Whole genome analysis of a novel neurotropic bovine astrovirusdetected in a Japanese black steer with non?suppurativeencephalomyelitis in Japan

AbstractWhile neurotropic bovine astroviruses (BoAstVs) have been identified in North America and Europe, their presence hasnever been reported in Asia. In this study, we detected BoAstV in the brain of a steer showing neurological signs. Phylogeneticanalysis revealed that the identified virus belongs to the Virginia/Human-Mink-Ovine clade, which contains most ofthe neurotropic astroviruses including the neurotropic BoAstVs. Similarity plot analysis showed that the virus was closelyrelated to the American BoAstV NeuroS1 strain with respect to the ORF regions and to the European BoAstV CH13 strainin the 3? untranslated region, suggesting the occurrence of intra-genotypic recombination events