First Genetic Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Bovine Rhinitis A Virus in Türkiye

Objectives: Bovine Rhinitis A Virus (BRAV) is a significant respiratory pathogen which plays role on development of bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) in cattle worldwide, yet genomic data regarding its prevalence and genetic diversity in Türkiye remain scarce. This study describes the first molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of BRAV in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: Nasal swab samples which were positive for BRAV in real-time RT-PCR screening were tested via conventional RT-PCR targeting a partial region of the viral 3D polymerase (3Dpol) gene of BRAV. Seven samples were sequenced by using the Sanger method.Results: The obtained BRAV sequences were deposited to GenBank (accession numbers PZ150730-PZ150736). The sequence data were analyzed phylogenetically and the Turkish BRAV isolates showed high nucleotide identity (97.91-100%) with each other, constructing a different clade when compared to global BRAV isolates. The nucleotide identity between Turkish BRAV isolates and global isolates differs between 86.82% and 92.23%, while the nucleotide identity with the reference BRAV strain Sd-1 ranged from 86.93% to 88.21%. Conclusions: This study provides the first genetic characterization of BRAV strains circulating in cattle population in Türkiye, filling a significant gap in the global and national molecular epidemiology of BRAV. These data will serve as a baseline for future large-scale surveillance in our country.