New lyssavirus genotype from the lesser mouse-eared bat (Myotis blythi), Kyrghyzstan

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2003
Authors:Y. T. Arai, Kuzmin, I. V., Kameoka, Y., Botvinkin, A. D.
Journal:Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume:9
Pagination:333-337
Date Published:2003
Keywords:Asia, Chiroptera, infectious diseases, Kyrghyzstan, lyssaviruses, Myotis blythii, rabies, Vespertilionidae, virology
Abstract:

The Aravan virus was isolated from a esser mouse-eared bat (Myotis blythi) in the Osh region of Kyrghyzstan, central Asia, in 1991. We determined the complete sequence of the nucleoprotein (N) gene and compared it with those of 26 representative lyssaviruses obtained from databases. The Aravan virus was distinguished from seven distinct genotypes on the basis of nucleotide and amino acid identity. Phylogenetic analysis based on both nucleotide and amino acid sequences showed that the Aravan virus was more closely related to genotypes 4, 5, and — to a lesser extent — 6, which circulates among insectivorus bats in Europe and Africa. The Aravan virus does not belong to any of the seven known genotypes of lyssaviruses, namely, rabies, Lagos bat, Mokola, and Duvenhage viruses and European bat lyssavirus 1, European bat lyssavirus 2, and Australian bat lyssavirus. Based on these data, we propose a new genotype for the Lyssavirus genus.

URL:Arai et al. 2003.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid0903.020252
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