Detection and characterization of Langya virus in Crocidura lasiura (the Ussuri white-toothed shrew), Republic of Korea

Langya virus (LayV) is the only documented zoonotic agent within the shrew borne <i>Parahenipavirus</i> genus. Other <i>Parahenipavirus</i> species, including Gamak virus and Daeryeong virus, have been discovered in the Republic of Korea, highlighting the prevalence of this genus in the region. We retrospectively analyzed metagenomic next-generation sequencing of two <i>Crocidura lasiura</i> (the Ussuri white-toothed shrew) kidney samples from 2017, followed by paramyxovirus screening of 24 kidney samples from the same species collected in 2023. The LayV positivity rate was 12.5 % (3 of 24). Amplicon-based sequencing was subsequently developed to obtain the complete viral sequences. Five complete genomes of Langya virus Korea (LayV KOR) were identified: two from 2017 samples and three from 2023 samples. LayV KOR exhibited approximately 80 % and 95.5 % homology at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis underscored the close relationship between LayV KOR and LayV from China. This study represents the first detection of LayV complete sequences in shrews outside of China.