Molecular evidence for tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks in South Korea.
To investigate whether tick-borne encephalitis viruses (TBEVs) are present in South Korea, Korean ixodid ticks were tested for TBEV RNA. Ticks (n = 2460) were collected from wild and domestic animals or by flagging at forest and grassland in 12 regions of five provinces in 2005-06. Four species in two genera were identified, yielding 197 sample pools (1-20 ticks per pool); from these, 12 envelope protein gene fragments of TBEV were amplified by reverse transcriptase-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR). Ten of the 2104 adult ticks (0.4%) and two of the 356 nymph ticks (0.2%) were positive for the envelope (E) gene of TBEV. Twelve TBEV RNA-positive samples were detected in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the E genes of the TBEV isolates were clustered with the Western European subtype (98% identity). This study suggests that TBEVs may exist in Korea.
Kim
S Y
SY
Division of Arboviruses, Center for Immunology and Pathology, National Institute of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seoul, Korea.
Jeong
Y E
YE
Yun
S-M
SM
Lee
I Y
IY
Han
M G
MG
Ju
Y R
YR
D000818:Animals; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000821:virology*; D007723:Korea; D009758:Nymph / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny