title: Detection of novel sequences related to african Swine Fever virus in human serum and sewage.
abstract: The family Asfarviridae contains only a single virus species, African swine fever virus (ASFV). ASFV is a viral agent with significant economic impact due to its devastating effects on populations of domesticated pigs during outbreaks but has not been reported to infect humans. We report here the discovery of novel viral sequences in human serum and sewage which are clearly related to the asfarvirus family but highly divergent from ASFV. Detection of these sequences suggests that greater genetic diversity may exist among asfarviruses than previously thought and raises the possibility that human infection by asfarviruses may occur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., Box 8118, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: Guoyan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Rachel M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Presti
authors.forename: Lori R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Holtz
authors.forename: Stacy R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Finkbeiner
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Droit
authors.forename: Zoilmar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Villasana
authors.forename: Collin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pipas
authors.forename: Byron
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Calgua
authors.forename: Rosina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Girones
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Herbert W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Virgin
mesh_terms: D000358:African Swine Fever Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D044967:Serum / Q000821:virology*; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage