Mapping the global distribution and spread of the Plasmodium vivax-associated virus MaRNAV-1
- Author(s)
- Petrone, ME; Charon, J; Parry, RH; Grigg, MJ; Piera, KA; Westaway, JAF; Shioda, K; Russell, B; Price, RN; William, T; Kenangalem, E; McCarthy, JS; Barber, BE; Holmes, EC; Anstey, NM;
- Details
- Publication Year 2026,Volume 12,Issue #1,Page veag031
- Journal Title
- VIrus Evolution
- Abstract
- Matryoshka RNA virus 1 (MaRNAV-1) is a bi-segmented and single-stranded RNA virus associated with Plasmodium vivax, a cause of human malaria. Little has been uncovered about the epidemiology and ecology of this virus since its discovery in 2019. To address this, we used a combination of primary and publicly available metatranscriptomic data to map the geographic distribution and host associations of MaRNAV-1. We detected this virus throughout Southeast Asia, in parts of South America, and, for the first time, in Oceania. Despite its broad distribution, MaRNAV-1 was found exclusively in metatranscriptomes containing P. vivax, suggesting that there is a specific virus-host relationship that has shaped the evolutionary history of this virus. We were unable to estimate the emergence date of the MaRNAV-1 lineage; however, phylogeographic mapping analysis suggested that MaRNAV-1 is widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia. Our findings have both evolutionary and public health implications and can serve as the basis for future investigations in these fields.
- Publisher
- Oxford Academic
- Keywords
- RNA virus; malaria; virus-host co-divergence
- Research Division(s)
- Infection and Global Health
- PubMed ID
- 42311450
- Publisher's Version
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ve/veag031
- Open Access at Publisher's Site
https://doi.org/10.1093/ve/veag031- Terms of Use/Rights Notice
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Creation Date: 2026-06-26 08:17:25
Last Modified: 2026-06-26 08:20:37