Characterization of orbiviruses of the Kemerovo serogroup: isolations and serological comparisons

Nine Orbiviruses of the Kemerovo serogroup were isolated from ticks collected in seabird colonies situated in the U.K., Faeroe Islands, Norway, Morocco and California, U.S.A. Comparison by serological tests with previously reported members of the Kemerovo serogroup demonstrated that viruses isolated from the hard tick, Ixodes uriae, were members of the Great Island subgroup, whereas viruses from soft ticks, Argas monolakensis and Ornithodoros maritimus, belonged to the Chenuda subgroup. Members of the Chenuda group differed from the Great Island group in their ability to produce plaques in Xenopus cell cultures and in the time taken to produce clinical signs in infected mice.