Nucleotide sequence analysis of the serotype-specific epitope of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus

The cDNA nucleotide sequences of the infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) serotype-specific epitope of the major structural protein VP 2 were determined for a Scottish strain (Sp serotype), and an IPNV field isolate from Shetland. Comparison of the sequence data indicated that the field isolate was of the Sp serotype. The Scottish Sp strain and the field isolate showed less than 3% difference in nucleotide sequence over this region compared to the Norwegian N 1 strain, and all three European viruses differed by approximately 23% from the Canadian Jasper strain.