High diversity of picornaviruses in rats from different continents revealed by deep sequencing.

High-throughput DNA and RNA sequencing reveals that urban rat populations harbor a more diverse array of viruses than previously recognized. Rats are well-known carriers of human diseases, but traditional molecular biology techniques are ill-equipped for comprehensively surveying animal-borne pathogens. Lasse Vinner and Anders Johannes of the University of Copenhagen Hansen and Lars Peter Nielsen of the Statens Serum Institut have now applied powerful ‘next-generation sequencing’ to profile viral DNA and RNA from rat feces collected in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Denmark. Their analysis revealed strong representation for four major virus families, encompassing numerous previously unidentified viruses. In particular, the researchers found genetic material from an unexpectedly diverse array of picornaviruses, including some species that potentially cause disease in humans. This approach could prove helpful for monitoring viruses capable of making the leap from rat to man.