Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Jingmen tick virus in Jiangxi Province, China

Abstract

Abstract Background The Jingmen tick virus is a newly identified segmented flaviviruses that has been recognized in multiple hosts, including humans. It has been reported in nine provinces of China in recent years, implying potential threads to public health. Methods In current study, We collected 66 ticks from 17 wild boars in four cities of Jiangxi Province for JMTV epidemic investigation. Viral metagenomic sequencing was employed to obtain the full genome sequence of one JMTV strain (WY01) in Jiangxi Province. Further bioinformatic analysis including multiple sequences alignment and phylogenetic analysis were applied to profile the genetic background of WY01. Results JMTV has been detected in Shangrao, Nanchang, and Jiujiang City of Jiangxi Province with positivity rates of 27.3%, 30%, and 16.7%, respectively. The positive rate of JMTV carried by Haemaphysalis longicornis and Dermacentor silvarum was 14.6% and 33.3% respectively. Furthermore, we have obtained the complete genome of a strain named WY01. Phylogenetic analysis divided the strains into two genotypes, Group I and Group II. Group I includes strains from Europe, Central America, and West Asia, while Group II consists of strains from East Asia and Southeast Asia. Group II was further split into two subgroups. Phylogenetic analysis has revealed that WY01 belongs to subgroup IIb and it shares the closest evolutionary relationship with the strains of Japan rather than the strains from neighboring provinces. Conclusions Current study showed that JMTV is prevalent in the ticks of wild boars in Jiangxi Province, implying potential threat on public health. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the genetic clustering was generally associated with geographical location, however, the inconsistency was observed in China and Japan strains. The close evolutionary relationship between WY01 and Japanese strains suggests that JMTV have complex transmission mechanism and pathways. In the future, there is a pressing necessity to enhance epidemiological investigations of JMTV.