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Evolution and spread of Venezuelan equine encephalitis complex alphavirus in the Americas.

Forrester-Soto; Auguste, AJ; Dugan, VG; Lin, D; Adams, AP; Forrester, NL; Wertheim, JO; Jain, R; Stockwell, TB; Gorchakov, R; Chen, R; Halpin, RA; Hari, K; Leal, G; Estrada-Franco, JG; Pandya, J; Kosakovsky Pond, SL; Das, SR; Wentworth, DE; Smith, MD; Weaver, SC

Evolution and spread of Venezuelan equine encephalitis complex alphavirus in the Americas. Thumbnail


Authors

Forrester-Soto

AJ Auguste

VG Dugan

D Lin

AP Adams

NL Forrester

JO Wertheim

R Jain

TB Stockwell

R Gorchakov

R Chen

RA Halpin

K Hari

G Leal

JG Estrada-Franco

J Pandya

SL Kosakovsky Pond

SR Das

DE Wentworth

MD Smith

SC Weaver



Abstract

Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) complex alphaviruses are important re-emerging arboviruses that cause life-threatening disease in equids during epizootics as well as spillover human infections. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of VEE complex alphaviruses by sequencing the genomes of 94 strains and performing phylogenetic analyses of 130 isolates using complete open reading frames for the nonstructural and structural polyproteins. Our analyses confirmed purifying selection as a major mechanism influencing the evolution of these viruses as well as a confounding factor in molecular clock dating of ancestors. Times to most recent common ancestors (tMRCAs) could be robustly estimated only for the more recently diverged subtypes; the tMRCA of the ID/IAB/IC/II and IE clades of VEE virus (VEEV) were estimated at ca. 149–973 years ago. Evolution of the IE subtype has been characterized by a significant evolutionary shift from the rest of the VEEV complex, with an increase in structural protein substitutions that are unique to this group, possibly reflecting adaptation to its unique enzootic mosquito vector Culex (Melanoconion) taeniopus. Our inferred tree topologies suggest that VEEV is maintained primarily in situ, with only occasional spread to neighboring countries, probably reflecting the limited mobility of rodent hosts and mosquito vectors.

Acceptance Date Jun 8, 2017
Publication Date Aug 3, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Publisher Public Library of Science
DOI https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005693
Keywords spread, Venezuelan, equine encephalitis, alphavirus, Americas
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005693

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