ABSTRACTIn 2011, ticks were collected from livestock following an outbreak of Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Gujarat state, India. CCHF-negativeHyalomma anatolicumtick pools were passaged for virus isolation, and two virus isolates were obtained, designated Karyana virus (KARYV) and Kundal virus (KUNDV), respectively. Traditional reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) identification of known viruses was unsuccessful, but a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach identified KARYV and KUNDV as viruses in theReoviridaefamily,OrbivirusandColtivirusgenera, respectively. Viral genomes werede novoassembled, yielding 10 complete segments of KARYV and 12 nearly complete segments of KUNDV. The VP1 gene of KARYV shared a most recent common ancestor with Wad Medani virus (WMV), strain Ar495, and based on nucleotide identity we demonstrate that it is a novel WMV strain. The VP1 segment of KUNDV shares a common ancestor with Colorado tick fever virus, Eyach virus, Tai Forest reovirus, and Tarumizu tick virus from theColtivirusgenus. Based on VP1, VP6, VP7, and VP12 nucleotide and amino acid identities, KUNDV is proposed to be a new species ofColtivirus. Electron microscopy supported the classification of KARYV and KUNDV as reoviruses and identified replication morphology consistent with other orbi- and coltiviruses. The identification of novel tick-borne viruses carried by the CCHF vector is an important step in the characterization of their potential role in human and animal pathogenesis.IMPORTANCETicks and mosquitoes, as wellCulicoides, can transmit viruses in theReoviridaefamily. With the help of next-generation sequencing (NGS), previously unreported reoviruses such as equine encephalosis virus, Wad Medani virus (WMV), Kammavanpettai virus (KVPTV), and, with this report, KARYV and KUNDV have been discovered and characterized in India. The isolation of KUNDV and KARYV fromHyalomma anatolicum, which is a known vector for zoonotic pathogens, such as Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus,Babesia,Theileria, andAnaplasmaspecies, identifies arboviruses with the potential to transmit to humans. Characterization of KUNDV and KARYV isolated fromHyalommaticks is critical for the development of specific serological and molecular assays that can be used to determine the association of these viruses with disease in humans and livestock.
Generic amplification and next generation sequencing reveal Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus AP92-like strain and distinct tick phleboviruses in Anatolia, Turkey
