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Title: Full length genome analysis of Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey Virus strains representing the phylogenetic and geographic diversity of the virus

Author
item Pauszek, Steven
item Rodriguez, Luis

Submitted to: Archives of Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/10/2012
Publication Date: 7/24/2012
Citation: Pauszek, S.J., Rodriguez, L.L. 2012. Full length genome analysis of Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey Virus strains representing the phylogenetic and geographic diversity of the virus. Archives of Virology. 151(1-2):37-48.

Interpretive Summary: Vesicular Stomatitis (VS) is a disease of cattle, horses and pigs that causes economic losses throughout North, Central and South America. The disease in cattle and pigs is markedly similar to foot-and-mouth disease, a devastating reportable disease, making a rapid differential diagnosis crucial. VS is caused by viruses classified into two different types: New Jersey (VSNJV) and Indiana (VSIV). VSNJV accounts for the majority of clinical cases of vesicular disease in livestock throughout the Americas. In the United States outbreaks of VS occur every 8-10 years, causing significant economic losses to the cattle and horse industries. Despite the fact that VSNJV accounts for the vast majority of VS cases in the US, very little is known about the genetic sequence of this economically important pathogen. Here we report for the first time the complete genetic sequences of nine natural isolates of VSNJV, representing the main virus groups and comprising the known geographic distribution of the virus. These complete sequences, the first for VSNJV natural isolates, should prove useful in the design of better control measures and molecular detection tests.

Technical Abstract: We describe the complete genomic sequence of nine isolates of Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) representing six distinct phylogenetic groups and spanning the known geographic range of the virus. The total genomic length (11119-11123nt) and structure of these isolates were very similar to other Vesicular Stomatitis Viruses. There were no differences in the amino acid lengths of any of their viral proteins. As expected, the genomic termini, possessing initiation signals for viral transcription and replication, were highly conserved. These complete sequences, the first for VSNJV natural isolates, should prove useful in the design of molecular detection tests and provide the basis for future functional genomics and pathogenesis studies.