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

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

Viruses. 2023 Jan 10;15(1):195. doi: 10.3390/v15010195.

Authors

Jessica A Plante^{1

2

3}, Kenneth S Plante^{1

2

3}, Vsevolod L Popov^{2

3

4}, Divya P Shinde^{1

2

3}, Steven G Widen⁵, Michaela Buenemann⁶, Mauricio L Nogueira^{4

7

8}, Nikos Vasilakis^{2

3

4

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
² World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
³ Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, USA.
⁴ Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0679, USA.
⁶ Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8801, USA.
⁷ Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
⁸ Department of Dermatological, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, SP, Brazil.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: ILHV; Ilheus virus; flavivirus; morphologic and genetic characterization.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aedes*
Animals
Caribbean Region
Culex*
Flavivirus* / genetics
Phylogeny
South America

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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