Antigenic Uniformity of Topotype Strains of Thogoto Virus from Africa, Europe, and Asia

Abstract

Prototype Thogoto virus from Kenya and Thogoto virus isolates from Portugal, Italy, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Cameroon, and Iran were cross-tested by hemagglutination inhibition and serum dilution plaque reduction neutralization. Considering the broad geographic distribution of these strains, the antigenic differences seen appear to be essentially minor. This uniformity suggests that the distribution of Thogoto virus is due to repeated introduction of virus from common sources and that such introduction may depend on the movement of tick-infested domestic animals.