Abstract
We identified Usutu virus (USUV) RNA in 6 pools of mosquitoes trapped in northern Israel during 2014-2015. These Israeli strains were most similar to strains identified in Senegal and Germany, which further elucidates common ancestry and evolutionary dynamics of USUV. Our findings suggest that human infection with USUV might occur in Israel.
Keywords:
Israel; USUV; Usutu virus; WNV; West Nile virus; flavivirus; mosquitoes; virus RNA; viruses.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Culex / virology*
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Flavivirus / classification
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Flavivirus / genetics*
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Flavivirus / isolation & purification
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Flavivirus Infections / epidemiology
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Flavivirus Infections / transmission
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Germany / epidemiology
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Humans
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Insect Vectors / virology*
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Israel / epidemiology
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Phylogeny
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Phylogeography
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RNA, Viral / genetics*
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Senegal / epidemiology
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Viral Nonstructural Proteins / genetics*
Substances
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NS5 protein, flavivirus
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RNA, Viral
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Viral Nonstructural Proteins