Intrahost genetic diversity of West Nile virus envelope gene in horse

The project aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of West Nile virus (WNV) from experimentally and naturally infected horses. WNV is a flavivirus that can infect a wide variety of vertebrate hosts, however only humans and horses develop significant neurological clinical diseases. Important information can be derived by studying pathogenesis in the horse, and in particular about intra-host viral diversity that can alter tissue tropism, manifestation, and severity of this disease in mammalian tissues. These genetic variations are essential in the adaptation of flaviviruses in a new and changing environment and host.