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Pyrosequencing of Bhanja virus and Palma virus
implicates the existence of a new distinct clade of
Bunyaviruses
M. Dilcher1, M. J. Alves2, F. T. Hufert1, M. Weidmann1
1
University Medical Center, Department of Virology, Göttingen, Germany
Center for Vectors and Infectious Diseases Research, Águas de Moura,
Portugal
2
Keywords: Bunyaviridae, Bhanja virus, Palma virus
Bhanja virus (BHAV) and Palma virus
(PALV) are tick-borne
Arboviruses of the Bhanja antigenic group, one of seven groups of
Bunyaviruses so far unassigned to any genus. These viruses have
been isolated from India, various parts of Africa, former USSR and
Europe. Confirmed vertebrate hosts are sheep, goat, cattle, African
hedgehog Atelerix albiventris, and African ground squirrel Xerus
erythropus. The viruses do not cause apparent infection in adult
animals but are pathogenic for young ruminants causing fever and
encephalitic symptoms. Several cases of Bhanja group virus febrile
illness have been documented in humans, with symptoms including
photophobia, vomiting, meningo-encephalitis, and pareses. In
addition, experimental encephalitis was produced in rhesus monkeys.
In order to elucidate the phylogenetic relationship of these viruses
within the Bunyaviridae family we determined the genome of BHAV
and PALV via pyrosequencing. We determined approximately 97%,
99% and 72% of the S-, M-, L- segments of BHAV and 100%, 99%
and 99% of the S-, M-, L- segments of PALV, including the complete
coding regions for the Nucleocapsid proteins, the Glycoprotein
precursors as well as the coding regions for the RdRP’s. The 3’
terminal sequences of the L–segment of BHAV were missed.
Supported by high bootstrap values phylogenetic analysis groups
these viruses together with the new tick-borne Phleboviruses
described in China last year provisionally termed SFSTV according to
the severe fever and thrombocytopenia syndrome they elicit. While
the L- and M- segment sequences of BHAV and PALV and SFSTV
form distinct subclades among the Phleboviruses, the S-segment
sequences are unique and more akin to Nairovirus sequences. This
unexpected mix of Phlebovirus and Nairovirus like segments confirms
the past difficulties in assigning these viruses to a particular genus by
serological methods.