Genomic Characterisation of Vinegar Hill Virus, An Australian Nairovirus Isolated in 1983 from Argas Robertsi Ticks Collected from Cattle Egrets

Gauci, Penelope J.; McAllister, Jane; Mitchell, Ian; Cybinski, D. H.; George, TD St; Gubala, Aneta J.

doi:10.3390/v9120373

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The field of tick-borne virus research in Australia is experiencing a new wave of focus due to advances in metagenomic sequencing technologies [ 17 , 20 , 57 ]. However, in vitro characterisation of newly identified viruses is currently lacking.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 ) [ 16 – 18 ]. Little is known about the pathogenicity of these archival viruses, although antibodies to VINHV and GGYV have been identified in human sera with no known reports of illness in the serum donors [ 17 , 19 ]. Mostly, these viruses are not deemed to pose an imminent risk to public health or agriculture, or they are isolated from regions not populated by humans.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extended characterisation of five archival tick-borne viruses provides insights for virus discovery in Australian ticks

et al. 2022

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Background A subset of Australians who have been bitten by ticks experience a complex of chronic and debilitating symptoms which cannot be attributed to the known pathogenic species of bacteria present in Australia. As a result, there has been a renewed effort to identify and characterise viruses in Australian terrestrial ticks. Recent transcriptome sequencing of Ixodes and Amblyomma ticks has revealed the presence of multiple virus sequences. However, without virus isolates our ability to understand the host range and pathogenesis of newly identified viruses is limited. We have established a successful method for high-throughput virus discovery and isolation in mosquitoes using antibodies to double-stranded RNA. In this study we sought to characterise five archival tick-borne viruses to adapt our virus discovery protocol for Australian ticks. Methods We performed virus characterisation using a combination of bioinformatic sequence analysis and in vitro techniques including replication kinetics, antigenic profiling, virus purification and mass spectrometry. Results Our sequence analysis of Nugget virus, Catch-me-Cave virus and Finch Creek virus revealed marked genetic stability in isolates collected from the same location approximately 30 years apart. We demonstrate that the Ixodes scapularis-derived ISE6 cell line supports replication of Australian members of the Flaviviridae, Nairoviridae, Phenuiviridae and Reoviridae families, including Saumarez Reef virus (SREV), a flavivirus isolated from the soft tick Ornithodoros capensis. While antibodies against double-stranded RNA could be used to detect replication of a tick-borne reovirus and mosquito-borne flavivirus, the tick-borne flaviviruses Gadgets Gully virus and SREV could not be detected using this method. Finally, four novel virus-like sequences were identified in transcriptome sequencing of the Australian native tick Ixodes holocyclus. Conclusions Genetic and antigenic characterisations of archival viruses in this study confirm that three viruses described in 2002 represent contemporary isolates of virus species first identified 30 years prior. Our findings with antibodies to double-stranded RNA highlight an unusual characteristic shared by two Australian tick-borne flaviviruses. Finally, comparative growth kinetics analyses of Australian tick-borne members of the Flaviviridae, Nairoviridae, Phenuiviridae and Reoviridae families in ISE6 and BSR cells will provide a useful resource for isolation of Australian tick-borne viruses using existing cell lines. Graphical Abstract

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extended characterisation of five archival tick-borne viruses provides insights for virus discovery in Australian ticks

et al. 2022

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“…Dera Ghazi Khan virus (DGKV), I. holocyclus Iflavirus (IhIV), Lake Clarendon virus (LCV), Saumarez Reef virus (SREV), Upolu virus (UPOV), and Vinegar Hill virus (VINHV) are, to date, the only reported viruses endemic in Australia that have been isolated from human-biting ticks. DGKV was isolated from Argas robertsi in Darwin (Northern Territory), whereas LCV and VINHV were independently taken from the same tick species that were attached to and fed on the eastern subspecies cattle egrets ( Bubulcus ibis coromandus ) and the western cattle egrets ( Bubulcus ibis ) at Gatton in south-east Queensland, respectively (Doherty et al, 1976; St George et al, 1984; Gauci et al, 2017).…”

Section: Viral Tick-borne Infectionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Tick-Borne Diseases in Australia

Dehhaghi

Panahi

Holmes

et al. 2019

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.

