Molecular Detection and Characterization of Coronaviruses in Migratory Ducks from Portugal Show the Circulation of Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus

doi:10.3390/ani12233283

. 2022 Nov 25;12(23):3283.

doi: 10.3390/ani12233283.

Molecular Detection and Characterization of Coronaviruses in Migratory Ducks from Portugal Show the Circulation of Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus

Mahima Hemnani¹, David Rodrigues^{2

3}, Nuno Santos⁴, Sergio Santos-Silva¹, Maria Ester Figueiredo³, Pedro Henriques², Joana Ferreira-E-Silva¹, Hugo Rebelo⁴, Patricia Poeta^{5

6

7}, Gertrude Thompson^{1

4}, João R Mesquita^{1

8}

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
² Coimbra College of Agriculture, Polytechnic of Coimbra, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal.
³ CEF, Forest Research Centre, Edifício Prof. Azevedo Gomes, ISA, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal.
⁴ Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
⁵ Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance Team (MicroART), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁶ Veterinary and Animal Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁷ Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4 Animals), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁸ Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal.

PMID: 36496804
PMCID: PMC9736399
DOI: 10.3390/ani12233283

Molecular Detection and Characterization of Coronaviruses in Migratory Ducks from Portugal Show the Circulation of Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus

Mahima Hemnani et al. Animals (Basel). 2022.

. 2022 Nov 25;12(23):3283.

doi: 10.3390/ani12233283.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
² Coimbra College of Agriculture, Polytechnic of Coimbra, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal.
³ CEF, Forest Research Centre, Edifício Prof. Azevedo Gomes, ISA, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal.
⁴ Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.
⁵ Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance Team (MicroART), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁶ Veterinary and Animal Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁷ Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4 Animals), Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
⁸ Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal.

PMID: 36496804
PMCID: PMC9736399
DOI: 10.3390/ani12233283

Abstract

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are part of the Coronaviridae family, and the genera Gamma (γ) and Delta (δ) are found mostly in birds. Migratory birds have an enormous potential for dispersing pathogenic microorganisms. Ducks (order Anseriformes) can host CoVs from birds, with pathogenic expression and high economic impact. This study aimed to identify and characterize the diversity of CoVs in migratory ducks from Portugal. Duck stool samples were collected using cloacal swabs from 72 individuals (Anas platyrhynchos, Anas acuta, and Anas crecca). Among the 72 samples tested, 24 showed amplicons of the expected size. Twenty-three were characterized as Gammacoronavirus and one as Deltacoronavirus (accession numbers ON368935-ON368954; ON721380-ON721383). The Gammacoronaviruses sequences showed greater similarities to those obtained in ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) from Finland and Poland, Anas crecca duck from the USA, and mute swans from Poland. Birds can occupy many habitats and therefore play diverse ecological roles in various ecosystems, especially given their ability to migrate exceptional distances, facilitating the dispersal of microorganisms with animal and/or human impact. There are a considerable number of studies that have detected CoVs in ducks, but none in Portugal. The present study assessed the circulation of CoVs in wild ducks from Portugal, being the first description of CoVs for these animals in Portugal.

Keywords: Deltacoronavirus; Gammacoronaviruses; coronavirus; migratory ducks.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Selected sampling locations (city of Porto and Aveiro) in Portugal used in this study.

**Figure 2**
Phylogenetic tree constructed for the *alpha*, *beta*, *gamma*, and *delta* coronavirus, using 36 reference strains and 24 strains identified in this study. Phylogenetic analysis was based on a 406 nt partial region of the RdRp. The tree was constructed using MEGA 10 using the maximum likelihood based on the GTR + G model, and 1000 bootstraps were replicated. Samples from this study are indicated in red.

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[1] Domańska-Blicharz K., Miłek-Krupa J., Pikuła A. Diversity of Coronaviruses in Wild Representatives of the Aves Class in Poland. Viruses. 2021;13:1497. doi: 10.3390/v13081497. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Domańska-Blicharz K., Miłek-Krupa J., Pikuła A. Diversity of Coronaviruses in Wild Representatives of the Aves Class in Poland. Viruses. 2021;13:1497. doi: 10.3390/v13081497. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Hepojoki S., Lindh E., Vapalahti O., Huovilainen A. Prevalence and genetic diversity of coronaviruses in wild birds, Finland. Infect. Ecol. Epidemiol. 2017;7:1408360. doi: 10.1080/20008686.2017.1408360. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Hepojoki S., Lindh E., Vapalahti O., Huovilainen A. Prevalence and genetic diversity of coronaviruses in wild birds, Finland. Infect. Ecol. Epidemiol. 2017;7:1408360. doi: 10.1080/20008686.2017.1408360. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Jackwood M.W., Hall D., Handel A. Molecular evolution and emergence of avian gammacoronaviruses. Infect. Genet. Evol. 2012;12:1305–1311. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.05.003. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Jackwood M.W., Hall D., Handel A. Molecular evolution and emergence of avian gammacoronaviruses. Infect. Genet. Evol. 2012;12:1305–1311. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.05.003. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Han Y., Du J., Su H., Zhang J., Zhu G., Zhang S., Wu Z., Jin Q. Identification of Diverse Bat Alphacoronaviruses and Betacoronaviruses in China Provides New Insights Into the Evolution and Origin of Coronavirus-Related Diseases. Front. Microbiol. 2019;10:1900. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01900. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Han Y., Du J., Su H., Zhang J., Zhu G., Zhang S., Wu Z., Jin Q. Identification of Diverse Bat Alphacoronaviruses and Betacoronaviruses in China Provides New Insights Into the Evolution and Origin of Coronavirus-Related Diseases. Front. Microbiol. 2019;10:1900. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01900. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Monchatre-Leroy E., Boué F., Boucher J.-M., Renault C., Moutou F., Gouilh M.A., Umhang G. Identification of Alpha and Beta Coronavirus in Wildlife Species in France: Bats, Rodents, Rabbits, and Hedgehogs. Viruses. 2017;9:364. doi: 10.3390/v9120364. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Monchatre-Leroy E., Boué F., Boucher J.-M., Renault C., Moutou F., Gouilh M.A., Umhang G. Identification of Alpha and Beta Coronavirus in Wildlife Species in France: Bats, Rodents, Rabbits, and Hedgehogs. Viruses. 2017;9:364. doi: 10.3390/v9120364. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Molecular Detection and Characterization of Coronaviruses in Migratory Ducks from Portugal Show the Circulation of Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus

Affiliations

Molecular Detection and Characterization of Coronaviruses in Migratory Ducks from Portugal Show the Circulation of Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

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Cited by

References

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources