biostudies-literatureTang YYunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program Young Talent ProjectXing-Lou YangCAS Youth Innovation Promotion AssociationNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaYun-Zhi Zhang969https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11209087biostudies-literatureUnknown16(6)Hepatitis A virus (HAV), a member of the genus <i>Hepatovirus</i> (<i>Picornaviridae</i> HepV), remains a significant viral pathogen, frequently causing enterically transmitted hepatitis worldwide. In this study, we conducted an epidemiological survey of HepVs carried by small terrestrial mammals in the wild in Yunnan Province, China. Utilizing HepV-specific broad-spectrum RT-PCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and QNome nanopore sequencing (QNS) techniques, we identified and characterized two novel HepVs provisionally named EpMa-HAV and EpLe-HAV, discovered in the long-tailed mountain shrew (<i>Episoriculus macrurus</i>) and long-tailed brown-toothed shrew (<i>Episoriculus leucops</i>), respectively. Our sequence and phylogenetic analyses of EpMa-HAV and EpLe-HAV indicated that they beVirusesIdentification and Genomic Characterization of Two Novel Hepatoviruses in Shrews from Yunnan Province, China.PMC11209087U2002218, 8187427481874274XDYC-QNRC-2022-0769U20022182019328Zhang YZYang ZWu YCLu HXYang YWang BLi FYZhao KYang LPYang XLTang YYin HMfalseIdentification and Genomic Characterization of Two Novel Hepatoviruses in Shrews from Yunnan Province, China.Hepatitis A virus (HAV), a member of the genus <i>Hepatovirus</i> (<i>Picornaviridae</i> HepV), remains a significant viral pathogen, frequently causing enterically transmitted hepatitis worldwide. In this study, we conducted an epidemiological survey of HepVs carried by small terrestrial mammals in the wild in Yunnan Province, China. Utilizing HepV-specific broad-spectrum RT-PCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and QNome nanopore sequencing (QNS) techniques, we identified and characterized two novel HepVs provisionally named EpMa-HAV and EpLe-HAV, discovered in the long-tailed mountain shrew (<i>Episoriculus macrurus</i>) and long-tailed brown-toothed shrew (<i>Episoriculus leucops</i>), respectively. Our sequence and phylogenetic analyses of EpMa-HAV and EpLe-HAV indicated that they be2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jun2026-05-21T03:14:40.672Z2025-04-04T21:22:16.719ZS-EPMC112090873893226210.3390/v16060969