A tombus-like virus in patients with lower respiratory tract infection: an observational study based on meta-transcriptomic sequencing

The identification of a novel virus related to the family <i>Tombusviridae</i>, provisionally named human tombus-like virus (hTLV), is significant in the context of ongoing surveillance for respiratory pathogens. Meta-transcriptomic sequencing was utilized to detect respiratory pathogens in patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) in Jinan, China, from 2022 to 2023. The additional hTLV infections were identified through retrospective analysis of meta-transcriptome data collected in Beijing, China, from 2016 to 2019, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Phylogenetic analyzes indicated that hTLVs were clustered with a Jingmen tombus-like virus 2 but in a distinct clade. The hTLVs genomes consist of a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genomes of 4.7-4.8 kb in size, and contained four putative open reading frames (ORF1-4). The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase protein of hTLV shared significant sequence similarity containing three conserved motifs with 15, 24, and 15 amino acids, respectively. The hTLV genome included the canonical Gly<sub>376</sub>-Asp<sub>377</sub>-Asp<sub>378</sub> (GDD) catalytic residues, which were a unifying feature of viruses in the family <i>Tombusviridae</i>. The main clinical manifestations of the 23 patients were fever, cough, expectoration and dyspnea, with varying degrees of lung infection or abnormalities in other laboratory indicators. Serological studies showed that fourfold rise in IgG titers in sera of a patient between acute and convalescent phase by ELISA. Identification of the pathogens for acute respiratory tract infections is essential for timely public health interventions and clinical management. The discovery of a novel virus, hTLV, in patients with LRIs highlights the continuous emergence of new respiratory pathogens in humans.

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Publication Details

Journal
Emerging Microbes & Infections
Published
2025-04-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2025.2494704
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Respiratory viral infections research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.35

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article

A tombus-like virus in patients with lower respiratory tract infection: an observational study based on meta-transcriptomic sequencing

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1 citations
Emerging Microbes & Infections
Respiratory viral infections research
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article

A tombus-like virus in patients with lower respiratory tract infection: an observational study based on meta-transcriptomic sequencing

Ke Song, Zhenfei Wang, Jiaojiao Pang, Run‐Ze Ye, Wu‐Chun Cao, Dedong Ma, Yuguo Chen, Gong Cheng, Xiaopeng Qi, Luo‐Yuan Xia, Lin Zhao, Ning J. Yue, Na Jia, Tao Jiang, Yule Liu, Fang Huang, Ning Wang, Hao Wang, Lutao Du, Ye Feng, Jiaqi Zhao, Yuyu Li, Jia-Fu Jiang, Cui Xiao-ming, Hui Xie, Bao Dong, Wan‐Ying Gao, Wenqing Sun
article en
1 citations

Abstract

The identification of a novel virus related to the family <i>Tombusviridae</i>, provisionally named human tombus-like virus (hTLV), is significant in the context of ongoing surveillance for respiratory pathogens. Meta-transcriptomic sequencing was utilized to detect respiratory pathogens in patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) in Jinan, China, from 2022 to 2023. The additional hTLV infections were identified through retrospective analysis of meta-transcriptome data collected in Beijing, China, from 2016 to 2019, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Phylogenetic analyzes indicated that hTLVs were clustered with a Jingmen tombus-like virus 2 but in a distinct clade. The hTLVs genomes consist of a single-stranded positive-sense RNA genomes of 4.7-4.8 kb in size, and contained four putative open reading frames (ORF1-4). The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase protein of hTLV shared significant sequence similarity containing three conserved motifs with 15, 24, and 15 amino acids, respectively. The hTLV genome included the canonical Gly<sub>376</sub>-Asp<sub>377</sub>-Asp<sub>378</sub> (GDD) catalytic residues, which were a unifying feature of viruses in the family <i>Tombusviridae</i>. The main clinical manifestations of the 23 patients were fever, cough, expectoration and dyspnea, with varying degrees of lung infection or abnormalities in other laboratory indicators. Serological studies showed that fourfold rise in IgG titers in sera of a patient between acute and convalescent phase by ELISA. Identification of the pathogens for acute respiratory tract infections is essential for timely public health interventions and clinical management. The discovery of a novel virus, hTLV, in patients with LRIs highlights the continuous emergence of new respiratory pathogens in humans.

Emerging Microbes & InfectionsVol. 14(1)
Shandong University (CN), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN), Academy of Military Medical Sciences (CN), Chinese Preventive Medicine Association (CN), Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center (CN), Advanced Medical Research Institute (US), Center for Life Sciences (CN), Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CN), Qilu Hospital of Shandong University (CN), Tsinghua University (CN)
Science and Technology Support Plan for Youth Innovation of Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province of China
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 21%
Respiratory viral infections research
1.35
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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