A new virus jumps to voles, revealing the rules of host-switching
Researchers have discovered a novel amdoparvovirus, a type of DNA virus, in wild field voles. Using RNA sequencing of lung tissue, they found this virus is an exogenous, high-prevalence infection that has recently switched hosts from carnivores like foxes and wildcats. The study details the virus’s molecular evolution, showing evidence of horizontal transmission, recombination, and some adaptive selection in its capsid protein. Importantly, the infection was linked to pulmonary inflammation and suppressed T-cell activation in the spleen, suggesting a disease-causing potential similar to related viruses in other species.
Why it might matter to you:
This work provides a detailed case study of cross-species viral transmission and the subsequent host adaptation process, directly relevant to understanding emerging infectious diseases. The methodological approach—using rRNA-depleted RNA sequencing from target tissues for *de novo* virus discovery—could be adapted for surveillance in other host-pathogen systems, including those relevant to conservation or human health. The findings on immune modulation, specifically inflammation and T-cell suppression, offer mechanistic insights into how a newly established virus can drive pathology.
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