Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus in Quebec, Canada, 2004-2016: Co-circulation of distinct variants harbouring conserved amino acid motifs in North America

Christian Therrien; Éric Fournier; Antoinette Ludwig; Joel Ménard; Hugues Charest; Christine Martineau

doi:10.1016/j.virol.2019.08.019

Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus in Quebec, Canada, 2004-2016: Co-circulation of distinct variants harbouring conserved amino acid motifs in North America

Virology. 2019 Nov:537:65-73. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.08.019. Epub 2019 Aug 21.

Authors

Christian Therrien¹, Éric Fournier², Antoinette Ludwig³, Joel Ménard², Hugues Charest², Christine Martineau²

Affiliations

¹ Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Institut national de santé publique du Québec. 20045 Chemin Sainte-Marie, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3Y3, QC, Canada. Electronic address: christian.therrien@inspq.qc.ca.
² Laboratoire de santé publique du Québec, Institut national de santé publique du Québec. 20045 Chemin Sainte-Marie, Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, H9X 3Y3, QC, Canada.
³ Laboratoire National de microbiologie, Agence de santé publique du Canada, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 2M2, Canada.

PMID: 31465892
DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.08.019

Abstract

West Nile virus (WNV) was introduced for the first time in the western hemisphere in 1999 in New York City. In 2002, a phenotype-modifying mutation (Env-V159A) defined the first North American genotype WN02. So far, three genotypes has been described in North America but little is known about WNV evolution in Canada. We report the phylogenetic characterization of twenty-six WNV genomes isolated from mosquitoes in the province of Quebec. WNV strains found in Quebec are phylogenetically related to American strains collected in northern and southern regions. We also noted the presence of two robust monophyletic groups of isolates characterized by distinct conserved amino acid motifs. These emerging genotypes were detected for several years in different ecosystems. These results highlight the need for the maintenance of a nationwide surveillance to follow the dispersion of emergent WNV genotypes.

Keywords: Amino acid substitution; Arbovirus; Genome; Genotype; Mosquito vector; Mutation; Phylogenic analysis; West Nile virus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amino Acid Motifs
Genetic Variation*
Genotype*
Mosquito Vectors / virology*
Phylogeny*
Quebec
West Nile virus / classification*
West Nile virus / genetics*
West Nile virus / isolation & purification