Genomic nucleotide-based distance analysis for delimiting old world monkey derived herpes simplex virus species

Abstract

Background: Herpes simplex viruses form a genus within the alphaherpesvirus subfamily, with three identified viral species isolated from Old World monkeys (OWM); Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1 (McHV-1; herpes B), Cercopithecine alphaherpesvirus 2 (SA8), and Papiine alphaherpesvirus 2 (PaHV-2; herpes papio). Herpes B is endemic to macaques, while PaHV-2 and SA8 appear endemic to baboons. All three viruses are genetically and antigenically similar, with SA8 and PaHV-2 thought to be avirulent in humans, while herpes B is a biosafety level 4 pathogen. Recently, nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) has resulted in an increased number of published OWM herpes simplex genomes, allowing an encompassing phylogenetic analysis. Results: In this study, phylogenetic networks, in conjunction with a genome-based genetic distance cutoff method were used to examine 27 OWM monkey herpes simplex isolates. Genome-based genetic distances were calculated, resulting in distances between lion and pig-tailed simplex viruses themselves, and versus herpes B core strains that were higher than those between PaHV-2 and SA8 (approximately 14 and 10% respectively). The species distance cutoff was determined to be 8.94%, with the method recovering separate species status for PaHV-2 and SA8 and showed that lion and pig-tailed simplex viruses (vs core herpes B strains) were well over the distance species cutoff. Conclusions: We propose designating lion and pig-tailed simplex viruses as separate, individual viral species, and that this may be the first identification of viral cryptic species.

Development of Quantitative Real-Time PCR and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays for the Surveillance and Diagnosis of Herpes B Virus Infection

“…Recently, it was reported that the genetic characteristics, based on genetic markers of mtDNA, Y chromosome genes SRY and TSPY, whole genome sequences, and autosomal SNPs, are very distinctive between these two subspecies [34][35][36][37]. This reflects that each clade of BVs has independently evolved in a specific macaque species/subspecies [38]. This was also confirmed by the bigger picture that M. fascicualris, M. fuscata, and M. mulatta-which belonged to the same species group of fascicularis-were separated from M. nemestrina, which belonged to the silenus-sylvanus group [39].…”

A Recombinant System and Reporter Viruses for Papiine Alphaherpesvirus 2

“…Papiine alphaherpesvirus 2 (PaHV2) is closely related to McHV1 but has not been reported to cause disease in humans [3][4][5]. Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) 1 and 2 are more distant, with HSV2 showing a slightly closer overall relationship to PaHV2 than HSV1 [3,5].…”