Detection and Molecular Characterization of Adenoviruses in Captive and Free-Roaming African Green Monkeys ( Chlorocebus sabaeus ): Evidence for Possible Recombination and Cross-Species Transmission

• Published in: Viruses 2023-07, Vol.15 (7), p.1605
• Main Authors: Mancuso, Diana M, Gainor, Kerry, Dore, Kerry M, Gallagher, Christa A, Cruz, Katalina, Beierschmitt, Amy, Malik, Yashpal S, Ghosh, Souvik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenoviridae - classification; Adenoviridae - genetics; Adenoviridae - isolation & purification; Adenoviridae Infections - transmission; Adenoviridae Infections - veterinary; Adenoviridae Infections - virology; adenovirus; Adenoviruses; African green monkey (AGM); Agricultural production; Analysis; Animals; Animals, Wild; Animals, Zoo; captive AGM; Cercopithecus aethiops; Chlorocebus aethiops; Chlorocebus sabaeus; DNA polymerase; DNA-dependent DNA polymerase; DNA-directed DNA polymerase; Feces; free-roaming AGM; Genetic diversity; Genomes; Health aspects; Health care; hexon; Molecular dynamics; Monkey Diseases - transmission; Monkey Diseases - virology; Monkeys & apes; Pathogens; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Polymerase chain reaction; Prevention; Recombination; Reptiles & amphibians; Risk factors; Saint Kitts and Nevis
• ISSN: 1999-4915; 1999-4915
• DOI: 10.3390/v15071605

In the present study, 31 samples (12 fecal, 9 nasal and 10 rectal swabs) from 28/92 (30.43%, 10 captive and 18 free-roaming African green monkeys (AGMs, )) apparently healthy AGMs in the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts tested positive for adenoviruses (AdVs) by DNA-dependent DNA polymerase ( )-, or hexon-based screening PCR assays. Based on analysis of partial deduced amino acid sequences of Pol- and hexon- of nine AGM AdVs, at least two AdV genetic variants (group-I: seven AdVs with a (SAdV-F)/SAdV-18-like Pol and hexon, and group-II: two AdVs with a SAdV-F/SAdV-18-like Pol and a (HAdV-F)/HAdV-40-like hexon) were identified, which was corroborated by analysis of the nearly complete putative Pol, complete hexon, and partial penton base sequences of a representative group-I (strain KNA-08975), and -II (KNA-S6) AdV. SAdV-F-like AdVs were reported for the first time in free-roaming non-human primates (NHPs) and after ~six decades from captive NHPs. Molecular characterization of KNA-S6 (and the other group-II AdV) indicated possible recombination and cross-species transmission events involving SAdV-F-like and HAdV-F-like viruses, corroborating the hypothesis that the evolutionary pathways of HAdVs and SAdVs are intermingled, complicated by recombination and inter-species transmission events, especially between related AdV species, such as HAdV-F and SAdV-F. To our knowledge, this is the first report on detection and molecular characterization of AdVs in AGMs.