Scavengers as Prospective Sentinels of Viral Diversity: the Snowy Sheathbill Virome as a Potential Tool for Monitoring Virus Circulation, Lessons from Two Antarctic Expeditions

• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03302-22
• Publication Date: 2023-05-25T14:01:07Z
• Authors: Gabriel Zamora; Sebastian Aguilar...; Johana Loncopan; Loreto Araos; Francisco Verdugo; Cecilia Rojas-Fue...; Lucas Krüger; Aldo Gaggero; Gonzalo P. Barriga
• Keywords: Human virome; Circulation (fluid dynamics)

Antarctica is a unique environment due to its extreme meteorological and geological conditions. In addition this, relative isolation from human influences has kept it undisturbed. This renders our limited understanding of fauna associated microbial viral communities relevant knowledge gap fill. includes members the order Charadriiformes such as snowy sheathbills. They are opportunistic predator/scavenger birds distributed on Antarctic sub-Antarctic islands that in frequent contact with other bird mammal species. makes them an interesting species for surveillance studies their high potential acquisition transport viruses. this study, we performed whole-virome targeted coronaviruses, paramyxoviruses, influenza viruses sheathbills two locations, Peninsula South Shetland. Our results suggest role sentinel region. We highlight discovery viruses, member genus Sapovirus GII gammaherpesvirus, virus previously described marine mammals. Here, provide insight into complex ecological picture. These data opportunities provided by scavenger birds. IMPORTANCE article describes important species' RNA virome showcased diversity likely tied interactions assorted fauna. origin, one intestinal impact another oncogenic potential. Analysis set detected variety various sources (from crustaceans nonhuman mammals), depicting landscape