Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Nairobi sheep disease virus from Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks in Shandong province, China

A total of 343 Haemaphysalis longicornis were collected in Shandong province, China in 2020, pooled into 16 libraries, and sequenced by the metatranscriptomic sequencing technology. We identified three NSDV strains from three pools, namely SDWL07, SDWL08, and SDWL16, respectively. The SDWL07 and SDWL16 strains were detected from unfed ticks, while SDWL08 was detected from cattle-feeding ticks. Phylogenetic analyses showed higher sequence identities between the three strains and other Chinese NSDV strains than those from India and Kenya. Phylogenetic analyses also revealed that they clustered together and fell within the China lineage, suggesting no potential genetic reassortment among them.