Identification of Distinct Rodent-Associated Adenovirus Lineages from Mixed-Use Landscape

Ecohealth. 2025 Mar;22(1):5-10. doi: 10.1007/s10393-025-01700-6. Epub 2025 Feb 4.

Abstract

Land-use change and increased human-livestock-wildlife interactions have generated numerous possibilities for viral spillover, demanding enhanced surveillance in biodiverse regions. We investigated adenovirus diversity in small mammals, an understudied host taxon, from a forest-plantation mosaic in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. We observed high prevalence (up to 39.39%) and identified five lineages of adenoviruses with unique mutations in the dominant small mammal species, Rattus satarae. These lineages significantly differed from other known murine adenoviruses (p-distance > 25%), indicating the likelihood of novel adenoviruses in this endemic small mammal and suggesting potential for unexplored DNA virus diversity in the region.

Keywords: DNA viruses; India; small mammals; surveillance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae Infections* / epidemiology
  • Adenoviridae Infections* / veterinary
  • Adenoviridae Infections* / virology
  • Adenoviridae* / classification
  • Adenoviridae* / genetics
  • Adenoviridae* / isolation & purification
  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Phylogeny
  • Rats / virology
  • Rodentia* / virology

Associated data

  • GENBANK/OR906154-OR906179