Identification of Rabies Virus from Chinese Ferret-Badger and Analysis of Its P and M Genes

Abstract

Infection of rabies virus (RV) was inspected in 23 captured wild Chinese Ferret-badgers by direct fluorescence immunoassay. One of the Ferret-badger was identified to be RV antigen positive. Existence of the RV was confirmed by the RT-PCR. The P and M genes of the RV from the badger (CZJF01) was amplified and the genetic variability on functional positions were studied on molecular level. The homology comparison and evolution analysis of the P and M genes among the rabies virus isolated from Chinese Ferret-Badger, human, dog, vaccine strains were performed. As the results, the CZJF01 strain shared with the RV from other sources in nucleotide sequences a homology of 80.6％~ 98.7％ and 84.2％~97.2％ for the P and M gene, respectively, and a homology of 86.2％~ 96.6％ and 89.2％~ 96.6％ in the relevant amino acid sequences, respectively. Phylogenic analysis of the P and M gene nucleotide sequence revealed that the CZJF01 strain was closely related with the genotype 1 RV strains. The CZJF01 has the closest evolution relation with a vaccine strain, HEP-Flury. The functional area of P and M gene is highly conserved among all the genotype 1 RV strains. There were no variations on functional positions of P and M proteins that affect its biological functions. The vaccine developed from HEP-Flury may have better protective effect in Zhejiang, China.