Genetic analysis of Kunjin virus isolates using HaeIII and TaqI restriction digests of single-stranded cDNA to virion RNA.

The genotypic relatedness of 15 Kunjin (KUN) virus isolates from widely separated geographic regions in Australia was examined at the molecular level. HaeIII and TaqI restriction digest profiles of cDNA transcribed from virion RNA revealed a close genetic similarity between all isolates. We estimate that the nucleotide sequence divergence between any pair of KUN isolates is probably less than 1%. We conclude that a single KUN genetic type has existed in enzootic and epizootic areas of virus activity over an extended time span. The epidemiological implications of these results are discussed.