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Title: Complete genome sequence of genotype VI Newcastle disease viruses isolated from pigeons in Pakistan

Author
item WAJID, ABDUL - University Of Veterinary And Animal Sciences
item SHARMA, POONAM - Orise Fellow
item REHMANI SHAFQAT, FATIMA - University Of Veterinary And Animal Sciences
item DIMITROV, KIRIL - National Diagnostic And Research Veterinary Medicine Institute
item Afonso, Claudio

Submitted to: Genome Announcements
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2016
Publication Date: 8/18/2016
Citation: Wajid, A., Sharma, P., Rehmani Shafqat, F., Dimitrov, K.M., Afonso, C.L. 2016. Complete genome sequence of genotype VI Newcastle disease viruses isolated from pigeons in Pakistan. Genome Announcements. 4(4)e000845-16. doi:10.1128/genomeA.00845-16.

Interpretive Summary: Virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are devastating for domestic fowl and have vast economic and social consequences, especially in developing countries. The virus is distributed world-wide and is highly mobile, thus posing a constant threat to US poultry industry. An antigenic variant of the virus known as pigeon paramyxovirus 1 (PPMV-1) is commonly isolated from pigeons (but not only). There is only one single serotype of NDV, however, as the virus is constantly mutating and evolving, a wide variety of genetic differences have been identified among the isolates. The genetic variation observed among Newcastle disease viruses highlights the need of continuous characterization of all existing variants of this pathogen to further provide knowledge on its ecology and epidemiology. Here we provide a report on the complete genome sequences of two Newcastle disease viruses from Pakistan. This information will provide additional genetic information for future evolutionary and epidemiological studies of Newcastle Disease viruses.

Technical Abstract: Two complete genome sequences of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are described here. Virulent isolates pigeon/Pakistan/Lahore/21A/2015 and pigeon/Pakistan/Lahore/25A/2015 were obtained from racing pigeons sampled in the Pakistani province of Punjab during 2015. Phylogenetic analysis of the fusion protein genes and complete genomes classified the isolates as members of NDV class II, genotype VI.