Diverse virome and potential pathogens in five tick species from metropolis surroundings of Beijing and Tianjin, China

Rapid urbanization and dense populations in metropolitan areas increase the risk of tick-borne disease transmission. We profiled 139 RNA libraries of 1697 adult ticks belonging to Haemaphysalis longicornis, Haemaphysalis concinna, Dermacentor silvarum, Dermacentor sinicus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus, field-collected in the Hebei region. Among 179 viral species, four human pathogens (a novel Bandavirus dabieense genotype, Orthonairovirus nairobiense, Thogotovirus thogotoense, and Xue-Cheng virus) were identified, highlighting potential emerging tick-borne disease threats. Four viruses infecting animals (Lagovirus europaeus, Ovine parvovirus, canine parvovirus, and Psittaciform Parvoviridae sp.) were discovered for the first time in ticks, suggesting the role of ticks as a potential reservoir. Hebei bunya-like virus 1, Dandong tick virus 1, and Zhejiang mosquito virus 3 were genetically closely related to mosquito-associated viruses, suggesting a potential transmission route for these viruses through both mosquitoes and ticks. The diverse tick virome in metropolitan surroundings contained potential human and animal pathogens, highlighting the need for proactive surveillance of emerging tick-borne viruses.