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Rodent-Borne Viruses 2026
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Rodent-Borne Viruses 2026

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 7852

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Renata Carvalho De Oliveira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
Interests: hantavirus; rodent-borne diseases; hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jorlan Fernandes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
Interests: arenavirus; rodent-borne diseases; viral hemorrhagic fevers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rodents (order Rodentia) represent the most diverse and geographically widespread group of mammals, playing vital roles in the maintenance, evolution, and spread of many emerging viral infectious diseases. These animals are increasingly in contact with humans and domestic animals as a result of several factors, such as natural disasters, human interventions in natural environments, high population growth, and mass migrations, among others. Knowledge of the diversity and distribution of these mammals and the host–virus interactions is essential to understanding the ecology of zoonotic diseases and thereby preventing and controlling new outbreaks. A wide range of new rodent-associated viruses has been discovered in recent years, with or without zoonotic potential, including members of the Arenaviridae, Hantaviridae, and Poxviridae families.

This Special Issue aims to cover the whole spectrum of research focused on rodent-borne viruses, including eco-epidemiological studies; descriptions of new viruses; studies on virus–host interactions, co-infections, and involved viral and cellular factors; studies on the ecological processes involved in virus diversity and host adaptation; viral evolutionary aspects; and research on the spillover from infected rodent species to humans and animal models for studying rodent-borne viruses.

Dr. Renata Carvalho De Oliveira
Dr. Jorlan Fernandes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • rodent-borne viruses
  • hantaviridae
  • arenaviridae
  • poxviridae
  • zoonosis
  • virus ecology and evolution
  • virus–host interaction
  • virus discovery
  • animal model
  • rodents

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2586 KB  
Article
Detection of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus in House Mouse (Mus musculus) in Brazil
by Gabriel Rosa Cavalcanti, Jorlan Fernandes, Fernando de Oliveira Santos, Bernardo Rodrigues Teixeira, Alexandro Guterres, Julia Brignone, Silvana Levis, Camila dos Santos Lucio, Sócrates Fraga da Costa-Neto, Vagner Fonseca, Marta Giovanetti, Luiz Carlos Junior Alcantara, Paulo Sérgio D’Andrea, Elba Regina Sampaio de Lemos and Renata Carvalho de Oliveira
Viruses 2025, 17(12), 1544; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17121544 - 26 Nov 2025
Viewed by 437
Abstract
The lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an under-investigated rodent-borne arenavirus primarily associated with its natural reservoir, the cosmopolitan rodent Mus musculus. Although widely distributed in mice worldwide, human cases are rare, likely under-reported, and often misdiagnosed. While typically asymptomatic or self-limiting, infection [...] Read more.
The lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is an under-investigated rodent-borne arenavirus primarily associated with its natural reservoir, the cosmopolitan rodent Mus musculus. Although widely distributed in mice worldwide, human cases are rare, likely under-reported, and often misdiagnosed. While typically asymptomatic or self-limiting, infection can progress to neurological disease, severe congenital outcomes, or fatal illness in transplant recipients. Despite its public health relevance, this study provides the first detection and characterization of LCMV in Brazil. We analyzed 236 rodent serum samples and 78 tissue samples from synanthropic rodents (Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, and Rattus norvegicus) collected during seven independent expeditions across the state of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. Using ELISAs, IgG anti-LCMV antibodies were detected in 20% of rodents, including two R. rattus (2/10), two R. norvegicus (2/95), and forty-five M. musculus (45/131). The LCMV’s RNA was amplified and partially sequenced from fourteen M. musculus, and complete S segment sequences were obtained from two mouse samples. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that these Brazilian strains belong to lineage I, which is composed of strains that induce disease in humans. Our results underscore the importance of implementing integrated surveillance for this zoonosis in Brazil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rodent-Borne Viruses 2026)
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Review

