title: High Diversity of Genogroup I Picobirnaviruses in Mammals.
abstract: In a molecular epidemiology study using 791 fecal samples collected from different terrestrial and marine mammals in Hong Kong, genogroup I picobirnaviruses (PBVs) were positive by RT-PCR targeting the partial RdRp gene in specimens from five cattle, six monkeys, 17 horses, nine pigs, one rabbit, one dog, and 12 California sea lions, with 11, 9, 23, 17, 1, 1, and 15 sequence types in the positive specimens from the corresponding animals, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the PBV sequences from each kind of animal were widely distributed in the whole tree with high diversity, sharing 47.4-89.0% nucleotide identities with other genogroup I PBV strains based on the partial RdRp gene. Nine complete segment 1 (viral loads 1.7 × 104to 5.9 × 106/ml) and 15 segment 2 (viral loads 4.1 × 103to 1.3 × 106/ml) of otarine PBVs from fecal samples serially collected from California sea lions were sequenced. In the two phylogenetic trees constructed using ORF2 and ORF3 of segment 1, the nine segment 1 sequences were clustered into four distinct clades (C1-C4). In the tree constructed using RdRp gene of segment 2, the 15 segment 2 sequences were clustered into nine distinct clades (R1-R9). In four sea lions, PBVs were detected in two different years, with the same segment 1 clade (C3) present in two consecutive years from one sea lion and different clades present in different years from three sea lions. A high diversity of PBVs was observed in a variety of terrestrial and marine mammals. Multiple sequence types with significant differences, representing multiple strains of PBV, were present in the majority of PBV-positive samples from different kinds of animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Patrick C Y
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Jade L L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Ru
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Annette Y P
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Ocean Park Corporation Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.affiliation: Ocean Park Corporation Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Suk-Wai
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Alan K L
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Candy C Y
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Syed S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Cyril C Y
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Garnet K Y
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kenneth S M
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Carol S F
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Susanna K P
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Carol Yu Centre for Infection, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong KongHong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Kwok-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
keywords: diversity; genogroup I; mammals; picobirnaviruses; sea lion