Characterization of Virulent West Nile Virus Kunjin Strain, Australia, 2011

• DOI: 10.3201/eid1805.111720
• Publication Date: 2012-03-07T16:05:26Z
• Authors: Melinda J. Frost; Jing Zhang; Judith H. Edmonds; Natalie A. Prow; Xingnian Gu; Rodney Davis; Christine Hornitzky; Kathleen E. Arzey; Deborah Finlaison; Paul Hick; Andrew Read; Jody Hobson-Peters; Fiona J. May; Stephen L. Doggett; John Haniotis; Richard C. Russell; Roy A. Hall; Alexander A. Khro...; Peter D. Kirkland
• Keywords: West Nile virus; Virus strain; Strain (injury)

Abstract To determine the cause of an unprecedented outbreak encephalitis among horses in New South Wales, Australia, 2011, we performed genomic sequencing viruses isolated from affected and mosquitoes. Results showed that most cases were caused by a variant West Nile virus (WNV) strain, WNVNSW2011, is closely related to WNV Kunjin (WNVKUN), indigenous strain Australia. Studies mouse models for pathogenesis WNVNSW2011 substantially more neuroinvasive than prototype WNVKUN strain. In this apparent increase virulence over correlated with at least 2 known markers are not found WNVKUN. Additional studies needed relationship currently previously circulating strains confirm increased emerging