简介：AbstractSFTS virus (SFTSV) is a novel bunyavirus, which was discovered as the etiological agent of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in China in 2009, and was now prevalent in at least 25 provinces in China. SFTS was subsequently identified in South Korea and Japan in 2012. To explore the molecular evolution and genetic characteristics of this newly identified pathogen, we reported 72 whole genome sequences of SFTSV, and built a dataset of SFTSV genome sequences containing 292 L-segment, 302 M-segment and 502 S-segment. We clearly divided SFTSV into six genotypes, Genotype A-F. It was found that genotype F was the dominant epidemic genotype of Japan, South Korea, and Zhejiang province of China. The coalescent analysis supported that SFTSV originated in the early 18th century from Zhejiang province, and Genotype F was the most primitive one. Henan, Hubei, and Anhui provinces which are located in Dabie Mountain area were mainly epidemic of Genotype A, which emerged relatively late but distributed widely. A total of 37 recombination events were identified, making SFTSV with a high recombination frequency (L segment 5.1%, M segment 3.6%, S segment 0.8%) among negative-strand segmented RNA viruses. It was identified that 19 reassortant strains belonged to 12 reassortment forms of SFTSV genome containing 6 newly identified forms. The reassortment virus and recombination in tick were both found for the first time. We also found many of genotype-specific mutation sites, 7 of which could be considered as potential molecular marker for genotype classification. This study promoted a more comprehensive understanding of the phylogeny and origin, and the genetic diversity of SFTSV, and it could help the studies of other newly discovered tick-borne bunyavirus as reference data and research ideas.

简介：AbstractFever and rash illnesses (FRIs) are a series of common diseases with fever and rashes as clinical manifestations, most of which are caused by viral infection. The rashes of FRIs are generally nonspecific; therefore it is difficult to identify FRI-associated viruses solely based on clinical symptoms. To achieve rapid and accurate identification of FRI pathogens, a multiplex one-step real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was developed and evaluated in this study. Primers and probes were selected for the detection of measles virus (MeV), rubella virus (RV), human enterovirus (EV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), dengue virus (DENV), human parvovirus B19 (B19), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6), which cover the most common pathogenic viruses of FRIs. Detection of the eight FRI-associated viruses, which was divided into two groups/tubes, was simultaneously performed under universal optimized reaction conditions in multiplex one-step real-time RT-PCR assay. The multiplex realtime RT-PCR showed high sensitivity and specificity in detecting the eight FRI-associated viruses. The limits of detection (LODs) for the eight viruses were in the range of 47–177 copies/reaction, and no cross reactions for the eight FRI-associated viruses were found in the multiplex assay. In addition, the results of the multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay were consistent with the results of a monoplex real-time RT-PCR assay and sequencing for clinical specimens obtained from FRI patients. With its advantages of high efficiency and rapid and accurate diagnosis, multiplex real-time RT-PCR was very feasible for the early diagnosis of FRI pathogenic viruses and would be of great help for the proper treatment, monitoring, and initiation of preventive measures for FRI cases.