Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores
Abstract The Eulipotyphla (true insectivores) is the third largest mammalian order, comprising over 500 species, and could be an important source of human infectious diseases. However, relatively little is known about the microbial diversity in insectivores and their contribution to virus transmissi...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61835-6 |
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| author | Hongfeng Li Zheng Y. X. Huang Jie Lan Li Hu Xuemin Wei Yuhao Wang Xiujun Li Yang Li Daniel J. Becker Fuwen Wei Yifei Xu |
| author_facet | Hongfeng Li Zheng Y. X. Huang Jie Lan Li Hu Xuemin Wei Yuhao Wang Xiujun Li Yang Li Daniel J. Becker Fuwen Wei Yifei Xu |
| author_sort | Hongfeng Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Eulipotyphla (true insectivores) is the third largest mammalian order, comprising over 500 species, and could be an important source of human infectious diseases. However, relatively little is known about the microbial diversity in insectivores and their contribution to virus transmission among wild hosts. In this study, we compile a comprehensive dataset containing over 400,000 records of insectivores and their associated microbes from 1903 to 2023 from multiple public databases. Meta-analyses show that insectivores host 941 unique microbes, 60% of which are viruses; these are predominantly found in shrews and hedgehogs. Human-associated viruses harbored by shrews and hedgehogs are phylogenetically closely related to those in humans, suggesting potential bidirectional transmission between insectivores and humans. Moreover, virus-sharing networks reveal that insectivores hold the second-most central position for virus sharing, second to bats, among all mammalian orders. Insectivores have a high proportion of cross-order transmitted viruses, including many human-associated viruses. Dietary diversity, habitat diversity, and distributional traits emerge as the key ecological factors contributing to cross-species virus transmission. Our findings highlight the microbial diversity in insectivores, indicating this order may serve as potential incubators for viruses capable of infecting mammals and spreading viruses of public health concern. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-910414c8c3ad4b37a3b72bd6b31b9fc6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-910414c8c3ad4b37a3b72bd6b31b9fc62025-08-20T03:43:03ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-61835-6Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivoresHongfeng Li0Zheng Y. X. Huang1Jie Lan2Li Hu3Xuemin Wei4Yuhao Wang5Xiujun Li6Yang Li7Daniel J. Becker8Fuwen Wei9Yifei Xu10Department of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityDepartment of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityDepartment of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityCAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Biological Sciences, University of OklahomaCAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Microbiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong UniversityAbstract The Eulipotyphla (true insectivores) is the third largest mammalian order, comprising over 500 species, and could be an important source of human infectious diseases. However, relatively little is known about the microbial diversity in insectivores and their contribution to virus transmission among wild hosts. In this study, we compile a comprehensive dataset containing over 400,000 records of insectivores and their associated microbes from 1903 to 2023 from multiple public databases. Meta-analyses show that insectivores host 941 unique microbes, 60% of which are viruses; these are predominantly found in shrews and hedgehogs. Human-associated viruses harbored by shrews and hedgehogs are phylogenetically closely related to those in humans, suggesting potential bidirectional transmission between insectivores and humans. Moreover, virus-sharing networks reveal that insectivores hold the second-most central position for virus sharing, second to bats, among all mammalian orders. Insectivores have a high proportion of cross-order transmitted viruses, including many human-associated viruses. Dietary diversity, habitat diversity, and distributional traits emerge as the key ecological factors contributing to cross-species virus transmission. Our findings highlight the microbial diversity in insectivores, indicating this order may serve as potential incubators for viruses capable of infecting mammals and spreading viruses of public health concern.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61835-6 |
| spellingShingle | Hongfeng Li Zheng Y. X. Huang Jie Lan Li Hu Xuemin Wei Yuhao Wang Xiujun Li Yang Li Daniel J. Becker Fuwen Wei Yifei Xu Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores Nature Communications |
| title | Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores |
| title_full | Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores |
| title_fullStr | Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores |
| title_short | Diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores |
| title_sort | diversity and transmission and zoonotic potential of microbes in true insectivores |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61835-6 |
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