Isolation and Characterization of Akhmeta Virus from Wild-Caught Rodents ( Apodemus spp.) in Georgia
Abstract
Akhmeta virus is a unique Orthopoxvirus that was described in 2013 from the country of Georgia. This paper presents the first isolation of this virus from small mammal (Rodentia; Apodemus spp.) samples and the molecular characterization of those isolates. The identification of the virus in small mammals is an essential component to understanding the natural history of this virus and its transmission to human populations and could guide public health interventions in Georgia. Akhmeta virus genomes harbor evidence suggestive of recombination with a variety of other orthopoxviruses; this has implications for the evolution of orthopoxviruses, their ability to infect mammalian hosts, and their ability to adapt to novel host species.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2019
- Source ID
- 10.1128/jvi.00966-19
Entities
People
- Audrey M. Matheny
- Chris Upton
- Clint N. Morgan
- Darin S. Carroll
- Ginny L. Emerson
- Giorgi Maghlakelidze
- Irakli Sikharulidze
- Jeffrey B. Doty
- Jinxin Gao
- Maia Turmanidze
- Matthew R. Mauldin
- Natia Kartskhia
- Otar Parkadze
- Shin-lin Tu
- Shiyuyun Tang
- Whitni Davidson
- Yoshinori Nakazawa
- Yu Li
Organizations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
- National Food Agency
- University of Victoria