Consensus proposals for classification of the family Hepeviridae

• DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.068429-0
• Publication Date: 2014-07-03T03:51:46Z
• Authors: Donald B. Smith; Peter Simmonds; ; Shahid Jameel; Suzanne U. Emerson; Tim J. Harrison; Xiang-Jin Meng; Hiroaki Okamoto; Wim H. M. Van der...; Michael A. Purdy
• Keywords: Bandicoot; Wild boar; Virus classification; Circovirus

The family Hepeviridae consists of positive-stranded RNA viruses that infect a wide range mammalian species, as well chickens and trout. A subset these infects humans can cause self-limiting acute hepatitis may become chronic in immunosuppressed individuals. Current published descriptions the taxonomical divisions within are contradictory relation to assignment species genotypes. Through analysis existing sequence information, we propose taxonomic scheme which is divided into genera Orthohepevirus (all avian E virus (HEV) isolates) Piscihepevirus (cutthroat trout virus). Species genus designated (isolates from human, pig, wild boar, deer, mongoose, rabbit camel), B chicken), C rat, greater bandicoot, Asian musk shrew, ferret mink) D bat). Proposals also made for designation genotypes human rat HEVs. This hierarchical system congruent with hepevirus phylogeny, three classification levels (genus, genotype) consistent with, reflect discontinuities ranges pairwise distances between amino acid sequences. Adoption this would include avoidance host names identifiers provide logical framework novel variants.