Genetic and epidemiological characterization of Middle Point orbivirus, a novel virus isolated from sentinel cattle in northern Australia

Middle Point orbivirus (MPOV) was isolated in 1998 from a healthy cow pastured at Beatrice Hill farm, Middle Point (formerly Coastal Plains Research Station), 50 km east of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory. The isolate could not be identified by using conventional serological tests, and electron microscopy indicated that it belongs to the family Reoviridae, genus Orbivirus. Genetic sequencing of segments 2 and 3 revealed that this virus is related to Yunnan orbivirus, an orbivirus known only from China and not previously associated with a vertebrate host. A real-time RT-PCR test was developed to study the epidemiology of this virus in the field. Over 150 previously unidentified viruses isolated from cattle between 1994 and 2006 were positively identified as isolates of MPOV. Serology was used to demonstrate the development of antibody responses to MPOV in cattle from multiple locations across the Northern Territory.