Phylogenetic analysis of Croatian orf viruses isolated from sheep and goats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>Orf virus </it>(ORFV) is the prototype of the parapoxvirus genus and it primarily causes contagious ecthyma in goats, sheep, and other ruminants worldwide. In this paper, we described the sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the B2L gene of ORFV from two natural outbreaks: i) in autochthonous Croatian Cres-breed sheep and ii) on small family goat farm.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the ORFV B2L gene showed that the Cro-Cres-12446/09 and Cro-Goat-11727/10 were not clustered together. Cro-Cres-12446/09 shared the highest similarity with ORFV NZ2 from New Zealand, and Ena from Japan; Cro-Goat-11727/10 was closest to the HuB from China and Taiping and Hoping from Taiwan.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Distinct ORFV strains are circulating in Croatia. Although ORFV infections are found ubiquitously wherever sheep and goats are farmed in Croatia, this is the first information on genetic relatedness of any Croatian ORFV with other isolates around the world.</p

Chromosome 14 contains determinants that regulate susceptibility to Theiler's virus-induced demyelination in the mouse.

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus causes a chronic demyelinating disease in susceptible strains of mice that is similar to human multiple sclerosis. Several nonmajor histocompatibility complex-linked genes have been implicated as determinants of susceptibility or resistance to either demyelination or virus persistence. In this study, we used linkage analysis of major histocompatibility complex identical H-2d (DBA/2J x B10.D2) F2 intercross mice to identify loci associated with susceptibility to virus-induced demyelinating disease. In a 20-cM region on chromosome 14, we identified four markers, D14Mit54, D14Mit60, D14Mit61, and D14Mit90 that are significantly associated with demyelination. Because two peaks were identified, one near D14Mit54 and one near D14Mit90, it is possible that two loci in this region are involved in controlling demyelination