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

Abstract

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, Chlorocebus sabaeus)) apparently healthy AGMs in the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts tested positive for adenoviruses (AdVs) by DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (pol)-, 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 Simian mastadenovirus-F (SAdV-F)/SAdV-18-like Pol and hexon, and group-II: two AdVs with a SAdV-F/SAdV-18-like Pol and a Human mastadenovirus-F (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.

Molecular Detection and Genetic Diversity of Cytomegaloviruses and Lymphocryptoviruses in Free-Roaming and Captive African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus)

“…The present study was based on AGM samples collected for a research project on simian adenoviruses (AdVs) [ 40 ]. The AGM trapping locations on St. Kitts are shown in Figure 1 .…”

“…The present study also included archival samples (4 nasal swabs and a single oral discharge, collected on 21 and 22 September 2020 and 19 October 2020) from 4 captive AGMs (housed in individual cages at the BSF facility) with clinical signs of severe respiratory disease. The detailed procedures for trapping and sampling AGMs have been described in our recent study on simian AdVs from St. Kitts [ 40 ]. Among other pathogens, the AGMs were screened for AdVs using a DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (pol)-, or hexon-based screening PCR assays as described previously [ 40 ].…”

“…The detailed procedures for trapping and sampling AGMs have been described in our recent study on simian AdVs from St. Kitts [ 40 ]. Among other pathogens, the AGMs were screened for AdVs using a DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (pol)-, or hexon-based screening PCR assays as described previously [ 40 ].…”

“…The LCV nt sequences (partial DPOL CDS-intergenic region-partial gB CDS) from AGMs were subjected to recombination analysis using the RDP4 program with default parameters [ 61 ]. A herpesvirus sequence was considered as a recombinant if it was validated by two, or more detection methods (3Seq, BOOTSCAN, CHIMERA, GENECONV, MAXCHI, RDP and SISCAN) with a highest acceptable p -value of p < 0.01 with Bonferroni’s correction [ 40 , 61 ].…”

“…The Caribbean Island of St. Kitts (surface area of 176 square km) is inhabited by a large population of free-roaming AGMs (estimated to be ~30,000) that often come in contact with humans, companion animals, livestock, and other wildlife, providing an ideal environment for interspecies transmission of pathogens, as reported in previous studies [ 27 , 28 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. The AGMs on St. Kitts destroy local agricultural production, impacting the island economy, and have been shown to negatively influence the island ecosystem [ 28 , 47 , 48 ].…”