title: Evolutionary dynamics of West Nile virus in Georgia, 2001-2011.
abstract: From 1999-2001, West Nile virus (WNV) spread throughout the eastern United States (US) and was first detected in Georgia in 2001. To date, the virus has been detected in over 2,500 dead wild bird and mosquito samples from across Georgia. We sequenced the premembrane (preM) and envelope gene (E) (2004 bp) from 111 isolates collected from 2001 to 2011. To assess viral gene flow from other geographic regions in the US, we combined our data with WNV sequences available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and performed phylogenetic analysis. We found evidence that WNV isolates detected in Chatham County Georgia most likely originated from the Northeastern United States. These results highlight the growing importance of adequate genetic surveillance for monitoring and controlling viruses of public health concern.
authors.affiliation: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, 30602, USA, jamiep44@gmail.com.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Stallknecht
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Mead
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D009033:Culicidae / Q000821:virology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins