title: Molecular, serological and in vitro culture-based characterization of Bourbon virus, a newly described human pathogen of the genus Thogotovirus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In June of 2014, a previously healthy man from Kansas with a recent history of tick exposure died from complications related to an illness marked by fever, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. An isolate was derived from the blood of this patient during the course of diagnostic testing. This isolate was subsequently identified as a novel orthomyxovirus of the genus Thogotovirus by next generation sequencing and was named Bourbon virus after the patient's county of residence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To support research and diagnostic aims, we provide a basic description of Bourbon virus at both the molecular and serological levels. Furthermore, to preliminarily identify potential host and vector range associations we have characterized the growth kinetics of Bourbon virus in a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bourbon virus was subjected to next generation-high throughput sequencing, phylogenetic, and basic structural protein analyses as well as 2-way plaque reduction neutralization assays. Also, we inoculated a variety of cell types with Bourbon virus and evaluated the growth kinetics by determining viral titers in the supernatants taken from infected cells over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bourbon virus possesses 24-82% identity at the amino acid sequence level and low serological cross-reactivity with other Thogotoviruses. In vitro growth kinetics reveal robust replication of Bourbon virus in mammalian and tick cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Molecular and serological characterizations identify Bourbon virus as a novel member of the genus Thogotovirus. Results from cell culture analyses suggest an association between Bourbon virus and mammalian and tick hosts.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA. Electronic address: ahk7@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Jason O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Velez
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Brault
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.affiliation: The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0NF, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bell-Sakyi
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bosco-Lauth
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: J Erin
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Staples
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Olga I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Kosoy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010802:Phylogeny; D018117:Thogotovirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014709:Vero Cells; D019562:Viral Load
keywords: Bourbon virus; Characterization; In vitro growth; Molecular; Serological; Thogotovirus