title: Persistence of bluetongue virus serotype 2 (BTV-2) in the southeast United States.
abstract: The prototype United States (US) strains of bluetongue virus serotype 2 [BTV-2 (OnaA) and BTV-2 (OnaB)] made in Florida in 1982 were compared to a recent BTV-2 (FL99) isolate made in Florida in 1999 to determine if the original strain(s) had persisted or if a new strain of BTV-2 had been re-introduced into the southeast US. Viral RNA and protein electropherotypes, and sequence analysis of five RNA genome segments for these early and later BTV-2 isolates were compared. These comparisons indicated that BTV-2 (OnaB) has persisted in the southeast US since its first isolation in 1982. Sequence analysis of concurrent isolates of BTV-13 (FL99) and BTV-17 (FL99) from the same location in Florida in 1999 provides evidence of genetic reassortment between BTV-2 and other co-circulating serotypes of BTV.
authors.affiliation: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Laboratory, Dept. 3354, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, USA. jmecham@uwyo.edu
authors.forename: James O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Mecham
authors.forename: Donna J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016865:Reassortant Viruses; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D012756:Sheep; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral