Multiple infections of zoonotic pathogens in wild Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

BACKGROUND: The frequent interactions of rodents with humans make them a common source of zoonotic infections. Brandt's vole is the dominant rodent species of the typical steppe in Inner Mongolia, and it is also an important pest in grassland. OBJECTIVES: To obtain an initial unbiased measure of the microbial diversity and abundance in the blood and intestinal tracts and to detect the pathogens carried by wild Brandt's voles in Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia. METHODS: Twenty wild adult Brandt's voles were trapped using live cages, and 12 intestinal samples were collected for metagenomic analysis and 8 blood samples were collected for meta‐transcriptomic analysis. We compared the sequencing data with pathogenic microbiota databases to analyse the phylogenetic characteristics of zoonotic pathogens carried by wild voles. RESULTS: A total of 122 phyla, 79 classes, 168 orders, 382 families and 1693 genera of bacteria and a total of 32 families of DNA and RNA viruses in Brandt's voles were characterized. We found that each sample carried more than 10 pathogens, whereas some pathogens that were low in abundance were still at risk of transmission to humans. CONCLUSION: This study improves our understanding of the viral and bacterial diversity in wild Brandt's voles and highlights the multiple viral and bacterial pathogens carried by this rodent. These findings may serve as a basis for developing strategies targeting rodent population control in Hulun Buir and provide a better approach to the surveillance of pathogenic microorganisms in wildlife.