Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a well-known rhabdoviral pathogen of salmonid fish. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of 40 IHNV viruses isolated from thirteen fish farms in nine geographically dispersed Chinese provinces during 2012 to 2017 is presented. Identity of nucleotide and amino acid sequences among all the complete glycoprotein (G) genes from Chinese isolates was 98.0-100% and 96.7-100%, respectively. Coalescent phylogenetic analyses revealed that all the Chinese IHN virus characterized in this study were in a monophyletic clade that had a most recent common ancestor with the J Nagano (JN) subgroup within the J genogroup of IHNV. Within the Chinese IHNV clade isolates obtained over successive years from the same salmon fish farm clustered in strongly supported subclades, suggesting maintenance and diversification of virus over time within individual farms. There was also evidence for regional virus transmission within provinces, and some cases of longer distance transmission between distant provinces, such as Gansu and Yunnan. The data demonstrated that IHNV has evolved into a new subgroup in salmon farm environments in China, and IHNV isolates are undergoing molecular evolution within fish farms. We suggest that Chinese IHNV comprises a separate JC subgroup within the J genogroup of IHNV.
Keywords: Chinese fish virus; IHNV; Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus; Molecular epidemiology; Rhabdovirus; Virus genotype.
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