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Shin GE, Lee KK, Ku BK, Oh SH, Jang SH, Kang B, Jeoung HY. Prevalence of viral agents causing swine reproductive failure in Korea and the development of multiplex real-time PCR and RT-PCR assays. Biologicals 2024; 86:101763. [PMID: 38641502 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2024.101763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of viral agents causing reproductive failure in pigs in Korea. In addition, two types of multiplex real-time PCR (mqPCR) were developed for the simultaneous detection of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) and porcine parvovirus (PPV) in mqPCR and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in reverse transcription mqPCR (mRT-qPCR). A total of 150 aborted fetus samples collected from 2020 to 2022 were analyzed. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus was the most prevalent (49/150 32.7%), followed by porcine circovirus type 2 (31/150, 20.7%), and PPV1 (7/150, 4.7%), whereas ADV, EMCV, and JEV were not detected. The newly developed mqPCR and mRT-qPCR could simultaneously detect and differentiate with high sensitivities and specificities. When applied to aborted fetuses, the newly developed mqPCR for PPV was 33.3% more sensitivities than the previously established diagnostic method. Amino acid analysis of the VP2 sequences of PPV isolates revealed considerable similarity to the highly pathogenic Kresse strain. This study successfully evaluated the prevalence of viral agents causing reproductive failure among swine in Korea, the developed mqPCR and mRT-qPCR methods could be utilized as effective and accurate diagnostic methods for the epidemiological surveillance of ADV, PPV, EMCV, and JEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Go-Eun Shin
- Animal Disease Diagnostic Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kyoung-Ki Lee
- Animal Disease Diagnostic Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Republic of Korea.
| | - Bok-Kyung Ku
- Animal Disease Diagnostic Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Republic of Korea.
| | - Su Hong Oh
- Mediandiagnostics, Chuncheon, 24399, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sang-Ho Jang
- Mediandiagnostics, Chuncheon, 24399, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
| | - Bokyu Kang
- Mediandiagnostics, Chuncheon, 24399, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hye-Young Jeoung
- Animal Disease Diagnostic Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Tamura T, Yamamoto H, Ogino S, Morioka Y, Tsujino S, Suzuki R, Hiono T, Suzuki S, Isoda N, Sakoda Y, Fukuhara T. A rapid and versatile reverse genetics approach for generating recombinant positive-strand RNA viruses that use IRES-mediated translation. J Virol 2024; 98:e0163823. [PMID: 38353536 PMCID: PMC10949505 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01638-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Reverse genetics systems have played a central role in developing recombinant viruses for a wide spectrum of virus research. The circular polymerase extension reaction (CPER) method has been applied to studying positive-strand RNA viruses, allowing researchers to bypass molecular cloning of viral cDNA clones and thus leading to the rapid generation of recombinant viruses. However, thus far, the CPER protocol has only been established using cap-dependent RNA viruses. Here, we demonstrate that a modified version of the CPER method can be successfully applied to positive-strand RNA viruses that use cap-independent, internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-mediated translation. As a proof-of-concept, we employed mammalian viruses with different types (classes I, II, and III) of IRES to optimize the CPER method. Using the hepatitis C virus (HCV, class III), we found that inclusion in the CPER assembly of an RNA polymerase I promoter and terminator, instead of those from polymerase II, allowed greater viral production. This approach was also successful in generating recombinant bovine viral diarrhea virus (class III) following transfection of MDBK/293T co-cultures to overcome low transfection efficiency. In addition, we successfully generated the recombinant viruses from clinical specimens. Our modified CPER could be used for producing hepatitis A virus (HAV, type I) as well as de novo generation of encephalomyocarditis virus (type II). Finally, we generated recombinant HCV and HAV reporter viruses that exhibited replication comparable to that of the wild-type parental viruses. The recombinant HAV reporter virus helped evaluate antivirals. Taking the findings together, this study offers methodological advances in virology. IMPORTANCE The lack of versatility of reverse genetics systems remains a bottleneck in viral research. Especially when (re-)emerging viruses reach pandemic levels, rapid characterization and establishment of effective countermeasures using recombinant viruses are beneficial in disease control. Indeed, numerous studies have attempted to establish and improve the methods. The circular polymerase extension reaction (CPER) method has overcome major obstacles in generating recombinant viruses. However, this method has not yet been examined for positive-strand RNA viruses that use cap-independent, internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation. Here, we engineered a suitable gene cassette to expand the CPER method for all positive-strand RNA viruses. Furthermore, we overcame the difficulty of generating recombinant viruses because of low transfection efficiency. Using this modified method, we also successfully generated reporter viruses and recombinant viruses from a field sample without virus isolation. Taking these findings together, our adapted methodology is an innovative technology that could help advance virologic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomokazu Tamura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Yamamoto
