Metagenomic Analysis of the Ferret Fecal Viral Flora

Ferrets are widely used as a small animal model for a number of viral infections, including influenza A virus and SARS coronavirus. To further analyze the microbiological status of ferrets, their fecal viral flora was studied using a metagenomics approach. Novel viruses from the families Picorna-, P...

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Published inPloS one Vol. 8; no. 8; p. e71595
Main Authors Smits, Saskia L., Raj, V. Stalin, Oduber, Minoushka D., Schapendonk, Claudia M. E., Bodewes, Rogier, Provacia, Lisette, Stittelaar, Koert J., Osterhaus, Albert D. M. E., Haagmans, Bart L.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Public Library of Science 20.08.2013
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects
Amino Acid Sequence
Amino acids
Analysis
Animal models
Animals
Base Sequence
Biology
Corona
Coronaviridae
Coronaviruses
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Epidemiology
Ethics
Feces
Feces - virology
Ferrets - virology
Flora
Genetic Variation
Genome, Viral - genetics
Genomes
Hepatitis
Humans
Infections
Influenza
Influenza A
Medicine
Metagenomics
Microbiology
Molecular Sequence Data
Mustela putorius furo
Papilloma
Phylogeny
Real time
Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
Veterinary Science
Viruses
Viruses - genetics
Zoonoses
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0071595

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Summary:Ferrets are widely used as a small animal model for a number of viral infections, including influenza A virus and SARS coronavirus. To further analyze the microbiological status of ferrets, their fecal viral flora was studied using a metagenomics approach. Novel viruses from the families Picorna-, Papilloma-, and Anelloviridae as well as known viruses from the families Astro-, Corona-, Parvo-, and Hepeviridae were identified in different ferret cohorts. Ferret kobu- and hepatitis E virus were mainly present in human household ferrets, whereas coronaviruses were found both in household as well as farm ferrets. Our studies illuminate the viral diversity found in ferrets and provide tools to prescreen for newly identified viruses that potentially could influence disease outcome of experimental virus infections in ferrets.
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Competing Interests: The authors have the following interests. Dr. A.D.M.E. Osterhaus and Dr. S.L. Smits are part time chief scientific officer and senior scientist respectively of Viroclinics Biosciences B.V. Koert J. Stittelaar is employed by Viroclinics Biosciences B.V. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for authors.
Conceived and designed the experiments: SLS VSR KJS ADMEO BLH. Performed the experiments: SLS VSR MDO CMES LP RB KJS. Analyzed the data: SLS VSR BLH ADMEO KJS. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: KJS. Wrote the paper: SLS BLH.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0071595