Rodent- and Bat-Borne Viruses: Ecology, Surveillance, and Zoonotic Risk
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 July 2027 | Viewed by 18
Editors
Interests: zoonotic disease epidemiology (hantavirus, leptospirosis); rodent-borne virus surveillance; One Health frameworks for zoonotic risk assessment; urban–wildlife interfaces and spillover risk; urban rodent ecology; synanthropic rodent biology (Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus, Mus musculus); wild rodent ecology (Sigmodontinae); population genomics in urban environments; environmental contamination and rodent as biomarkers of heavy metals
Interests: molecular and genomic epidemiology of viruses; viral hepatitis, with emphasis on hepatitis E virus (HEV); phylogenetic and viral evolution analyses; One Health surveillance (human, animals, and environment); molecular diagnostics (PCR, real-time PCR, genetic sequencing); bioinformatic analyses; seroprevalence and clinical surveillance studies (ELISA, neutralization)
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Rodents and bats are the principal reservoirs of zoonotic viruses on a global scale. In South America, they represent a persistent source of pathogens with high spillover potential toward human populations. The viral diversity associated with these groups is remarkable, encompassing orthohantaviruses, arenaviruses, coronaviruses, lyssaviruses, henipaviruses, and emerging viruses such as rat hepatitis E virus, among others, whose circulation in urban, peri-urban, and sylvatic landscapes poses significant challenges for regional public health. Urbanization, habitat fragmentation, and the expansion of human–wildlife interfaces amplify opportunities for interspecies transmission, while surveillance systems remain fragmented and insufficient to fully characterize real zoonotic risk. In this Special Issue, we invite contributions that address reservoir ecology, viral diversity and evolution, detection and surveillance methods, and prevention and control strategies using a One Health framework. This Special Issue seeks to strengthen the current integrated understanding of rodent- and bat-borne viruses and promote coordinated responses to zoonotic risks across the region.
Dr. Olga Suarez
Dr. María Belén Pisano
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-anonymized 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
- zoonotic viruses
- rodents
- bats
- reservoir ecology
- One Health
- epidemiological surveillance
- spillover risk
- South America
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
