Abstract
Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus circulating in Western Europe that causes die-offs of mainly common blackbirds (Turdus merula). In the Netherlands, USUV was first detected in 2016, when it was identified as the likely cause of an outbreak in birds. In this study, dead blackbirds were collected, screened for the presence of USUV and submitted to Nanopore-based sequencing. Genomic sequences of 112 USUV were obtained and phylogenetic analysis showed that most viruses identified belonged to the USUV Africa 3 lineage, and molecular clock analysis evaluated their most recent common ancestor to 10 to 4 years before first detection of USUV in the Netherlands. USUV Europe 3 lineage, commonly found in Germany, was less frequently detected. This analyses further suggest some extent of circulation of USUV between the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, as well as likely overwintering of USUV in the Netherlands.
Highlights
Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus circulating in Western Europe that causes die-offs of mainly common blackbirds (Turdus merula)
USUV was for first identified in Europe in 2001, when it was determined to be the causative agent of a mass mortality event in several bird species in Austria[8]
Our understanding of the USUV geographical range has since expanded to include the majority of European countries[10], where outbreaks are marked by mass die-offs of wild birds, with the heaviest toll on common blackbird (Turdus merula) populations
Summary
Usutu virus (USUV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus circulating in Western Europe that causes die-offs of mainly common blackbirds (Turdus merula). USUV was for first identified in Europe in 2001, when it was determined to be the causative agent of a mass mortality event in several bird species in Austria[8]. This prompted retrospective analysis of archived tissue samples from dead wild birds in Italy in 1996, which revealed an earlier presence of the virus in Europe[9]. The assignment and nomenclature of USUV lineages are not standardized, and it is unclear if the lineages differ in their potential to be transmitted by mosquitoes and to infect or cause disease in different wild bird species and/or humans[29]
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