Genetic diversity of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) isolates in Italy

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) are the causative agents of slow progressive degenerative diseases of goat and sheep, responsible for significant economic losses.The infection is widespread in Italy, and circulation of subtypes A8, A9, A11, A18, A19, B1, B2, B3, E1 and E2 has been previously described. SRLV are characterized by a high degree of genetic variability, leading to the occurrence of a variety of divergent strains and quasispecies. To better understand the naturally circulating viral strains and to investigate the heterogeneity of SRLV in Italy, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out on virus isolates from sheep, goat and mixed flocks, as a basis for future molecular epidemiological studies on lentiviral infection in Italy.