title: Co-evolutionary patterns of variation in small and large RNA segments of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus.
abstract: The genus Nairovirus of the family Bunyaviridae includes the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) species group. The species is predominated by the hazard-group 4 pathogens, from which the name and majority of strain entries are derived. Additionally, the species embraces hazard-group 2 viruses that are classified as members by antigenic cross-reactivity. CCHF viruses have a tripartite RNA genome consisting of large (L), medium (M) and small (S) segments. Here, the sequence characterization of previously undescribed L and S segments from novel strains originating in the Middle East and Africa is reported. Further scrutiny of this data with phylogenetic tools, in the context of other publicly available sequence information, reveals analogous grouping patterns between the L and S segments. These groups correlate with the geographical distribution of strain isolation and indicate that the L and S segments of CCHF viruses have evolved together.
authors.affiliation: Novel and Dangerous Pathogens, Virology, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Protection Agency - Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 0JG, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.affiliation: Novel and Dangerous Pathogens, Virology, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Protection Agency - Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 0JG, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Novel and Dangerous Pathogens, Virology, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Protection Agency - Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 0JG, UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: Novel and Dangerous Pathogens, Virology, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Protection Agency - Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 0JG, UK.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mioulet
authors.affiliation: Novel and Dangerous Pathogens, Virology, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Protection Agency - Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 0JG, UK.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tolley
authors.affiliation: Novel and Dangerous Pathogens, Virology, Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Protection Agency - Porton Down, Salisbury, Wilts SP4 0JG, UK.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hewson
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016679:Genome, Viral; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008877:Middle East; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D017385:Sequence Homology
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral