title: Molecular epidemiology of paramyxoviruses in Zambian wild rodents and shrews.
abstract: Rodents and shrews are known to harbour various viruses. Paramyxoviruses have been isolated from Asian and Australian rodents, but little is known about them in African rodents. Recently, previously unknown paramyxovirus sequences were found in South African rodents. To date, there have been no reports related to the presence and prevalence of paramyxoviruses in shrews. We found a high prevalence of paramyxoviruses in wild rodents and shrews from Zambia. Semi-nested reverse transcription-PCR assays were used to detect paramyxovirus RNA in 21 % (96/462) of specimens analysed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these viruses were novel paramyxoviruses and could be classified as morbillivirus- and henipavirus-related viruses, and previously identified rodent paramyxovirus-related viruses. Our findings suggest the circulation of previously unknown paramyxoviruses in African rodents and shrews, and provide new information regarding the geographical distribution and genetic diversity of paramyxoviruses.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Michihito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Muleya
authors.affiliation: Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Orba
authors.affiliation: Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary and Medicine, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Bernard M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hang'ombe
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary and Medicine, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Aaron S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mweene
authors.affiliation: Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary and Medicine, University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Ladslav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moonga
authors.affiliation: Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Pathobiology, Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, N20, W10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010252:Paramyxoviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012377:Rodentia / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D012788:Shrews / Q000821:virology*; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral