Re-Emerged Genotype IV of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Is the Youngest Virus in Evolution.

ABSTRACT: An outbreak of viral encephalitis caused by a Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) genotype IV infection occurred in Australia between 2021 and 2022. A total of 47 cases and seven deaths were reported as of November 2022. This is the first outbreak of human viral encephalitis caused by JEV GIV since it was first isolated in Indonesia in the late 1970s. Here, a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis based on the whole genome sequences of JEVs revealed it emerged 1037 years ago (95% HPD: 463 to 2100 years). The evolutionary order of JEV genotypes is as follows: GV, GIII, GII, GI, and GIV. The JEV GIV emerged 122 years ago (95% HPD: 57-233) and is the youngest viral lineage. The mean substitution rate of the JEV GIV lineage was 1.145 × 10^-3 (95% HPD values, 9.55 × 10^-4, 1.35 ×

SUBMITTER: Xu G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10054483 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature