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A Revised Classification of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) Genotypes and Subtypes
Bernal León1, Gabriel González2, Bradd Mendoza-Guido3
1Laboratorio Bioseguridad, Departamento Diagnóstico Veterinario, Laboratorio Nacional de Servicios Veterinarios, Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal, Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, Ulloa, Heredia 40104, Costa Rica.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 28, 2026
Summary
Accurate classification of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) is crucial for livestock health. This study establishes genomic benchmarks to delineate VSV species, genotypes, and subtypes, improving disease surveillance.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Genomic Epidemiology
- Molecular Taxonomy
Background:
- Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) causes livestock disease mimicking Foot-and-Mouth Disease, requiring its reportable status.
- Accurate VSV classification is vital for effective epidemiological surveillance and disease control strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To update the taxonomic organization of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) using whole-genome sequence data.
- To establish quantitative genomic criteria for differentiating VSV species, genotypes, and subtypes for enhanced surveillance.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analysis of publicly available VSV whole-genome sequences.
- Application of the Species Demarcation Tool (SDT) to assess pairwise nucleotide identity.
- Construction of a rooted maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree to cluster viral strains.
Main Results:
- Nucleotide divergence thresholds were identified: >30% for species, 10-30% for genotypes, and 6-10% for subtypes within the Vesiculovirus genus.
- These quantitative benchmarks provide a robust framework for VSV classification.
- The study successfully clustered VSV strains based on genetic identity scores.
Conclusions:
- The established genomic benchmarks significantly enhance the precision of VSV classification.
- This updated taxonomic framework improves genomic surveillance capabilities for tracking VSV evolution and transmission.
- Accurate classification facilitates better monitoring of VSV genotypes and subtypes across different regions.
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