title: Origin and evolution of Nipah virus.
abstract: Nipah virus, member of the Paramyxoviridae family, is classified as a Biosafety Level-4 agent and category C priority pathogen. Nipah virus disease is endemic in south Asia and outbreaks have been reported in Malaysia, Singapore, India, and Bangladesh. Bats of the genus Pteropus appear to be the natural reservoir of this virus. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of Nipah virus, to estimate the date of origin and the spread of the infection. The mean value of Nipah virus N gene evolutionary rate, was 6.5 × 10(-4) substitution/site/year (95% HPD: 2.3 × 10(-4)-1.18 × 10(-3)). The time-scaled phylogenetic analysis showed that the root of the tree originated in 1947 (95% HPD: 1888-1988) as the virus entered in south eastern Asiatic regions. The segregation of sequences in two main clades (I and II) indicating that Nipah virus had two different introductions: one in 1995 (95% HPD: 1985-2002) which correspond to clade I, and the other in 1985 (95% HPD: 1971-1996) which correspond to clade II. The phylogeographic reconstruction indicated that the epidemic followed two different routes spreading to the other locations. The trade of infected pigs may have played a role in the spread of the virus. Bats of the Pteropus genus, that are able to travel to long distances, may have contributed to the spread of the infection. Negatively selected sites, statistically supported, could reflect the stability of the viral N protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lo Presti
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.|Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cella
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.|Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giovanetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", Section of Infectious Diseases and Immonupathology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Laboratory, University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angeletti
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", Section of Infectious Diseases and Immonupathology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianguglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zehender
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Reference Centre on Phylogeny, Molecular Epidemiology and Microbial Evolution (FEMEM)/Epidemiology Unit, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.|University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciccozzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D045464:Henipavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D045405:Nipah Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins
keywords: Nipah virus; evolution; phylogeny