biostudies-literatureUnknown104(8)Hansen FMedical Research CouncilDefense Sciences Office, DARPADivision of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesDistinct cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) are widely distributed across their mammalian hosts in a highly host species-restricted pattern. To date, evidence demonstrating this has been limited largely to PCR-based approaches targeting small, conserved genomic regions, and only a few complete genomes of isolated viruses representing distinct CMV species have been sequenced. We have now combined direct isolation of infectious viruses from tissues with complete genome sequencing to provide a view of CMV diversity in a wild animal population. We targeted Natal multimammate mice (<i>Mastomys natalensis</i>), which are common in sub-Saharan Africa, are known to carry a variety of zoonotic pathogens, and are regarded as the primary source of Lassa virus (LASV) spillover into humans. Using transformed epiThe Journal of general virologyhttps://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10721045biostudies-literatureIsolation and genome sequencing of cytomegaloviruses from Natal multimammate mice (&lt;i&gt;Mastomys natalensis&lt;/i&gt;).PMC10721045MC_UU_00034/5D18AC00028International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER)Intramural Research ProgramOestereich Lda Silva Filipe ABane SVucak MNichols JHansen FVoigt SOstermann EChan BRosenke KStaliunaite LDavison AJSogoba NBrune WCamiolo SEhlers BJarvis MAStreblow DNHughes JRedwood AJFeldmann HMauch TfalseIsolation and genome sequencing of cytomegaloviruses from Natal multimammate mice (&lt;i&gt;Mastomys natalensis&lt;/i&gt;).Distinct cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) are widely distributed across their mammalian hosts in a highly host species-restricted pattern. To date, evidence demonstrating this has been limited largely to PCR-based approaches targeting small, conserved genomic regions, and only a few complete genomes of isolated viruses representing distinct CMV species have been sequenced. We have now combined direct isolation of infectious viruses from tissues with complete genome sequencing to provide a view of CMV diversity in a wild animal population. We targeted Natal multimammate mice (<i>Mastomys natalensis</i>), which are common in sub-Saharan Africa, are known to carry a variety of zoonotic pathogens, and are regarded as the primary source of Lassa virus (LASV) spillover into humans. Using transformed epi2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Aug2026-05-29T05:46:48.82Z2025-04-04T18:42:35.206ZS-EPMC107210453764300610.1099/jgv.0.001873