Genome sequence of an Australian strain of canid alphaherpesvirus 1

Objective: Characterisation of a complete genome sequence of an Australian strain of canid alphaherpesvirus 1 (CHV-1) and its phylogenetic relationship with other varicellovirus species. Methods: Standard pathology and PCR methods were used to initially detect herpesvirus in hepatic tissue from an infected 4-week-old Labrador Retriever puppy. The complete CHV-1 genome was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology followed by de novo and reference assembly, and genome annotation. Results: The CHV-1 genome was 125 kbp in length and contained 74 predicted open reading frames encoding functional proteins, all of which have counterparts in other alphaherpesviruses. Phylogenetic analysis using the DNA polymerase gene revealed that the newly sequenced CHV-1 clustered with canid alphaherpesvirus isolated from the UK and shared a 99% overall nucleotide sequence similarity. Conclusion: This is the first complete genome of an Australian strain of CHV-1, which will contribute to our understanding of the genetics and evolution of herpesvirus.