title: Identification and Genomic Analysis of a Novel Group C Orthobunyavirus Isolated from a Mosquito Captured near Iquitos, Peru.
abstract: Group C orthobunyaviruses are single-stranded RNA viruses found in both South and North America. Until very recently, and despite their status as important vector-borne human pathogens, no Group C whole genome sequences containing all three segments were available in public databases. Here we report a Group C orthobunyavirus, named El Huayo virus, isolated from a pool of Culex portesi mosquitoes captured near Iquitos, Peru. Although initial metagenomic analysis yielded only a handful of reads belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus, single contig assemblies were generated for L, M, and S segments totaling over 200,000 reads (~0.5% of sample). Given the moderately high viremia in hamsters (>107 plaque-forming units/ml) and the propensity for Cx. portesi to feed on rodents, it is possible that El Huayo virus is maintained in nature in a Culex portesi/rodent cycle. El Huayo virus was found to be most similar to Peruvian Caraparu virus isolates and constitutes a novel subclade within Group C.
authors.affiliation: National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Todd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Treangen
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, U. S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Callao, Peru.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schoeler
authors.affiliation: National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Adam M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Phillippy
authors.affiliation: National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, Frederick, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nicholas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.affiliation: Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Turell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006224:Cricetinae; D003465:Culex / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016851:Orthobunyavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010568:Peru; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral