A novel mosquito-borne Orbivirus species found in South-east Asia
Amit Kapoor1,
Robert B. Tesh2,
Raja Duraisamy1,
Vsevolod L. Popov2,
Amelia P. A. Travassos da Rosa2 and
W. Ian Lipkin1
+ Author Affiliations
1Center for Infection and Immunity, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
2Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
Correspondence
Amit Kapoor [See link for email]
Received 2 August 2012.
Accepted 24 January 2013.
Abstract
The genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae includes a genetically diverse group of dsRNA arthropod-borne viruses that infect a wide variety of animal species. Here, we report the complete genome and phylogenetic analysis of a novel orbivirus (IAn-66411 or Sathuvachari virus, SVIV) isolated in 1963 from starlings (Brahminy myna) collected in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Comparative genetic analysis of the SVIV polymerase (VP1 protein), core protein (VP3) and outer core protein (VP7) confirmed that SVIV is most closely related to the mosquito-borne orbiviruses, but that it is equally divergent from all known species. Therefore, SVIV should be tentatively considered as the prototype of a novel mosquito-associated Orbivirus species. These findings will aid in the development of molecular reagents that can identify genetically similar orbiviruses and help elucidate their geographical distribution, epidemiology, species tropism and possible disease association.
