Phylogenetic analysis of Brazilian Fla6i6irus using nucleotide sequences of parts of NS5 gene and 3 % non-coding regions

Viruses of the genus Fla6i6irus, which are arboviruses, of the Flaviviridae family, are amongst the most important agents of infectious disease in Brazil, causing human infections with a high morbility and mortality. In this work, the phylogeny of 14 virus amplicon sequences that were obtained by RT-PCR with universal primers for mosquito-borne Fla6i6irus were studied. The amplicons included a region of the Fla6i6irus genome of 129 nucleotides at the 3 % terminus of the NS5 gene and the 145 initial nucleotides of the 3 % non-coding region (NS5-3%NCR). Based on phylogenetic trees, most Brazilian Fla6i6iruses were grouped into two main branches, including a yellow-fever branch and a second main branch divided into a dengue branch that in its turn is subdivided into serotype 1, 2 and 4 branches, and another (Japanese Encephalitis Virus Complex) branch including SLE and Ilhéus. Rocio and Cacipacore ́ viruses were included in the Japanese Encephalitis Virus Complex branch in one of the two phylogenetic trees. Iguape virus appears in phylogenetic trees as a separate distant branch. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved