Genomic characterization and evolutionary analysis of three bovine viral diarrhea virus 1b strains from Taiwan, highlighting genomic evidence of cytopathic evolution

This study provides both clinical and genomic evidence on Taiwanese BVDVs. We identified two genetically distinct BVDV-1b strains, and although phenotypic assays were not performed, one strain (BV236) exhibited genomic hallmarks of cytopathogenic evolution that corresponded with severe respiratory symptoms. These findings suggest the coexistence of multiple BVDV-1b lineages in Taiwan and highlight their genomic diversity and potential pathogenic evolution. While based solely on genomic data, this work establishes a foundation for understanding BVDV diversity in Taiwan and underscores the need for continued molecular surveillance and future functional studies to clarify the role of these genomic features in cytopathogenicity.