Emerging reoviruses: the next pandemic?

As the world is experiencing the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19, one can wonder if members of other family of viruses could possibly emerge. Can such viruses establish a worldwide distribution with consequences similar to SARS-CoV-2? One such threat is the possible emergence of pathogenic reoviruses, especially by zoonotic transmission. Reoviruses are ubiquitous viruses exhibiting a worldwide distribution and various strains or isolates are found in many mammalian species and other vertebrates.

[Emerging reoviruses: the next pandemic?].

As the world is experiencing the pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19, one can wonder if members of other family of viruses could possibly emerge. Can such viruses establish a worldwide distribution with consequences similar to SARS-CoV-2? One such threat is the possible emergence of pathogenic reoviruses, especially by zoonotic transmission. Reoviruses are ubiquitous viruses exhibiting a worldwide distribution and various strains or isolates are found in many mammalian species and other vertebrates.

The μ2 and λ1 Proteins of Mammalian Reovirus Modulate Early Events Leading to Induction of the Interferon Signaling Network.

It has been previously shown that amino acid polymorphisms in reovirus proteins μ2 and λ1 are associated with differing levels of interferon induction. In the present study, viruses carrying these polymorphisms in either or both proteins, were further studied. The two viral determinants exert a synergistic effect on the control of β-interferon induction at the protein and mRNA level, with a concomitant increase in RIG-I.