Genetic relationships between foot-and-mouth disease type Asia 1 viruses

The sequence of 165 nucleotides at the 3' end of the 1D (VP1) gene of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus was determined for 44 type Asia 1 strains isolated from throughout Asia between 1954-92. Analysis of the relationships between the virus genomes showed epidemiological links not previously evident. The possible origin of the only outbreak of FMD Asia 1 to have occurred in Europe, in Greece in 1984, was identified because the nucleotide sequence of this virus was closely-related to the sequences of those present in the Middle East between 1983-5. Variation in the region sequenced was not as great as that seen in the other FMDV serotypes and all viruses shared greater than 85% nucleotide identity. Thus all the virus isolates examined were considered to belong to a single genotype. A database of Asia 1 virus sequences has been established which will facilitate the rapid analysis of new outbreaks strains.