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The blood microbiome map of one million east asian whole-genome sequences from plasma cell-free DNA

Qiu, Z.; Duan, K.; Qian, S.; Yang, L.; Li, S.; Lin, Z.; Liu, H.; Wu, M.; He, S.; Niu, Y.; Qiang, C.; Qin, P.; Li, Z.; Yang, J.; Wang, W.; Wang, Y.; Tao, D.; Yan, C.; Gao, S.; Zhang, J.; Xu, X.; Zhao, L.; Liu, J.; Zhao, J.

2025-11-07 public and global health
10.1101/2025.11.05.25339628 medRxiv
Show abstract

Microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA) analysis offers a novel approach for monitoring blood-borne viral infections, with prior studies highlighting its clinical utility in viral lineage characterization. However, existing research predominantly employs cross-sectional designs, lacking systematic investigation into spatiotemporal viral dynamics and host genetic regulation. Leveraging non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) data from 1,023,651 pregnant women in Hebei Province (2019-2022), we constructed the largest spatiotemporal virome map during pregnancy. Analysis revealed higher viral diversity and load in plain regions compared to mountainous/coastal areas. Temporally, most viruses exhibited annual prevalence increases with winter peaks. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified 4,024 susceptibility loci, potentially modulating immune-related gene expression to influence maternal antiviral immunity. These findings elucidate geographic and genetic influences on viral transmission, demonstrating the value of large-scale NIPT data in infectious disease surveillance. Our study provides critical evidence for establishing pregnancy infection warning systems and precision prevention strategies.

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