Abstract
Perpetuation, overwintering, and extinction of eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in northern foci are poorly understood. We therefore sought to describe the molecular epidemiology of EEEV in New York State during current and past epizootics. To determine whether EEEV overwinters, is periodically reintroduced, or both, we sequenced the E2 and partial NSP3 coding regions of 42 EEEV isolates from New York State and the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Our phylogenetic analyses indicated that derived subclades tended to contain southern strains that had been isolated before genetically similar northern strains, suggesting southern to northern migration of EEEV along the Eastern Seaboard. Strong clustering among strains isolated during epizootics in New York from 2003-2005, as well as from 1974-1975, demonstrates that EEEV has overwintered in this focus. This study provides molecular evidence for the introduction of southern EEEV strains to New York, followed by local amplification, perpetuation, and overwintering.
Highlights
Perpetuation, overwintering, and extinction of eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in northern foci are poorly understood
We examined 35 strains isolated in New York during 1971–1975 and 2003–2005 and 7 strains collected along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States during 2002–2003
We described the molecular epidemiology of EEEV strains collected during the current and past epizootics in New York
Summary
Perpetuation, overwintering, and extinction of eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) in northern foci are poorly understood. We sought to describe the molecular epidemiology of EEEV in New York State during current and past epizootics. To determine whether EEEV overwinters locally in temperate regions such as upstate New York or whether annual reintroduction is required to reinitiate the transmission cycle, we compared nucleotide sequences comprising the entire E2 coding region and part of the NSP3 coding region. We examined 35 strains isolated in New York during 1971–1975 and 2003–2005 and 7 strains collected along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States during 2002–2003 Using these data, we described the molecular epidemiology of EEEV strains collected during the current and past epizootics in New York
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