High Genomic Variability in Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Obtained from Naturally Infected Horses in Pantanal, Brazil: An Endemic Region Case

A groundbreaking study reveals high genomic variability in the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) from naturally infected horses in Brazil's Pantanal region, an endemic area. Researchers obtained and annotated complete viral genomes for the first time, identifying significant nucleotide identity differences (88.6%) between Brazilian strains and established field strains (75.8-77.3%). Phylogenetic analysis suggests these Brazilian EIAV strains form a distinct monophyletic group. The study utilized next-generation sequencing (NGS) and Sanger methodology to analyze RNA from plasma samples, uncovering conserved gag and pol genes but high variability in LTR and env sequences. Notably, amino acid changes were detected in the p26 protein, a common diagnostic target, with molecular modeling revealing surface epitope alterations. These findings advance understanding of EIAV's genetic diversity and its implications for diagnosis and control in endemic regions.

Malossi, C. D., Fioratti, E. G., Cardoso, J. F., Magro, A. J., Kroon, E. G., Aguiar, D. M. d., Borges, A. M. C. M., Nogueira, M. F., Ullmann, L. S., & Araujo, J. P. (2020). High Genomic Variability in Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Obtained from Naturally Infected Horses in Pantanal, Brazil: An Endemic Region Case. Viruses, 12(2), 207. https://doi.org/10.3390/v12020207