Extensive diversity of RNA viruses in ticks revealed by metagenomics in northeastern China.

• Published in: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Ziyan Liu, Liang Li, Wenbo Xu, Yongxu Yuan, Xiaojie Liang, Li Zhang, Zhengkai Wei, Liyan Sui, Yinghua Zhao, Yanyan Cui, Qing Yin, Dajun Li, Qianxue Li, Zhijun Hou, Feng Wei, Quan Liu, Zedong Wang
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0011017; https://doaj.org/article/bab6d330db704154ab25726a27ac0da9

Background Ticks act as important vectors of infectious agents, and several emerging tick-borne viruses have recently been identified to be associated with human diseases in northeastern China. However, little is known about the tick virome in northeastern China. Methods Ticks collected from April 2020 to July 2021 were pooled for metagenomic analysis to investigate the virome diversity in northeastern China. Results In total, 22 RNA viruses were identified, including four each in the Nairoviridae and Phenuiviridae families, three each in the Flaviviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Solemoviridae families, two in the Chuviridae family, and one each in the Partitiviridae, Tombusviridae families and an unclassified virus. Of these, eight viruses were of novel species, belonging to the Nairoviridae (Ji'an nairovirus and Yichun nairovirus), Phenuiviridae (Mudanjiang phlebovirus), Rhabdoviridae (Tahe rhabdovirus 1-3), Chuviridae (Yichun mivirus), and Tombusviridae (Yichun tombus-like virus) families, and five members were established human pathogens, including Alongshan virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Songling virus, Beiji nairovirus, and Nuomin virus. I. persulcatus ticks had significant higher number of viral species than H. japonica, H. concinna, and D. silvarum ticks. Significant differences in tick viromes were observed among Daxing'an, Xiaoxing'an and Changbai mountains. Conclusions These findings showed an extensive diversity of RNA viruses in ticks in northeastern China, revealing potential public health threats from the emerging tick-borne viruses. Further studies are needed to explain the natural circulation and pathogenicity of these viruses.