Almost two decades after the isolation of the first amoebal giant viruses, indubitably the discovery of these entities has deeply affected the current scientific knowledge on the virosphere. Much has been uncovered since then: viruses can now acknowledge complex genomes and huge particle sizes, integrating remarkable evolutionary relationships that date as early as the emergence of life on the planet. This year, a decade has passed since the first studies on giant viruses in the Brazilian territory, and since then biomes of rare beauty and biodiversity (Amazon, Atlantic forest, Pantanal wetlands, Cerrado savannas) have been explored in the search for giant viruses. From those unique biomes, novel viral entities were found, revealing never before seen genomes and virion structures. To celebrate this, here we bring together the context, inspirations, and the major contributions of independent Brazilian research groups to summarize the accumulated knowledge about the diversity and the exceptionality of some of the giant viruses found in Brazil.

The monkeypox virus (MPXV) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen responsible for mpox, a disease characterized by some smallpox-like symptoms, typically mild but occasionally fatal. The largest mpox recorded global outbreak began in May 2022, with over 162,000 cases across 140 countries. Herein, we have analyzed the intra-clonal diversity of MPXV obtained from a single skin lesion sample from a male patient (June 2022). Three viral clones were obtained following phenotypic evaluation of MPXV lysis plaque characteristics over a three-course infection in BSC-40 cells. Unlike the vaccinia virus Western Reserve (VACV-WR) strain, MPXV clones did not produce comet-like structures, suggesting reduced extracellular enveloped virus (EEV) morphotype release, which is associated with viral dissemination. Whole-genome sequencing and assembly identified subtle differences among clones. Comparative genomic analyses, including synteny and single nucleotide variation (SNV) calling, revealed intra-clonal differences and divergence from clade I and II references, although the variety of mutations found did not reveal possible variations at the protein level. Altogether, these findings suggest that although similar, it is possible that distinct MPXV variants may circulate together and can be found in a single exanthematous lesion.

Biblios Revista de Bibliotecología y Ciencias de la Informacíon

Science in Latin America faces structural limitations in terms of funding, visibility, and infrastructure, which reinforces the relevance of open science as a strategy to democratize knowledge, strengthen regional collaboration, and drive innovation. However, the existing literature is fragmented and lacks systematization. Objective: The objective of this scoping review was to analyze and characterize open science practices in Latin American academic research (2000-2024). Method: The PRISMA-ScR protocol and the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) strategy were applied, with prospective registration in the Open Science Framework. Between September 2024 and July 2025, searches were conducted in six databases (Google Scholar, Redalyc, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, and LA Referencia), identifying 533 records; after screening, 28 documents were included. Results: The results show a predominance of articles in Portuguese and a strong concentration in Brazil, followed by Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela. The most documented practices were open access (23) and open research data (19), followed by open evaluation (12), citizen science (8), open education (7), open scientific infrastructure (7), open science policies (5), and reproducibility (1). Conclusions: Recognize that the consolidation of open science in the region, despite the advances achieved, still depends on overcoming cultural, regulatory, and technological barriers, as well as the formulation of integrated policies, incentives, and institutional strengthening.

Biblios Revista de Bibliotecología y Ciencias de la Informacíon

In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in viruses of microorganisms (VoM) and international efforts to gather researchers interested in them. Here, we describe the 1st Brazilian Symposium on Viruses of Microorganisms (BrVoM), held on 1 August 2025 at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG, Belo Horizonte, Brazil) with institutional support from the Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL) and the Brazilian Society for Virology (SBV). The symposium greatly surpassed expectations, gathering nearly 300 attendees from all Brazilian geographical regions. The scientific program included keynote and thematic lectures covering bacteriophages, fungal viruses, giant viruses, and microbial resources regulation. The event was remarkable for its collaborative spirit and inclusion of early career attendees. The success of this first edition highlights the vitality of the Brazilian community working on microbial viruses and sets the stage for future editions.