GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A routine hunting trip by a house cat has led to the discovery of a previously unknown virus in the United States. Pepper, a black domestic shorthair cat from Gainesville, Florida, dropped a dead mouse on the carpet—an act that prompted his owner, virus expert Dr. John Lednicky, to investigate further.
Lednicky, a research professor at the University of Florida’s College of Public Health and Health Professions, took the mouse to his lab for testing. While the rodent did not carry mule deerpox virus, it did test positive for a jeilongvirus—a type of virus known to infect a wide range of animals including mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish.
The virus, now named Gainesville rodent jeilongvirus 1, is the first of its kind identified in the U.S. and is genetically distinct from previously known jeilongviruses found in other parts of the world.
“It grows equally well in rodent, human, and monkey cells, making it a strong candidate for a spillover event,” said Lednicky, who is also a member of UF’s Emerging Pathogens Institute. Spillover events occur when viruses jump from one species to another, which can sometimes lead to new outbreaks in humans.
The research, published in the journal Pathogens, was led by doctoral candidate Emily DeRuyter, who specializes in the One Health approach. She said the discovery highlights the hidden viral threats in animals that live near humans.
“We weren’t expecting to find this kind of virus,” DeRuyter said. “It shows how many unknown viruses are out there, especially in wildlife close to our homes.”
Jeilongviruses are part of the paramyxovirus family, which includes viruses that cause respiratory infections. Although the virus can infect multiple species, DeRuyter emphasized there is no immediate danger to the public, as most people rarely have close contact with wild rodents.
She compared the risk to hantavirus, another rodent-borne virus that can cause severe illness in rare cases involving exposure to rodent waste.
The Gainesville virus was successfully grown in the lab, allowing further research. Lednicky said more studies are needed to understand if the virus causes illness in rodents or small animals, and whether it poses any threat to humans or pets.
“We’ll need to do more tests to see how the virus behaves and whether it’s affecting people in Florida,” Lednicky said.
DeRuyter added that ongoing surveillance of wildlife and high-risk individuals is essential. These efforts help detect emerging viruses early and assess their potential to become more dangerous.
As for Pepper, the curious cat who found the mouse, he has shown no signs of illness. Lednicky explained that cats have evolved to hunt rodents and are generally not harmed by the viruses rodents carry. Still, tests are planned to determine if pets or humans could be at risk from this new virus.
The discovery serves as a reminder of the complex interactions between humans, pets, and wildlife—and the importance of monitoring viruses that could cross species boundaries.
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