Morphologic and Genetic Characterization of Ilheus Virus, a Potential Emergent Flavivirus in the Americas

Jessica A. Plante; Kenneth S. Plante; Vsevolod L. Popov; Divya P. Shinde; Steven G. Widen; Michaela Buenemann; Mauricio L. Nogueira; Nikos Vasilakis

doi:10.3390/v15010195

Viruses (Jan 2023)

Morphologic and Genetic Characterization of Ilheus Virus, a Potential Emergent Flavivirus in the Americas

Jessica A. Plante,
Kenneth S. Plante,
Vsevolod L. Popov,
Divya P. Shinde,
Steven G. Widen,
Michaela Buenemann,
Mauricio L. Nogueira,
Nikos Vasilakis

Affiliations

Jessica A. Plante: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Kenneth S. Plante: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Vsevolod L. Popov: World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Divya P. Shinde: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Steven G. Widen: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0679, USA
Michaela Buenemann: Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8801, USA
Mauricio L. Nogueira: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA
Nikos Vasilakis: World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v15010195
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 1
p. 195

Abstract

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Ilheus virus (ILHV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus circulating throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean. It has been detected in several mosquito genera including Aedes and Culex, and birds are thought to be its primary amplifying and reservoir host. Here, we describe the genomic and morphologic characterization of ten ILHV strains. Our analyses revealed a high conservation of both the 5′- and 3′-untranslated regions but considerable divergence within the open reading frame. We also showed that ILHV displays a typical flavivirus structural and genomic organization. Our work lays the foundation for subsequent ILHV studies to better understand its transmission cycles, pathogenicity, and emergence potential.

Published in Viruses

ISSN: 1999-4915 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Microbiology
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses

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Abstract

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