Published in:
01-01-2018 | Brief Report
Dicipivirus (family Picornaviridae) in wild Northern white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus)
Authors:
Gábor Reuter, Ákos Boros, Gábor Földvári, Sándor Szekeres, Róbert Mátics, Beatrix Kapusinszky, Eric Delwart, Péter Pankovics
Published in:
Archives of Virology
|
Issue 1/2018
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Abstract
Using random amplification and high-throughput sequencing technology a novel picornavirus with dicistronic genome organization and genetically related to canine picodicistrovirus (genus Dicipivirus, family Picornaviridae) was identified and characterized in Northern white-breasted hedgehogs. Hedgehog dicipivirus (hedgehog/H14/2015/HUN, MF188967) was detected in 15 (75%) of 20 faecal specimens by RT-PCR with high viral loads (up to 8.2x108 genomic copies/ml faeces). Hedgehog dicipivirus RNA was also identified in blood, ear skin, abdominal muscle and liver tissues. While the general dicistronic genome organization of hedgehog/H14/2015/HUN is similar to canine picodicistrovirus (5’UTR-P1-IGR-P2/P3-3UTR) there are some unique genome characteristics within the untranslated regions, especially in the functional IRES elements. This study reports the putative second member of the genus Dicipivirus, in a novel host species.