera. Emerging Infectious Diseases