Isolation and complete nucleotide sequence of a Chinese Sindbis-like virus

infection with alphaviruses is common in the Chinese population. Here we re port the isolation of a Sindbis-like virus from a pool of Anopheles mosquit oes collected in Xinjiang, China during an arbovirus survey, This virus, de signated XJ-160, rapidly produced cytopathic effects on mosquito and hamste r cells. In addition, it was lethal to neonatal mice if inoculated intracer ebrally. Serologically, XJ-160 reacted with and was neutralized by an anti- Sindbis antibody. Anti-XI-180 antibodies were found in several cohorts of C hinese subjects. The complete 11626-base nucleotide sequence of XJ-160 was determined. XJ-160 has diverged significantly from the prototype Sindbis vi rus, with an 18% difference in nucleotide sequence and an 8.6% difference i n amino acids; there are 11 deletions and 2 insertions, involving 99 nucleo tides in total. XJ-160 is most closely linked to Kyzylagach virus isolated in Azerbaijan, Both belong to the African/European genetic lineage of Sindb is virus, albeit more distantly related to other members.