Open AccessDetection of Novel Sequences Related to African Swine Fever Virus in Human Serum and Sewage
Author(s) -
Joy Loh,
Guoyan Zhao,
Rachel M. Presti,
Lori R. Holtz,
Stacy R. Finkbeiner,
Lindsay Droit,
Zoilmar Villasana,
Collin Todd,
James M. Pipas,
Byron Calgua,
Rosina Gironés,
David Wang,
Herbert W. Virgin
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.00638-09
Subject(s) - african swine fever virus , biology , virology , virus , outbreak , genetic diversity , domestication , genetics , population , demography , sociology
The familyAsfarviridae contains only a single virus species, African swine fever virus (ASFV). ASFV is a viral agent with significant economic impact due to its devastating effects on populations of domesticated pigs during outbreaks but has not been reported to infect humans. We report here the discovery of novel viral sequences in human serum and sewage which are clearly related to the asfarvirus family but highly divergent from ASFV. Detection of these sequences suggests that greater genetic diversity may exist among asfarviruses than previously thought and raises the possibility that human infection by asfarviruses may occur.