https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3895 Neurotropic Tick-Borne Flavivirus in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra), Austria, 2017, Italy, 2023 Nowotny, Norbert Norbert Nowotny 0000-0002-3548-571X University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Mandola, Maria Lucia Maria Lucia Mandola 0009-0003-1296-6988 Monne, Isabella Isabella Monne 0000-0002-6564-4689 Bagó, Zoltán Zoltán Bagó 0000-0001-5897-5263 Nogarol, Chiara Chiara Nogarol 0009-0006-1474-8345 Fusaro, Alice Alice Fusaro 0000-0002-8213-5472 Dimmel, Katharina Katharina Dimmel 0009-0003-8320-4286 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Moroni, Barbara Barbara Moroni 0000-0003-1478-8436 Guardone, Lisa Lisa Guardone 0000-0003-3018-8086 Kolodziejek, Jolanta Jolanta Kolodziejek 0000-0001-5736-3644 University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Palumbo, Elisa Elisa Palumbo 0000-0002-5812-6760 Stanclova, Gabriela Gabriela Stanclova 0009-0006-0666-7238 Steinrigl, Adi Adi Steinrigl 0000-0001-7727-7508 Fidler, Gabriele Gabriele Fidler 0009-0008-9230-471X Bertasio, Cristina Cristina Bertasio 0000-0002-1082-982X Bertoletti, Irene Irene Bertoletti 0000-0003-4157-947X Bianchi, Alessandro Alessandro Bianchi 0000-0002-4234-0842 Calzolari, Mattia Mattia Calzolari 0000-0001-7489-2556 Prati, Paola Paola Prati 0009-0000-7490-4537 Vicari, Nadia Nadia Vicari 0000-0001-8156-0138 Salomoni, Angela Angela Salomoni 0009-0000-8749-9710 Priore, Maria Francesca Maria Francesca Priore 0009-0006-8044-6820 Gobbo, Federica Federica Gobbo 0000-0001-9233-5737 Garcia-Vozmediano, Aitor Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano 0000-0002-4458-8294 Loney, Tom Tom Loney 0000-0003-1687-6587 Abou Tayoun, Ahmad Ahmad Abou Tayoun 0000-0002-9134-1673 Alsheikh-Ali, Alawi Alawi Alsheikh-Ali 0000-0002-1213-4546 De Benedictis, Paola Paola De Benedictis 0000-0001-6760-1933 Camp, Jeremy V Jeremy V Camp 0000-0002-9040-5786 Hubalek, Zdenek Zdenek Hubalek 0000-0003-4732-0987 Rudolf, Ivo Ivo Rudolf 0000-0001-6602-2905 Lelli, Davide Davide Lelli 0000-0002-5775-6058 Moreno, Ana Ana Moreno 0000-0002-8497-9708 MDPI journal article open access eng The European subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV-Eur; species Orthoflavivirus encephalitidis, family Flaviviridae) was the only tick-borne flavivirus present in central Europe known to cause neurologic disease in humans and several animal species. Here, we report a tick-borne flavivirus isolated from Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) with encephalitis and attached ticks, present over a wide area in the Alps. Cases were detected in 2017 in Salzburg, Austria, and 2023 in Lombardy and Piedmont, Italy. The virus strains exhibit 94.8-97.3% nucleotide identities to each other and are more closely related to Louping ill viruses (LIV; Orthoflavivirus loupingi; 90-92% identities) than to TBEV-Eur (less than 88%). The chamois-derived virus strains, tentatively termed "Alpine chamois encephalitis virus", form a well-supported independent genetic clade with Spanish goat encephalitis virus, clearly separated from other LIV. This supports its designation as a new virus subtype with the proposed shared taxonomic name "Spanish goat and Alpine chamois encephalitis virus subtype" within the species Orthoflavivirus loupingi. The zoonotic potential of this newly identified virus subtype as well as its host range in other animal species including farm animals needs to be further investigated. Animals Rupicapra Virology Italy Phylogeny Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne Isolation & Purification Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne Classification Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne Genetics Austria Flavivirus Isolation & Purification Flavivirus Classification Flavivirus Genetics Encephalitis, Tick-Borne vVirology Flavivirus Infections Veterinary Flavivirus Infections Virology Flavivirus Infections Epidemiology Genome, Viral Ticks Virology Goat Diseases Virology http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:3895/download 10.3390/v17010122 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:605 application/pdf Viruses issn:1999-4915 VoR Viruses 17 1 7.19 MB 2025