Genome sequence of an Australian strain of canid alphaherpesvirus 1

Objective Characterisation of a complete genome sequence of an Australian strain of canid alphaherpesvirus 1 (CHV-1) and its phylogenetic relationship with other varicellovirus species. Methods Standard pathology and PCR methods were used to initially detect herpesvirus in hepatic tissue from an infected 4-week-old Labrador Retriever puppy. The complete CHV-1 genome was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology followed by de novo and reference assembly, and genome annotation. Results The CHV-1 genome was 125 kbp in length and contained 74 predicted open reading frames encoding functional proteins, all of which have counterparts in other alphaherpes-viruses. Phylogenetic analysis using the DNA polymerase gene revealed that the newly sequenced CHV-1 clustered with canid alphaherpesvirus isolated from the UK and shared a 99% overall nucleotide sequence similarity. Conclusion This is the first complete genome of an Australian strain of CHV-1, which will contribute to our understanding of the genetics and evolution of herpesvirus.