Genomic sequence of an antigenic variant Newcastle disease virus isolated in Korea

In Korea, extensive Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine programs have been implemented, but ND outbreaks continue to occur occasionally, even in well-vaccinated farms. KBNP-4152 is a virulent ND virus, which has been isolated from vaccinated chickens in Korea. In this study, we conducted a comparison of the antigenicity of KBNP-4152 with that of a vaccine strain, La Sota, via virus-neutralization (VN) and cross haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests, and analyzed the genomic sequences. The antigenicity of KBNP-4152 was distinct from La Sota, and the expected genome size was 15,192 nt, as was the case with other recent virulent ND viruses analyzed. Based on the partial F gene, the strain was phylogenetically classified into the VIId genotype, but was distinct from other VII viruses due to amino acid changes at (E347K) and proximal to (M354K), the major linear epitope of HN, as well as relatively low amino acid similarity of the V protein, and a truncated W protein (203 aa vs. 227 aa). Therefore, KBNP-4152 is unique among genotype VII.