Identification and characterization of Jingmen tick virus in Jiangsu, China

Jingmen virus (JMV) is a group of viruses that belong to the Flaviviridae family. These viruses have been shown to cause widespread infections in various hosts and can lead to febrile illnesses in humans. Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) as an important member of the JMV group, has been detected in multiple countries worldwide and poses a significant threat to public health. This study utilized metagenomic sequencing technology to detect JMV in tick samples collected in Jiangsu Province. The results demonstrated the presence of JMTV in Jiangsu and identified two complete genomes (ZJ-7-4-2 and ZJ-7-9) from Haemaphysalis campanulate ticks. These gene sequences exhibited the highest sequence similarity to the known Japanese isolate of JMTV. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the JMTV identified in this study clustered within the same clade as the Japanese JMTV. In summary, this study reported for the first time that JMTV is prevalent in Jiangsu Province, China. These findings expand the known geographic distribution and genetic diversity of JMTV, providing new insights into its epidemiology and viral evolution.