Section outline
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Elm carlavirus (genus: Carlavirus, family Betaflexiviridae) is a single stranded RNA-virus with a positive orientation. Phylogenetic analysis of open reading frames of the polymerase gene and coat protein gene confirm that the virus is a typical member of the genus and a novel species. Many epidemiological questions regarding the disease are still open. The virus is still not confirmed to be the causal agent of the observed ringspot-disease in elm, although virus detection correlates very well with the described typical symptoms. Carlaviruses have been reported to infect a wide range of plant species. However, the host range of individual species is usually limited.