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There are 17 human-biting ticks known in Australia. The bites of Ixodes holocyclus, Ornithodoros capensis, and Ornithodoros gurneyi can cause paralysis, inflammation, and severe local and systemic reactions in humans, respectively. Six ticks, including Amblyomma triguttatum, Bothriocroton hydrosauri, Haemaphysalis novaeguineae, Ixodes cornuatus, Ixodes holocyclus, and Ixodes tasmani may transmit Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia australis, Rickettsia honei, or Rickettsia honei subsp. marmionii. These bacterial pathogens cause Q fever, Queensland tick typhus (QTT), Flinders Island spotted fever (FISF), and Australian spotted fever (ASF). It is also believed that babesiosis can be transmitted by ticks to humans in Australia. In addition, Argas robertsi, Haemaphysalis bancrofti, Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes hirsti, Rhipicephalus australis, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks may play active roles in transmission of other pathogens that already exist or could potentially be introduced into Australia. These pathogens include Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., Burkholderia spp., Francisella spp., Dera Ghazi Khan virus (DGKV), tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Lake Clarendon virus (LCV), Saumarez Reef virus (SREV), Upolu virus (UPOV), or Vinegar Hill virus (VINHV). It is important to regularly update clinicians' knowledge about tick-borne infections because these bacteria and arboviruses are pathogens of humans that may cause fatal illness. An increase in the incidence of tick-borne infections of human may be observed in the future due to changes in demography, climate change, and increase in travel and shipments and even migratory patterns of birds or other animals. Moreover, the geographical conditions of Australia are favorable for many exotic ticks, which may become endemic to Australia given an opportunity. There are some human pathogens, such as Rickettsia conorii and Rickettsia rickettsii that are not currently present in Australia, but can be transmitted by some human-biting ticks found in Australia, such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus, if they enter and establish in this country. Despite these threats, our knowledge of Australian ticks and tick-borne diseases is in its infancy.

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“…In the Northern Territory, a second novel serotype of bluetongue virus (BTV-21) was isolated from a healthy sentinel cow at Victoria River Station in 1979 [78], and four other novel arboviruses (Coastal Plains, Berrimah, Adelaide River, and Koolpinyah viruses) were isolated from healthy cattle between 1981 and 1985 [79,80,81,82]. In Queensland, eight novel arboviruses were first isolated between 1976 and 1981 from biting midges (Tibrogargan, Tinaroo, Peaton, Wongabel, and Walkabout Creek viruses), healthy sentinel cattle (the Douglas virus), and soft ticks ( Argas robertsi ) (Vinegar Hill and Lake Clarendon viruses) [55,83,84,85,86,87]. Surveillance activities by the Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory have continued to the present, with regular reports of the isolation of novel arboviruses.…”

Section: History Of Arbovirus Discoverymentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting the Legacy of the Arbovirus Hunters

Vasilakis

Tesh

Popov

et al. 2019

Viruses

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In recent years, it has become evident that a generational gap has developed in the community of arbovirus research. This apparent gap is due to the dis-investment of training for the next generation of arbovirologists, which threatens to derail the rich history of virus discovery, field epidemiology, and understanding of the richness of diversity that surrounds us. On the other hand, new technologies have resulted in an explosion of virus discovery that is constantly redefining the virosphere and the evolutionary relationships between viruses. This paradox presents new challenges that may have immediate and disastrous consequences for public health when yet to be discovered arboviruses emerge. In this review we endeavor to bridge this gap by providing a historical context for the work being conducted today and provide continuity between the generations. To this end, we will provide a narrative of the thrill of scientific discovery and excitement and the challenges lying ahead.

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Genomic Characterisation of Vinegar Hill Virus, An Australian Nairovirus Isolated in 1983 from Argas Robertsi Ticks Collected from Cattle Egrets

Cited by 10 publications

References 45 publications

Extended characterisation of five archival tick-borne viruses provides insights for virus discovery in Australian ticks

Extended characterisation of five archival tick-borne viruses provides insights for virus discovery in Australian ticks

Human Tick-Borne Diseases in Australia

Exploiting the Legacy of the Arbovirus Hunters

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