Coinfections of Novel Polyomavirus, Anelloviruses and a Recombinant Strain of Myxoma Virus-MYXV-Tol Identified in Iberian Hares

• Main Authors: Ana Águeda-Pinto, Simona Kraberger, Michael C. Lund, Christian Gortázar, Grant McFadden, Arvind Varsani, Pedro J. Esteves
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
• Series: Viruses
• Subjects: leporidae; iberian hare; <i>lepus granatensis</i>; myxoma virus; <i>anelloviridae</i>; <i>polyomaviridae</i>; coinfection; spain
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/3/340

Viruses are ubiquitous in nature; however, very few have been identified in the Leporid species. In the fall of 2018, an outbreak of myxomatosis in Iberian hares (<i>Lepus granatensis</i>) was reported in Spain and a novel recombinant myxoma virus strain (MYXV-Tol) was identified. To investigate variability within the recombinant region of the MYXV-Tol and identify any potential viral coinfections, samples (ear, eyelid or vaginal) of Iberian hares were collected from Spain and analyzed. The presence of the recombinant region of the MYXV-Tol was confirmed in six out of eleven samples analyzed. Additionally, a polyomavirus (family <i>Polyomaviridae</i>), representing a putative new species, and anelloviruses (family <i>Anelloviridae</i>) belonging to two putative species were identified, some as coinfection with the recombinant MYXV-Tol. The two polyomavirus genomes were identified in two hares and share &gt;99% genome-wide identity. Based on the analysis of their large T-antigen, the new polyomavirus clusters in a distant clade from other mammals sharing &lt;64% amino acid identity. A total of 14 anelloviruses were identified, which share 63&#8722;99% genome-wide identity. Overall, our results show a coinfection of different DNA viruses in the studied samples and raise awareness regarding the extensive unsampled diversity of viruses in hares.