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Phylogeny and Molecular Epidemiology of West Nile and Kunjin Viruses

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Japanese Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 267))

Abstract

The Flavivirus genus in the family Flaviviridae, is composed of approximately 70 antigenically related, positive-stranded RNA viruses (Chambers et al. 1990; Kuno et al. 1998). Kunjin (KUN) and West Nile (WN) viruses are mosquito-borne viruses that belong to the Japanese encephalitis (JE) antigenic complex of the Flavivirus genus (Heinz et al. 2000). Clinical symptoms most commonly associated with human infection with KUN (Mackenzie et al. 1993; Phillips et al. 1992; see chapter by Hall et al., this volume) and WN viruses (Monath and Heinz 1996; Cernescu et al. 2000) include febrile illness, often with myalgia, or mild to moderately severe encephalitis. However, WN virus has also been associated with fatal cases of acute meningoencephalitis and fulminant hepatitis (Monath and Heinz 1996; Cernescu et al. 2000). Both viruses are maintained in a natural transmission cycle involving mosquito vectors and bird reservoir hosts with humans and horses believed to be incidental hosts (Hayes 1988; Marshall 1988; see chapters by Hall et al. and McLean et al., this volume). There are several comprehensive reviews on the ecology and epidemiology of WN and KUN viruses (see Hayes 1988; Marshall 1988; Hubálek and Halouzka 1999; see also chapters by Hall et al., Malkinson and Banet, and Roehrig et al., this volume).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Tropical Diseases and Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555-0609, USA

    J. H. Scherret

  2. Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia

    J. S. Mackenzie & R. A. Hall

  3. Centre de Recherche Mérieux Pasteur à Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Gamier, 69365, Lyon Cedex 7, France

    V. Deubel

  4. Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SR, UK

    E. A. Gould

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  1. J. H. Scherret
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  2. J. S. Mackenzie
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  3. R. A. Hall
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  4. V. Deubel
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  5. E. A. Gould
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    John S. Mackenzie

  2. Departments of Pathology and Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Medical Branch of Galveston, Galveston, 77555-0605, USA

    Alan D. T. Barrett

  3. Centre de Recherche Mérieux Pasteur à Lyon, 21 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69365, Lyon cedex 7, France

    Vincent Deubel

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Scherret, J.H., Mackenzie, J.S., Hall, R.A., Deubel, V., Gould, E.A. (2002). Phylogeny and Molecular Epidemiology of West Nile and Kunjin Viruses. In: Mackenzie, J.S., Barrett, A.D.T., Deubel, V. (eds) Japanese Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 267. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59403-8_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59403-8_18

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