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Saho Ogino
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuhei Morioka
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Shuhei Tsujino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Rigel Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hiono
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Saori Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Norikazu Isoda
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Sakoda
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takasuke Fukuhara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- Laboratory of Virus Control, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- AMED-CREST, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan
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Gibson L, Shadbolt T, Paul P, Gerard G, Wrigglesworth E, Sainsbury AW, Donald H, Jaffe JE, Januszczak I, Fitzpatrick LD, Burrell C, Davies H, Dastjerdi A, Spiro S. Prevalence and Molecular Analysis of Encephalomyocarditis Virus-2 in the Hazel Dormouse. ECOHEALTH 2024; 21:112-122. [PMID: 38653850 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-024-01680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) population in the UK continues to decline due to habitat loss, despite reintroductions of captive-bred individuals being conducted nationally for over 30 years. Disease surveillance of captive-bred and wild dormice is performed to identify novel and existing disease threats which could impact populations. In this study, we firstly investigated cause of death in seven hazel dormice found dead in England, through next-generation sequencing identifying a virus closely related to a wood mouse encephalomyocarditis virus-2 (EMCV-2). Subsequently, lung tissue samples from 35 out of 44 hazel dormice tested positive for EMCV-2 RNA using a reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Sanger sequencing methods developed in this study. Formalin-fixed tissues available for nine hazel dormice which tested positive for EMCV-2 RNA were examined microscopically. Three cases showed moderate interstitial pneumonia with minimal to mild lymphoplasmacytic myocarditis, but no evidence of encephalitis. However, the presence of possible alternative causes of death in these cases means that the lesions cannot be definitively attributed to EMCV-2. Here, we report the first detection of EMCV-2 in hazel dormice and conclude that EMCV-2 is likely to be endemic in the hazel dormouse population in England and may be associated with clinical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Gibson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Tammy Shadbolt
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Pranab Paul
- Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
- Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh
| | - Georgina Gerard
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | | | | | - Helen Donald
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Natural England, London, UK
| | - Jenny E Jaffe
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Inez Januszczak
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Liam D Fitzpatrick
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | | | - Hannah Davies
- Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Simon Spiro
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, NW1 4RY, UK
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Devignot S, Sha TW, Burkard TR, Schmerer P, Hagelkruys A, Mirazimi A, Elling U, Penninger JM, Weber F. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) as an auxiliary host factor for RNA viruses. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202302005. [PMID: 37072184 PMCID: PMC10114362 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses with an RNA genome are often the cause of zoonotic infections. In order to identify novel pro-viral host cell factors, we screened a haploid insertion-mutagenized mouse embryonic cell library for clones that are resistant to Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). This screen returned the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) as a top hit, a plasma membrane protein involved in a wide variety of cell activities. Inactivation of LRP1 in human cells reduced RVFV RNA levels already at the attachment and entry stages of infection. Moreover, the role of LRP1 in promoting RVFV infection was dependent on physiological levels of cholesterol and on endocytosis. In the human cell line HuH-7, LRP1 also promoted early infection stages of sandfly fever Sicilian virus and La Crosse virus, but had a minor effect on late infection by vesicular stomatitis virus, whereas encephalomyocarditis virus was entirely LRP1-independent. Moreover, siRNA experiments in human Calu-3 cells demonstrated that also SARS-CoV-2 infection benefitted from LRP1. Thus, we identified LRP1 as a host factor that supports infection by a spectrum of RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Devignot
- Institute for Virology, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tim Wai Sha
- Institute for Virology, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Thomas R Burkard
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Schmerer
- Institute for Virology, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Astrid Hagelkruys
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Ali Mirazimi
