The Ecology, Genetic Diversity, and Phylogeny of Huaiyangshan Virus in China

Abstract

Surveys were carried out to better understand the tick vector ecology and genetic diversity of Huaiyangshan virus (HYSV) in both regions of endemicity and regions of nonendemicity. Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks were dominant in regions of endemicity, while Rhipicephalus microplus is more abundant in regions of nonendemicity. HYSV RNA was found in human and both tick species, with greater prevalence in H. longicornis and lesser prevalence in R. microplus. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that HYSV is a novel species of the genus Phlebovirus. Recently, a hemorrhagic fever-like disease caused by a novel bunyavirus occurred in China (14, 16). Yu et al. reported the disease as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) (14). As thrombocytopenia is not specific for this disease and is present in nearly all hemorrhagic fevers caused by viruses (11) or Rickettsia (15), we previously proposed naming the syndrome Huaiyangshan hemorrhagic fever (HYSHF) and the virus Huaiyangshan virus (HYSV) (16). Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks might be the vector of HYSV (14, 16). However, less is known about the arthropod vector ecology, the genetic diversity, and the phylogeny of HYSV. Thus, we performed an investigation in regions of endemicity and nonendemicity in Henan and Hubei provinces ( Fig. 1).A total of 17,731 adult ticks were collected (Table 1). After morphological examination and sequence analysis of mitochondrial 12S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) as described previously (2, 16), only H. longicornis and Rhipicephalus microplus were found. In the regions of endemicity, 4,501 ticks (3,498 H. longicornis and 1,003 R. microplus) were collected from 15 counties of Henan and Hubei. In the regions of nonendemicity, 13,230 ticks (400 H. longicornis and 12,830 R. microplus) were collected from 23 counties of Hubei. These data suggested that H. longicornis and R. microplus were the dominant species in regions of endemicity and regions of nonendemicity, respectively.All ticks were grouped into 1,180 pools (450 pools from a region of endemicity and 730 pools from a region of nonendemicity) according to species, host, and geographic origin. H. longicornis and R. microplus represented 365 (30.93%) and 815 (69.07%) pools, respectively. For screening HYSV and sequencing the partial S segment (nucleotides [nt] 63 to 663) or L segment (nt 2208 to 3121) and whole-genome sequences of HYSV, total RNA was extracted from ticks and human sera and was then subjected to reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) as described previously (16). As a result, HYSV RNA was identified in 18 (4.93%) H. longicornis pools and in 5 (0.613%) R. microplus pools, suggesting that both species can carry HYSV. Remarkably, the HYSV RNA-positive H. longicornis ticks were found only in the regions of endemicity, whereas HYSV RNA was identified in R. microplus ticks from both the regions of endemicity (2 pools) and neighboring regions of nonendemicity (3 pools) (Fig. 1). Obviously, the prevalence of HYSV was higher in H. longicornis ticks than in R. microplus ticks and higher in...

A tick-borne segmented RNA virus contains genome segments derived from unsegmented viral ancestors

“…In 2010, a pan-Phlebovirus RT-PCR protocol was performed to determine the presence of Huaiyangshan virus in tick samples collected in China (6,7). This screening identified flavivirus-like RNAs (segment 1 and segment 3) in a Rhipicephalus microplus ticks pool collected in the Jingmen region of Hubei province.…”

An emerging hemorrhagic fever in China caused by a novel bunyavirus SFTSV

“…SFTSV was not detected in mosquitoes [3] and has not yet been investigated in the sandfly. SFTSV has not been detected in tick eggs and has been detected in only tick collected from vegetation [12]. The arthropods positive for SFTSV suggest that they could be vectors of SFTSV or that they could acquire SFTSV from infected animals.…”

“…SFTSV RNA has been detected in the ticks Haemaphysalis longicornis and Boophilus microplus collected from domestic animals, including cattle, goats, and dogs [3,12]. It has also been detected by PCR in Leptotrombidium scutell mites collected from Apodemusagrarius mice, in Laelaps echidnina mites collected from A. agrarius and goats in Jiangsu Province [13], and in the gadfly in Henan Province [14].…”

Reverse Genetics System for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus

“…Importantly, the sequence data showed no evidence for an NSm protein upstream of the Gn-Gc precursor encoded by the M genome segment, which is a hallmark of the Uukuniemi virus group (13). The virus has been variously called DaBie Mountain virus (10,14), Henan fever virus (15), Huaiyangshan virus (16), and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) (10). The International Committee for Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Executive Committee has recommended that the species name encompassing these viruses be SFTS virus, a proposal awaiting ratification by the ICTV membership.…”