Virus discovery in wildlife-urban interface usinglatest in molecular technology- PREDICT Nepal

The USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats PREDICTproject has been working withgovernment partnersin 20 countries to develop efforts for surveillance,testing, and reporting of potential human pathogensin wildlife.

The University of California, Davis, as a partnerin USAID's Emerging Pandemic Threats PREDICTProject in Nepal, has gained new information onknown and previously unknown wildlife virusesof zoonotic potential. Testing was performed at theCenter for Molecular Dynamics Nepal/Intrepid Nepal.

A total of 506 samples were tested from 374 animalsincluding 303 rodents and shrews, and 71 nonhumanprimates. Samples were tested for up to 12viral families/genera and included Alpha-, Arena-,Bunya-, Corona-, Filo-, Hanta-, Henipa-, Influenza-, Paramyxo-, Retrovirus – Lentivirus genus, Rhabdo-,and Simian Foamy families/genera. Four viruses weredetected in 9 animals, of which 1 is a known virusand 3 are new (previously unknown) viruses.