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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: July 2022
Source: European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) Reporting Service 08/2022/152 [summ. Mod.DHA, edited]
https://gd.eppo.int/reporting/article-7383

The National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of the Netherlands recently informed of a finding of _Tomato fruit blotch virus_ (_Blunervirus_, ToFBV) during import inspections on tomato (_Solanum lycopersicum_) fruits showing irregular chlorotic blotches originating from the Canary Islands (Spain).

Sequencing of total RNA established an association with ToFBV. The virus was detected in fruits from 8 lots imported between May 2019 and March 2022. ToFBV affects the fruits, no leaf symptoms have been reported to date. No vector has been described so far.

ToFBV is a recently described virus. Findings have been reported from Italy and Australia (EPPO RS 2020/184; https://gd.eppo.int/reporting/article-6862), as well as Brazil (RS 2022/143; https://gd.eppo.int/reporting/article-7374). So far, ToFBV has not been observed in the Netherlands, no official phytosanitary measures are being taken following these interceptions. Nevertheless, the NPPO considers it important for growers to be aware of this finding. Further studies on the disease epidemiology are needed in order to define appropriate control measures.

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Communicated by:
ProMED

[_Tomato fruit blotch virus_ was first identified in 2020 from tomatoes with uneven blotchy ripening and dimpling, growing in open field cultivation in Italy. The complete genome of the virus was sequenced and characterised as quadripartite, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA.

Highest sequence identities were found with _Tea plant necrotic ring blotch virus_ and _Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus_ of the genus _Blunervirus_ (family Kitaviridae). A 2nd isolate from Australia showed more than 96% nucleotide sequence identity with the Italian strain. ToFBV was ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) in 2021 as a 3rd member of this new genus.

No viral particles were observed in electron microscopy so far. Sap inoculation and stem grafting experiments were so far unsuccessful in producing symptoms on healthy plants; co-infections with other tomato viruses were found in some symptomatic tissues (see links below). Thus, clear proof of the symptoms being caused by ToFBV (Koch`s postulates) appears to be missing so far. Much research is also still needed on the epidemiology and distribution of the new virus.

Maps
Netherlands:
https://promedmail.org/promed-post?place=8705251,104 and
http://www.ezilon.com/maps/images/europe/physical-map-of-Netherlands.gif (with provinces)
Europe, overview:
https://mapofeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/europe-political-map.jpg

Pictures
ToFBV symptoms:
https://cdn.nieuweoogst.nu/public/image/960x431/157391.jpg

Links
News story on ToFBV interception in the Netherlands:
https://www.nieuweoogst.nl/nieuws/2022/08/12/nieuw-virus-gevonden-bij-tomaten-van-canarische-eilanden (in Dutch)
Information on ToFBV
https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/TOFBV0
Previous reports and characterisation of ToFBV:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-020-04760-x and
https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-21-1392-PDN
ToFBV taxonomy:
https://ictv.global/taxonomy/taxondetails?taxnode_id=202109259,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=2762435&lvl=3&lin=f, and via
https://talk.ictvonline.org/taxonomy/
Description & information for genus _Blunervirus_:
https://viralzone.expasy.org/8021,
https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/1BLUVG,
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.561092, and
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=2022856
- Mod.DHA]

Website: http://www.isid.org

Published: August 29, 2022