Family: Picornaviridae

Genus: Harkavirus

Distinguishing features

The genus is distinguished on the basis of genetic characters. 

Virion

Morphology

No details are available on the morphology of virions. 

Nucleic acid

Genome (Boros et al., 2015b): 8,003 nt (5′-UTR: 673 nt; ORF: 7,263 nt; 3′-UTR: 67 nt). The location of the cre has not been identified. 

Genome organization and replication

Genome layout:

VPg+5′-UTR^IRES-I-[1A-1B-1C-1D/2A-2B-2C/3A-3B-3C-3D]-3′-UTR-poly(A)

The deduced polyprotein is of 2,420 amino acids. There is no L protein. The function 2A is unknown. 

Biology

No virus has been isolated. Viral RNA was detected in faeces of a 5-week-old common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). 

Derivation of names

Harkavirus: from Harkakötöny (a village in Hungary where the first sample was collected)

Species demarcation criteria

There is only a single species in the genus.