Tickborne Viruses in Western North America: II. Yaquina Head, a new arbovirus of the Kemerovo group isolated from Ixodes uriae

• Published in: Journal of Medical Entomology
• Main Authors: Yunker, C. E., Clifford, C. M., Keirans, J. E., Thomas, L. A., Cory, J.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press 1973
• Subjects: Articles; Argas; Lawrence Island; St Lawrence Island; Alaska
• Online Access: http://jme.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/10/3/264; https://doi.org/10.1093/jmedent/10.3.264

Yaquina Head virus, an undescribed arbovirus isolated frequently from Oregon populations of Ixodes uriae White is characterized with regard to certain serological, biological and physical properties. Complement-fixation and neutralization tests demonstrate its relationship to the Palearctic viruses, Kemerovo and Tribeč (also isolated from Ixodes spp.), and to a lesser extent to the African agent, Chenuda virus (from Argas spp. and Ornithodoros spp.). Yaquina Head virus kills newborn mice upon intracerebral, but not intraperitoneal, inoculation; adult mice and wet chicks are refractory regardless of route of inoculation. It causes cytopathic changes including plaques in African green monkey kidney (Vero) and baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cell cultures, but fails to visibly affect porcine kidney (PK-HI3) cells. The virus readily passes membrane filters of 220 mμ average pore diameter (apd), but passage through filters of 100 mμ apd results in loss of most of the virus. It is not susceptible to treatment with 5-bromodeoxy-uridine; thus it probably contains RNA. Titers are unaffected by exposure of the virus to sodium deoxycholate, although exposure to diethyl ether significantly reduces them. Acid lability of the virus is marked. Isolation of a closely related strain of virus from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, is also reported.