- Public Health Agency of Sweden, Solna, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Ulrich Elling
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna, Austria
| | - Josef M Penninger
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna, Austria
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Institute for Virology, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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Taner N, Haskologlu IC, Erdag E, Mercan M, Chuckwunyere U, Ulker D, Sehirli AO, Abacioglu N. Chronobiological Efficacy of Combined Therapy of Pelargonium Sidoides and Melatonin in Acute and Persistent Cases of COVID-19: A Hypothetical Approach. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1412:427-442. [PMID: 37378781 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-28012-2_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Since the outbreak of the first SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in China, pharmacists have rapidly engaged and developed strategies for pharmaceutical care and supply. According to the guidelines of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), clinical pharmacists/hospital pharmacists, as members of care teams, play one of the most important roles in the pharmaceutical care of patients with COVID-19. During this pandemic, many immuno-enhancing adjuvant agents have become critical in addition to antivirals and vaccines in order to overcome the disease more easily. The liquid extract obtained from the Pelargonium sidoides plant is used for many indications such as colds, coughs, upper respiratory tract infections, sore throat, and acute bronchitis. The extract obtained from the roots of the plant has been observed to have antiviral and immunomodulatory activity. In addition to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, melatonin plays a role in suppressing the cytokine storm that can develop during COVID-19 infection. Knowing that the severity and duration of COVID-19 symptoms vary within 24 hours and/or in different time periods indicates that COVID-19 requires a chronotherapeutic approach. Our goal in the management of acute and long COVID is to synchronize the medication regimen with the patient's biological rhythm. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the existing and emerging literature on the chronobiological use of Pelargonium sidoides and melatonin during acute and prolonged COVID-19 episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neda Taner
- Istanbul Medipol University, School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ismail Celil Haskologlu
- Near East University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Emine Erdag
- Near East University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Merve Mercan
- Near East University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Ugochukwu Chuckwunyere
- Near East University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Damla Ulker
- Near East University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Ozer Sehirli
- Near East University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Pharmacology, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Nurettin Abacioglu
- Near East University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Nicosia, Mersin 10, Turkey
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Wei N, Xiong J, Ma J, Ye J, Si Y, Cao S. Development of efficient, sensitive, and specific detection method for Encephalomyocarditis virus based on CRISPR/Cas13a. J Virol Methods 2022; 309:114592. [PMID: 35905814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2022.114592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is one of the major zoonosis pathogens, and it can cause acute myocarditis in young pigs or reproductive failure in sows. EMCV has been recognized as a pathogen infecting many species and causes substantial economic losses worldwide. Therefore, the development of a rapid, sensitive, and accurate detection of this virus is essential for the diagnosis and control of the EMCV-induced disease. The RNA-guiding, RNA-targeting CRISPR effector CRISPR/Cas13a (Cas13a, previously known as C2c2) exhibits a "collateral effect" of promiscuous RNase activity upon the target recognition. When the crRNA of LwCas13a binds to the target RNA, the collateral cleavage activity of LwCas13a is activated to degrade the non-targeted RNA. In this study, we developed an efficient, sensitive, and specific EMCV detection method based on the collateral cleavage activity of LwCas13a by combining recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) and a lateral flow strip. This method was an isothermal detection at 37 °C, which allowed visual observation by the naked eyes. We also optimized the reaction conditions of this method, and the detection result could be obtained within 60 min. The sensitivity of our method reached up to 101 copies/µL. Furthermore, no cross-reactions with other 8 major swine viruses were observed, indicating the excellent specificity of this method. At the same time, the assay had a 100 % coincidence rate with qPCR detection of the EMCV in 37 clinical samples. In addition, our developed method requires only 2-step operations and basic equipment, and thus it is simple and inexpensive. Overall, CRISPR/Cas13a-based detection has a great application potential for the EMCV detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Junyao Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Junheng Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jing Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Youhui Si
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China.
| | - Shengbo Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan 430070, China.
