Genetic divergence among members of the Kokobera group of flaviviruses supports their separation into distinct species.
Abstract: The Kokobera virus group comprises mosquito-borne flaviviruses that cluster together phylogenetically. These viruses are unique to Australia and Papua New Guinea, and have been associated with a mild polyarticular disease in humans. Recent isolation of genetically diverse viruses within this group has prompted analysis of their genetic and phenotypic relationships. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete ORF, the envelope gene or the NS5/3' untranslated region supported the separation of the group into distinct species: Kokobera virus (KOKV), Stratford virus, New Mapoon virus, MK7979 and TS5273. Virulence studies in 3-week-old mice also provided the first evidence that a member of the KOKV group (MK7979) was neuroinvasive after intraperitoneal inoculation. In this context, our recent detection of KOKV group-specific antibodies in horses in the field suggests that these viruses should be considered in the epidemiology of flavivirus encephalitis in Australia.
Publication Date: 2013-02-20 PubMed ID: 23426358DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.049940-0Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research reveals that the various members of the Kokobera group of flaviviruses are genetically divergent enough to justify their classification as distinct species. In addition, a member of the group, MK7979, was found to be neuroinvasive in mice, hinting at the necessity of including these viruses in future epidemiological studies on flavivirus encephalitis in Australia.
Understanding the Kokobera Group of Flaviviruses
- The Kokobera group of flaviviruses are mosquito-borne and exist specifically in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
- These viruses have been previously linked to a mild form of polyarticular disease in humans which involves inflammation of multiple joints.
Genetic Diversity Among the Kokobera Group
- Newly isolated viruses within the Kokobera group have demonstrated significant genetic diversity, triggering a deeper investigation into their genetic and phenotypic relationships.
- As a result of this analysis, researchers used factors such as complete ORF (open reading frames), the envelope gene, and the NS5/3′ untranslated region to support the division of the group into distinct species.
- These species include Kokobera virus (KOKV), Stratford virus, New Mapoon virus, MK7979, and TS5273.
Virulence and Epidemiology
- Virulence studies were conducted on 3-week-old mice, which revealed for the first time that MK7979, a member of the Kokobera group, can invade the nervous system after being injected into the peritoneal cavity.
- The detection of KOKV group-specific antibodies in horses, confirms the presence of these viruses in the field and underlines their potential importance in disease transmission.
- Considering these findings, the researchers suggest that the Kokobera group of flaviviruses should be included in future investigations into the epidemiology of flavivirus encephalitis in Australia, a type of inflammation of the brain caused by flaviviruses.
Cite This Article
APA
May FJ, Clark DC, Pham K, Diviney SM, Williams DT, Field EJ, Kuno G, Chang GJ, Cheah WY, Setoh YX, Prow NA, Hobson-Peters J, Hall RA.
(2013).
Genetic divergence among members of the Kokobera group of flaviviruses supports their separation into distinct species.
J Gen Virol, 94(Pt 7), 1462-1467.
https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.049940-0 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia, Australia.
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Western Australia, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Arboviral Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne and Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fort Collins 80521, CO, USA.
- Arboviral Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne and Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Fort Collins 80521, CO, USA.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Australia
- Culicidae / genetics
- Culicidae / virology
- Encephalitis, Viral / pathology
- Encephalitis, Viral / virology
- Flavivirus / classification
- Flavivirus / genetics
- Flavivirus / isolation & purification
- Flavivirus / pathogenicity
- Flavivirus Infections / pathology
- Flavivirus Infections / virology
- Genetic Drift
- Genetic Variation
- Humans
- Mice
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Papua New Guinea
- Sequence Analysis, DNA
- Species Specificity
- Virulence
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Habarugira G, Moran J, Harrison JJ, Isberg SR, Hobson-Peters J, Hall RA, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H. Evidence of Infection with Zoonotic Mosquito-Borne Flaviviruses in Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in Northern Australia.. Viruses 2022 May 21;14(5).
- Ong OTW, Skinner EB, Johnson BJ, Old JM. Mosquito-Borne Viruses and Non-Human Vertebrates in Australia: A Review.. Viruses 2021 Feb 9;13(2).
- Parry R, Asgari S. Discovery of Novel Crustacean and Cephalopod Flaviviruses: Insights into the Evolution and Circulation of Flaviviruses between Marine Invertebrate and Vertebrate Hosts.. J Virol 2019 Jul 15;93(14).
- Beck C, Leparc-Goffart I, Desoutter D, Debergé E, Bichet H, Lowenski S, Dumarest M, Gonzalez G, Migné C, Vanhomwegen J, Zientara S, Durand B, Lecollinet S. Serological evidence of infection with dengue and Zika viruses in horses on French Pacific Islands.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 Feb;13(2):e0007162.
- Shi M, Zhang YZ, Holmes EC. Meta-transcriptomics and the evolutionary biology of RNA viruses.. Virus Res 2018 Jan 2;243:83-90.
- Toi CS, Webb CE, Haniotis J, Clancy J, Doggett SL. Seasonal activity, vector relationships and genetic analysis of mosquito-borne Stratford virus.. PLoS One 2017;12(3):e0173105.
- Moureau G, Cook S, Lemey P, Nougairede A, Forrester NL, Khasnatinov M, Charrel RN, Firth AE, Gould EA, de Lamballerie X. New insights into flavivirus evolution, taxonomy and biogeographic history, extended by analysis of canonical and alternative coding sequences.. PLoS One 2015;10(2):e0117849.
- Warrilow D, Hall-Mendelin S, Hobson-Peters J, Prow NA, Allcock R, Hall RA. Complete coding sequences of three members of the kokobera group of flaviviruses.. Genome Announc 2014 Sep 18;2(5).
- Prow NA, Tan CS, Wang W, Hobson-Peters J, Kidd L, Barton A, Wright J, Hall RA, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H. Natural exposure of horses to mosquito-borne flaviviruses in south-east Queensland, Australia.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013 Sep 17;10(9):4432-43.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
