Detection strategies of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Swedish Ixodes ricinus reveal evolutionary characteristics of emerging tick-borne flaviviruses

Arch Virol. 2007;152(5):1027-34. doi: 10.1007/s00705-006-0922-9. Epub 2007 Feb 5.

Abstract

The flaviviral tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a human pathogen having significant impact on public health. The geographical distribution of TBEV and TBEV-like viruses is increasing, which makes it important to characterise the natural virus populations. Here we present four RT-PCR strategies designed for detection of broad types of tick-borne flaviviruses. Sequence information on more than 32% of a TBEV genome was generated from a small pool of ticks collected in the Stockholm archipelago on the island of Torö. The sequences were characterised and compared with those of other tick-borne flaviviruses, which classified the virus as Western European TBEV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 5' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / classification
  • Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / genetics*
  • Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / isolation & purification
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Ixodes / virology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Viral / genetics
  • RNA, Viral / isolation & purification
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Species Specificity
  • Sweden
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • 5' Untranslated Regions
  • DNA Primers
  • RNA, Viral
  • Viral Envelope Proteins