Identification of Novel Mammalian Viruses in Tree Shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis)

Eight mammalian viruses with complete genomes were identified, belonging to six viral families: Flaviviridae, Hepeviridae, Parvovirinae, Picornaviridae, Sedoreoviridae, and Spinareoviridae. We report, for the first time, a rotavirus in tree shrews.

Of particular note were three viruses - hepacivirus1, parvovirus, and picornavirus - that exhibited low genetic similarity with previously reported viruses at the scale of whole genome and so were novel. Three other viruses - hepacivirus 2, hepatovirus A and hepevirus - exhibited high similarity to known viruses. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the rotavirus and mammalian orthoreovirus identified in this study were closely related to known human and bat derived viruses, respectively.