Trafficked Malayan pangolins contain viral pathogens of humans

Pangolins are the most trafficked wild animal in the world. To investigate their viromes, the authors sequenced meta-transcriptomes from 161 smuggled Malayan pangolins and assembled 28 vertebrate-associated viruses, 21 previously unreported in vertebrates. Sixteen viruses in the Hunnivirus, Pestivirus and Copiparvovirus genera were designated pangolin-associated, with all pangolin hunniviruses lacking the L-protein. Sequences of four human-associated viruses—respiratory syncytial virus (Orthopneumovirus), Rotavirus A and Mammalian orthoreovirus—were detected, alongside five mammal-associated and three tick-associated viruses. An HKU4-related coronavirus, originally found in bats, was identified. These findings indicate that trafficked pangolins may be reservoirs or conduits for emergent pathogenic viruses.

Wenqiang Shi, Mang Shi, Teng-Cheng Que, Xiao-Ming Cui, Run-Ze Ye, Luo-Yuan Xia, Xin Hou, Jia-Jing Zheng, Na Jia, Xing Xie, Wei-Chen Wu, Mei-Hong He, Hui-Feng Wang, Yong-Jie Wei, Ai-Qiong Wu, Sheng-Feng Zhang, Yu-Sheng Pan, Pan-Yu Chen, Qian Wang, Shou-Sheng Li, Yan-Li Zhong, Ying-Jiao Li, Luo-Hao Tan, Lin Zhao, Jia-Fu Jiang, Yan-Ling Hu, Wu-Chun Cao