Different organ and tissue tropism between Akabane virus genogroups in a mouse model

•Genogroups I and II of AKAV showed different proliferation in the CNS and lymphoid tissues in a mouse model.•BBB might be a possible route of viral transmission from the periphery to the CNS.•A more elevated BBB permeability was found in genogroup I strain infection in a clinical phase.•Genogroup I strain is superior in both neurovirulence and neuroinvasiveness to genogroup II strain.