Whole-genome analysis of the virus from the first imported case of Rift Valley Fever in China

Objective To analyze the whole genome of rift valley fever virus (RVFV) derived from the first imported case of rift valley fever in China. Methods The genomic RNA was extracted from blood and saliva sample, and was reverse-transcripted into cDNA. Whole-genome sequencing by second generation sequencing (NGS) was achieved by using Ion Torrent PGM. Results The 11 979nt genome of RVFV was obtained by NGS. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the virus belonged to Clade E, and was highly homologous compared with Kakamas strains in South Africa. No significant effective mutations of amino acids were observed, except for M1V mutation in C-terminal signal region of Gn protein. Conclusions The RVFV virus analyzed in this study showed a very similar genomic feature compared with circulating isolates in African recently. Key words: Rift valley fever virus; Whole genome sequencing; Next-generation sequencing; Genetic variation; Phylogenetic analysis