Local maintenance and genomic diversity of lymphocytic choriomeningitis
virus in natural populations of house mice in the Czech Republic over a
24-year period
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a neglected rodent-borne
zoonotic virus primarily infecting house mice. The virus can be highly
pathogenic, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and in
congenital infections. LCMV is distributed worldwide but shows local
clustering, probably due to the highly structured populations of its
hosts and the vertical transmission of the pathogen. These factors
should also promote long-term virus persistence in wild populations, yet
this aspect remains largely unexplored. To investigate this, we
resampled a transect in the western Czech Republic that was primarily
studied more than a decade ago. Additionally, we analyzed a sample
collection from Buškovice, a locality where LCMV was first detected in
2008, to trace virus presence back to the year 2000. Positive samples
underwent whole-genome characterization to assess the virus’s genetic
structure over space and time. We detected intermittent presence over 24
years in a geographically limited area, where LCMV was already present
in 2000 and remained detectable in 2023. Phylogenetic analysis showed no
clear spatio-temporal clustering, suggesting that virus persistence in
Buškovice is a dynamic process involving mouse dispersal between
neighboring villages. Given LCMV’s zoonotic potential and house mouse
synanthropy, these findings highlight the need for continuous monitoring
in the region.