A diverse assemblage of RNA and DNA viruses found in mosquitoes collected in southern Portugal

This work describes the detection and partial characterization of mosquito-borne virus genomic sequences, based on the analysis of mosquitoes collected from the Spring to Fall of 2018 in the Algarve (southern Portugal). The viral survey that was carried out using multiple primer sets disclosed the presence of both RNA and DNA viral sequences in these mosquitoes, which were subsequently analysed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction methods. The obtained results brought to light three lineages of insect-specific flaviviruses, a monophyletic cluster of bunyaviruses from an unassigned group within the Phenuiviridae family, as well as brevidensoviruses (Parvoviridae, Densovirinae:). The latter two groups of viruses were here described for the first time in mosquitoes from Portugal. Results relating to the tentative isolation of the putative viruses identified in C6/36 cells are also shown, and the serendipitous, although not unexpected, isolation a Negev-like Nelorpivirus from Culex laticinctcus mosquitoes is reported.