Genetic analysis of West Nile New York 1999 encephalitis virus

The Relationships between West Nile and Kunjin Viruses

“…Phylogenetic trees constructed from sequence data from both regions identified two major lineages, consistent with previous reports (16,18,21). These two lineages did not separate the KUN isolates from the WN isolates; rather, they emphasized the close link between KUN and WN viruses of lineage I.…”

“…In accordance with previous reports (16,18,21), the phylogenetic trees generated from both E gene and NS5/ 3'UTR sequences grouped most of the isolates into two major lineages (Figures 1 and 2). Australian KUN isolates and WN isolates from North, West, and central Africa; southern and eastern Europe; India; the Middle East; and New York constituted lineage I. Lineage II comprised WN isolates from West, central, and East Africa and Madagascar.…”

“…Previous phylogenic studies have also shown that KUN and WN viruses share a close relationship (16)(17)(18)21). This report however, further defines this relationship by using a comprehensive panel of both viruses.…”

The Japanese Encephalitis Serological Group of Flaviviruses: a Brief Introduction to the Group

“…Berthet and colleagues (BERTHET et al 1997) clearly demonstrated that there were two distinct genetic lineages of WN viruses. This was confirmed and extended in other studies (JIA et al 1999;LANCIOTTI et al 1999;SAVAGE et al 1999;SCHERRET et al 2001). One lineage, lineage I, comprises four major clades including most isolates from Africa, Europe and India, as well as the New York isolates and the Australian Kunjin viruses; the second lineage comprises the original prototype strain, and isolates from West, Central and East Africa, and from Madagascar.…”

Inhibitor of κB Kinase ϵ (IKKϵ), STAT1, and IFIT2 Proteins Define Novel Innate Immune Effector Pathway against West Nile Virus Infection

“…Typically maintained within avian reservoirs, WNV is spread to other vertebrates, including humans as dead-end hosts, through mosquito bite. WNV circulates as two major lineages and minor clades, with specific clades of lineage 1 representing the emergent and virulent strain in North America and elsewhere, whereas lineage 2 strains are typically endemic to Africa and Asia and are not known to cause disease in humans (1,(3)(4)(5)(6). WNV infection is controlled in part through type I IFN immune defenses (7,8).…”