Coding-complete genome sequencing suggests that Newcastle disease virus challenge strain Herts’33 (IVMP) may represent a distinct genotype

We determined the genomic sequence of a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) line obtained directly from the first NDV isolate, named Herts’33. This strain shared ≤ 90% nucleotide sequence identity with the NDV sequences available in the GenBank database, and formed a distinct branch in a phylogenetic tree. This branch may be considered to represent a separate NDV genotype. Our study indicates that investigation of the genomic sequences of old NDV strains that originated from the early outbreaks of Newcastle disease may alter the phylogenetic grouping of the NDV strains and provide data on the evolution of viral genomes over time.