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Genome Sequence Analysis of First Ross River Virus Isolate from Papua New Guinea Indicates Long-Term, Local Evolution
Alice Michie1, John S Mackenzie2,3,4, David W Smith2
1School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia.
Viruses
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Ross River virus (RRV) has evolved independently in Papua New Guinea over 40 years. This unique PNG strain may have originated from the 1979 Pacific epidemic, highlighting the need for regional surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Genomics
Background:
- Ross River virus (RRV) is Australia's most significant mosquito-borne illness, causing febrile illness and persistent joint pain.
- RRV caused a major epidemic across Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) in 1979-1980, with over 50,000 cases.
- Previous serological data suggests RRV presence in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Indonesia, and the Solomon Islands.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform genomic characterization and timescale analysis of the first RRV isolate from PNG.
- To investigate the evolutionary history and potential origins of RRV in PNG.
- To understand the molecular epidemiology of RRV in the Australasian region.
Main Methods:
- Genomic sequencing of the first RRV isolate from PNG.
- Phylogenetic analysis to determine evolutionary relationships.
- Timescale analysis (tMRCA) to estimate divergence times.
Main Results:
- The PNG RRV isolate represents a distinct lineage, evolving locally and independently from Australian strains over approximately 40 years.
- The estimated time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of the PNG clade aligns with the 1979 PICTs epidemic.
- This suggests a possible seeding event of an ancestral PNG RRV variant into the region during the epidemic.
Conclusions:
- RRV in PNG has a unique evolutionary history separate from Australian lineages.
- The 1979 PICTs epidemic may have introduced or influenced the emergence of the PNG RRV clade.
- Enhanced epidemiological and molecular surveillance in PNG is crucial for understanding regional RRV dynamics.
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