Phylogenetic analysis suggests independent introduction of feline immunodeficiency virus clades A and B to Central Europe and identifies diverse variants of clade B.
Phylogenetic analysis of European feline immunodeficiency virus sequences confirms a highly distinct pattern in the occurrence of FIV-subtypes within Germany and Austria, indicating little mixing and at least two independent introductions of FIV. There is also evidence for a North to South gradient of FIV subtype distribution in Europe, with subtype A being more common in the North, while subtype B is prevalent in the South of Europe. In addition, among Austrian subtype B sequences, considerable differences from classical subtype B sequences were detected by bootscanning, which either suggests recombination with so far unrecognized subtypes, or a long period of independent evolution.
Steinrigl
Adolf
A
Institute of Virology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, A-1210 Vienna, Austria. adolf.steinrigl@ages.at
Ertl
Reinhard
R
Langbein
Ines
I
Klein
Dieter
D
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005060:Europe; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D016865:Reassortant Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D004279:DNA, Viral