As shown in the Figure, the AHFV-JE7 sequence was closely related to but unambiguously distinct from all other AHFV sequences from human isolates.
Thus, the evolution of AHFV is clearly determined by ticks because all the most closely related viruses are also known to be associated with ticks, although in at least 1 case (Powassan virus) there is some evidence that the virus is also found in mosquitoes (9).
All AHFV sequences were of the same length, and an optimal alignment was obtained without incorporating any gap.
Whether AHFV has similar features is unknown, but if so this finding could account for 2 peaks of cases during the year (8 cases from March to June, 3 cases from September to October).
