New tools for pandemic prevention research: DNA sequencing from water and leeches

In new research, water from African and Mongolian waterholes as well as bloodmeals from Southeast Asian leeches were assessed for the ability to retrieve mammalian viruses without the need to find and catch the mammals. The scientists analyzed the samples using high-throughput sequencing to identify known viruses as well as viruses new to science.

source https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/06/210628124949.htm