title: Mercadeo Virus: A Novel Mosquito-Specific Flavivirus from Panama.
abstract: Viruses in the genus Flavivirus (family Flaviviridae) include many arthropod-borne viruses of public health and veterinary importance. However, during the past two decades an explosion of novel insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs), some closely related to vertebrate pathogens, have been discovered. Although many flavivirus pathogens of vertebrates have been isolated from naturally infected mosquitoes in Panama, ISFs have not previously been reported from the country. This report describes the isolation and characterization of a novel ISF, tentatively named Mercadeo virus (MECDV), obtained from Culex spp. mosquitoes collected in Panama. Two MECDV isolates were sequenced and cluster phylogenetically with cell-fusing agent virus (CFAV) and Nakiwogo virus (NAKV) to form a distinct lineage within the insect-specific group of flaviviruses.
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Jean-Paul
authors: JP
authors: Carrera
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Hilda
authors: H
authors: Guzman
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Davis
authors: D
authors: Beltrán
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Yamilka
authors: Y
authors: Díaz
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: López-Vergès
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Rolando
authors: R
authors: Torres-Cosme
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Vsevolod
authors: V
authors: Popov
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Steven G
authors: SG
authors: Widen
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Thomas G
authors: TG
authors: Wood
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Scott C
authors: SC
authors: Weaver
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Cáceres-Carrera
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
authors: Nikos
authors: N
authors: Vasilakis
authors: Department of Virology and Biotechnology Research, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; Department of Medical Entomology, Gorgas Memorial Institute of Health Studies, Panama City, Panama; School of Medicine, Columbus University, Panama City, Panama; Department of Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infectious and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas rtesh@utmb.edu.
authors: Robert B
authors: RB
authors: Tesh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003465:Culex / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D005416:Flavivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018177:Flavivirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010176:Panama / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA