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Volume 15
Issue 5
10.3390/pathogens15050558
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Multi-Organ RNA Virome Profiling of Edible Rodents Reveals Potential Zoonotic Viral Exposure at the Wildlife–Livestock–Human Interface in Southwest China

by
Dijun Chen
1,
Jingzhu Zhou
2,
Qing Ma
2,
Xuexue Kong
1,
Shijun Li
2,*,
Qiyong Liu
3,* and
Wenqin Liang
2,*
1
Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 561113, China
2
Key Laboratory of Microbiome and Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Department of Vector Surveillance Section of Guizhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang 550004, China
3
State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pathogens 2026, 15(5), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050558
Submission received: 26 April 2026 / Revised: 16 May 2026 / Accepted: 20 May 2026 / Published: 21 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Viral Pathogens)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The consumption of wild rodents in certain regions of Southwest China creates a potential interface for zoonotic pathogen exposure, yet the virome composition of edible rodents remains insufficiently characterized. In this study, we performed multi-organ RNA metatranscriptomic analysis of three commonly consumed rodent species (Niviventer andersoni, Berylmys bowersi, and Rattus losea) collected from Guizhou Province, analyzing five visceral organs per species. A total of 1198 viral contigs spanning 37 viral families were identified, revealing diverse viral communities across host species and tissues, with host identity emerging as a key factor shaping virome structure. Sequences related to Seoul virus were detected in the lungs of R. losea, showing high similarity to previously reported strains, and sequences closely related to porcine Rotavirus A were identified in the lung samples of N. andersoni, indicating a close phylogenetic relationship with livestock-associated viruses. While these findings do not confirm active infection or transmission, they may reflect potential environmental exposure or ecological links at the wildlife–livestock interface. Overall, this study provides a baseline characterization of the multi-organ virome of edible rodents and highlights the importance of integrated surveillance and risk assessment within a One Health framework.
Keywords: edible rodents; RNA virome; Seoul virus; Porcine Rotavirus A; One Health; wildlife–livestock interface; zoonotic risk edible rodents; RNA virome; Seoul virus; Porcine Rotavirus A; One Health; wildlife–livestock interface; zoonotic risk

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Chen, D.; Zhou, J.; Ma, Q.; Kong, X.; Li, S.; Liu, Q.; Liang, W. Multi-Organ RNA Virome Profiling of Edible Rodents Reveals Potential Zoonotic Viral Exposure at the Wildlife–Livestock–Human Interface in Southwest China. Pathogens 2026, 15, 558. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050558

AMA Style

Chen D, Zhou J, Ma Q, Kong X, Li S, Liu Q, Liang W. Multi-Organ RNA Virome Profiling of Edible Rodents Reveals Potential Zoonotic Viral Exposure at the Wildlife–Livestock–Human Interface in Southwest China. Pathogens. 2026; 15(5):558. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050558

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chen, Dijun, Jingzhu Zhou, Qing Ma, Xuexue Kong, Shijun Li, Qiyong Liu, and Wenqin Liang. 2026. "Multi-Organ RNA Virome Profiling of Edible Rodents Reveals Potential Zoonotic Viral Exposure at the Wildlife–Livestock–Human Interface in Southwest China" Pathogens 15, no. 5: 558. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050558

APA Style

Chen, D., Zhou, J., Ma, Q., Kong, X., Li, S., Liu, Q., & Liang, W. (2026). Multi-Organ RNA Virome Profiling of Edible Rodents Reveals Potential Zoonotic Viral Exposure at the Wildlife–Livestock–Human Interface in Southwest China. Pathogens, 15(5), 558. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens15050558

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