GENETIC TYPING OF PESTIVIRUSES FROM NEW-ZEALAND

Aim, To investigate the genetic type of 20 pestiviruses collected from New Zealand over the period 1967-97. Methods. The pestiviruses were g enetically typed by the sequencing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. The primers selected were from the 5'-untranslated region (5 '-UTR) of the pestivirus genome and consistently amplified a 288bp fra gment from all samples tested. Results. Sequencing and phylogenetic an alysis of PCR products revealed that all samples obtained from cattle represented bovine viral diarrhoea (BVDV) type I. Two sheep isolates w ere characterised as border disease virus (BDV). A pestivirus isolated from foetal calf serum of USA origin was typed as BVDV type II. Concl usions. the findings show that the evolution of pestiviruses in New Ze aland has been similar to Europe and North America,indicating the occu rrence of a conservative phylogenetic branch of BVDV type I in cattle and the presence of BDV in the sheep population.