Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Emerging Human-Associated Gemykibivirus-2 in Molossus molossus Bat From Brazil

Bruna Stefanie Silvério; Rodrigo Lopes Sanz Duro; Larissa Leão F de Sousa; Mariana Dias Guilardi; Gustavo Cabral-Miranda; Luiz Mário Ramos Janini; Ricardo Durães-Carvalho

doi:10.1002/jmv.70154

Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Emerging Human-Associated Gemykibivirus-2 in Molossus molossus Bat From Brazil

J Med Virol. 2025 Jan;97(1):e70154. doi: 10.1002/jmv.70154.

Authors

Bruna Stefanie Silvério¹, Rodrigo Lopes Sanz Duro², Larissa Leão F de Sousa^{2

3}, Mariana Dias Guilardi⁴, Gustavo Cabral-Miranda⁵, Luiz Mário Ramos Janini², Ricardo Durães-Carvalho^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Morphology and Genetics, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
² Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
³ Rabies Diagnosis Laboratory, Central Laboratory of Public Health - LACEN, Fortaleza-CE, Brazil.
⁴ Interunit Bioinformatics Graduate Program, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
⁵ Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.

PMID: 39740039
DOI: 10.1002/jmv.70154

Abstract

We detected an emerging human-associated gemykibivirus-2 (HuGkV-2) in rectal swab sample from Molossus molossus bat from Brazil. Phylogenetic analysis further revealed well-supported relationships between our sequence and those associated with human infections. This study underscores the necessity of ongoing monitoring of HuGkV-2 to elucidate potential spillback events, its role in human infections, and its public health implications.

Keywords: Brazil; bats; gemycircularvirus; human gemykibivirus‐2.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Animals
Brazil
Chiroptera* / virology
DNA Virus Infections / veterinary
DNA Virus Infections / virology
Humans
Phylogeny*
Rectum / virology

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil, grants 2019/01255-9 and 2021/03684-4 (Young Investigator Program, RD-C). Bruna Stefanie Silvério (#2023/04038-4), Rodrigo Lopes Sanz Duro (#2024/09079-3), Gustavo Cabral-Miranda (#2019/14526-0 and #2020/05146-7) and Luiz Mário Ramos Janini (#2020/08943-5) are supported by FAPESP.