Metatranscriptomics reveals the horse gut RNA virome and a viral sharing network with human and domestic animals.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Equine gut health has traditionally focused on bacterial and parasitic threats, yet the viral landscape of the equine gastrointestinal tract remained poorly characterised until now. Using metatranscriptomic sequencing—a technique that captures all RNA sequences present in a sample—researchers catalogued the viral communities in horse faeces and identified previously undocumented RNA viruses alongside known pathogens, establishing a baseline for what constitutes a "normal" equine gut virome. Beyond documenting viral diversity, the work revealed concerning overlap between equine, human, and domestic animal viruses, suggesting bidirectional transmission pathways that warrant attention from both infection control and zoonotic disease perspectives. For practitioners, these findings underscore the importance of hygiene protocols around working horses and their environments, particularly given the shared viral networks with other species in close contact with humans. This research provides the foundational knowledge needed to distinguish clinically significant viral infections from commensal viral colonisation, potentially refining diagnostic approaches and informing targeted interventions for specific viral-associated conditions in horses.

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Key Findings

• •Horse gut contains a diverse RNA virome with distinct characteristics from other livestock species
• •Identified viral sharing networks between horses and human/domestic animal populations
• •RNA viruses in equine gastrointestinal tract represent previously uncharted zoonotic transmission potential

Conditions Studied

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