Molecular epidemiology of bluetongue virus serotype 1 circulating in Italy and its connection with northern Africa

Infect Genet Evol. 2014 Dec:28:144-9. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2014.09.014. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

Abstract

Western BTV-1 emerged in the Mediterranean basin in 2006 and it has since been isolated in southern and northern European countries. Six BTV-1 strains isolated from infected sheep in Italy between 2006 and 2013 and a BTV-1 strain isolated from an infected sheep in Tunisia in 2011 were fully sequenced. The seven strains were shown to be nearly identical in each gene segment. The Seg-2 sequences of the BTV-1 strains group according to the year of isolation reflecting the time of BTV incursions in Italy. Combined results suggest that BTV-1 strains isolated in Sardinia, Sicily and mainland Italy in 2012 and 2013 have a direct northern African origin. The Italian strains originated from a strain closely related to a BTV-1 strain isolated in Tunisia in 2011. Better surveillance programs with northern and sub-Saharan African countries should be implemented making the control of spread of BTV easier and effective.

Keywords: Bluetongue virus serotype 1; Evolution; Molecular epidemiology; Next generation sequencing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Africa, Northern / epidemiology
  • Animals
  • Bluetongue / epidemiology*
  • Bluetongue / virology*
  • Bluetongue virus / classification*
  • Bluetongue virus / genetics*
  • Bluetongue virus / isolation & purification
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Phylogeography
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Serotyping
  • Sheep

Associated data

  • GENBANK/KJ019205
  • GENBANK/KJ019206
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