Group Group IV ((+)ssRNA) Genus Flavivirus Rank Species | Family Flaviviridae Higher classification Flavivirus | |
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Scientific name Tick-borne encephalitis virus Similar Flaviviridae, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes, Ixodes persulcatus, Ixodidae | ||
Electron tomography analysis of tick borne encephalitis virus infection in human neurons
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the virus associated with tick-borne encephalitis.
Contents
Taxonomy
TBEV is a member of the genus Flavivirus. Other close relatives include Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus, Kyasanur forest disease virus, Alkhurma virus, Louping ill virus and the Langat virus.
Subtypes
TBEV has three subtypes:
The reference strain is the Sofjin strain.
Evolution
The ancestor of the extant strains appears to have separated into several clades approximately 2750 years ago. The Siberian and Far Eastern subtypes diverged about 2250 years ago.
A second analysis suggests an earlier date of evolution (3300 years ago) with a rapid increase in the number of strains starting ~300 years ago.
This virus has been transmitted at least three times into Japan between 260–430 years ago.
The strains circulating in Latvia appear to have originated from both Russia and Western Europe while those in Estonia appear to have originated in Russia. The Lithuanian strains appear to be related to those from Western Europe.