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27 pages, 4182 KB  
Review
The Hidden Threat: Rodent-Borne Viruses and Their Impact on Public Health
by Awad A. Shehata, Rokshana Parvin, Shadia Tasnim, Phelipe Magalhães Duarte, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales and Shereen Basiouni
Viruses 2025, 17(6), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17060809 - 2 Jun 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6247 | Correction
Abstract
Rodents represent the most diverse order of mammals, comprising over 2200 species and nearly 42% of global mammalian biodiversity. They are major reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, and are particularly effective at transmitting diseases, especially synanthropic species that [...] Read more.
Rodents represent the most diverse order of mammals, comprising over 2200 species and nearly 42% of global mammalian biodiversity. They are major reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi, and are particularly effective at transmitting diseases, especially synanthropic species that live in close proximity to humans. As of April 2025, approximately 15,205 rodent-associated viruses have been identified across 32 viral families. Among these, key zoonotic agents belong to the Arenaviridae, Hantaviridae, Picornaviridae, Coronaviridae, and Poxviridae families. Due to their adaptability to both urban and rural environments, rodents serve as efficient vectors across diverse ecological landscapes. Environmental and anthropogenic factors, such as climate change, urbanization, deforestation, and emerging pathogens, are increasingly linked to rising outbreaks of rodent-borne diseases. This review synthesizes current knowledge on rodent-borne viral zoonoses, focusing on their taxonomy, biology, host associations, transmission dynamics, clinical impact, and public health significance. It underscores the critical need for early detection, effective surveillance, and integrated control strategies. A multidisciplinary approach, including enhanced vector control, improved environmental sanitation, and targeted public education, is essential for mitigating the growing threat of rodent-borne zoonoses to global health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rodent-Borne Viruses 2026)
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Other

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9 pages, 873 KB  
Brief Report
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Seroprevalence in a Cohort of German Forestry Workers
by Calvin Mehl, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, Beate Becker-Ziaja, Sandra Werdermann, Olaf Niederstraßer, Merle M. Böhmer and Rainer G. Ulrich
Viruses 2026, 18(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/v18010004 - 19 Dec 2025
Abstract
Forestry workers are exposed, through their occupation, to a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a zoonotic agent typically transmitted through the excreta of infected rodents. Current knowledge concerning the prevalence of LCMV in wild house mice (Mus musculus [...] Read more.
Forestry workers are exposed, through their occupation, to a variety of zoonotic pathogens. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a zoonotic agent typically transmitted through the excreta of infected rodents. Current knowledge concerning the prevalence of LCMV in wild house mice (Mus musculus) in Germany is limited, with the majority of data coming from studies during the 1960s and 1970s and only from the western and southern federal states. In this study, blood samples from 563 forestry workers, collected in 2008 from ten forestry offices in Brandenburg, Germany, were screened for LCMV-reactive antibodies. In total, LCMV-reactive antibodies were detected in 1.4% (8/563) of samples. The seroprevalence varied between 0% and 6.3% depending on the forestry office, with the highest prevalence in Alt Ruppin. A parallel serological pilot study of house mice from a neighbouring federal state also indicates a very low prevalence. Although forestry workers are often at increased risk of zoonotic infection, this seroprevalence is comparable to that from a 1960s study from what was, at that time, West Germany. This study provides the first evidence of LCMV in humans from Brandenburg and highlights the need for an increased LCMV screening effort in humans and wild rodents in Germany. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rodent-Borne Viruses 2026)
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2 pages, 150 KB  
Correction
Correction: Shehata et al. The Hidden Threat: Rodent-Borne Viruses and Their Impact on Public Health. Viruses 2025, 17, 809
by Awad A. Shehata, Rokshana Parvin, Shadia Tasnim, Phelipe Magalhães Duarte, Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales and Shereen Basiouni
Viruses 2025, 17(10), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17101396 - 21 Oct 2025
Viewed by 337
Abstract
In the original publication [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rodent-Borne Viruses 2026)
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