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Camp JV, Desvars-Larrive A, Nowotny N, Walzer C. Monitoring Urban Zoonotic Virus Activity: Are City Rats a Promising Surveillance Tool for Emerging Viruses? Viruses 2022; 14:v14071516. [PMID: 35891496 PMCID: PMC9316102 DOI: 10.3390/v14071516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban environments represent unique ecosystems where dense human populations may come into contact with wildlife species, some of which are established or potential reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens that cause human diseases. Finding practical ways to monitor the presence and/or abundance of zoonotic pathogens is important to estimate the risk of spillover to humans in cities. As brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are ubiquitous in urban habitats, and are hosts of several zoonotic viruses, we conducted longitudinal sampling of brown rats in Vienna, Austria, a large population center in Central Europe. We investigated rat tissues for the presence of several zoonotic viruses, including flaviviruses, hantaviruses, coronaviruses, poxviruses, hepatitis E virus, encephalomyocarditis virus, and influenza A virus. Although we found no evidence of active infections (all were negative for viral nucleic acids) among 96 rats captured between 2016 and 2018, our study supports the findings of others, suggesting that monitoring urban rats may be an efficient way to estimate the activity of zoonotic viruses in urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy V. Camp
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
| | - Amélie Desvars-Larrive
- Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, 1080 Vienna, Austria
- VetFarm, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Norbert Nowotny
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai P.O. Box 505055, United Arab Emirates
| | - Chris Walzer
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
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Rapid detection of porcine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) by isothermal reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assays. J Virol Methods 2022; 306:114544. [PMID: 35595156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2022.114544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we combined reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assay with the fluorescence detection platform (qRT-RPA) and lateral flow biosensor (LFB RT-RPA) to allow for rapid detection of porcine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). Primers and probes were designed to target the highly conserved region of 3D gene of porcine EMCV. The optimal reaction condition of qRT-RPA and LFB RT-RPA was set as 42 °C for 20 min. The assays were highly specific to EMCV and no cross-reactions were observed with seven other porcine viruses. With a 10-fold serially diluted EMCV genomic RNA as template, the limit of detection was 1.0 × 102 and 1.0 × 101 copies for qRT-RPA assay and LFB RT-RPA assay, respectively. A total of 92 samples from different sources were examined using qRT-RPA, LFB RT-RPA and qRT-PCR. We found 100% diagnostic agreement between qRT-RPA (23/92) and qRT-PCR (23/92), and 97.83% diagnostic agreement between LFB RT-RPA (25/92) and qRT-PCR (23/92). There was no significant difference in performance between the RT-RPA assays developed in this study and a previously described qRT-PCR. However, RT-RPA assays were rapid and easy to perform while LFB RT-RPA exhibited higher sensitivity for EMCV than qRT-PCR. Therefore, the developed EMCV RT-RPA assays provide an attractive and promising tool for effective detection of EMCV in low-resource settings.
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Immunological Cross-Protection between Different Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Viruses—Implications for Rabbit Biocontrol and Vaccine Development. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10050666. [PMID: 35632422 PMCID: PMC9143016 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10050666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) as a biocontrol agent to control feral rabbit populations in Australia, in combination with circulating endemic strains, provides a unique environment to observe the interactions between different lagoviruses competing for the same host. Following the arrival of RHDV2 (GI.2) in Australia, it became necessary to investigate the potential for immunological cross-protection between different variants, and the implications of this for biocontrol programs and vaccine development. Laboratory rabbits of various immune status—(1) rabbits with no detectable immunity against RHDV; (2) rabbits with experimentally acquired immunity after laboratory challenge; (3) rabbits immunised with a GI.2-specific or a multivalent RHDV inactivated virus prototype vaccine; or (4) rabbits with naturally acquired immunity—were challenged with one of three different RHDV variants (GI.1c, GI.1a or GI.2). The degree of cross-protection observed in immune rabbits was associated with the variant used for challenge, infectious dose of the virus and age, or time since acquisition of the immunity, at challenge. The immune status of feral rabbit populations should be determined prior to intentional RHDV release because of the high survival proportions in rabbits with pre-existing immunity. In addition, to protect domestic rabbits in Australia, a multivalent RHDV vaccine should be considered because of the limited cross-protection observed in rabbits given monovalent vaccines.
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O'Connor TW, Finlaison DS, Kirkland PD. What can we learn from over a decade of testing bats in New South Wales to exclude infection with Australian bat lyssaviruses? Aust Vet J 2022; 100:172-180. [PMID: 35043394 PMCID: PMC9303869 DOI: 10.1111/avj.13143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Australian Bat lyssaviruses (ABLV) are known to be endemic in bats in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. These viruses pose a public health risk because they cause a fatal disease in humans that is indistinguishable from classical rabies infection. All potentially infectious contact between bats and humans, or between bats and domestic animals, should be investigated to assess the risk of virus transmission by submitting the bat for testing to exclude ABLV infection. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of ABLV infection in bats submitted for testing in NSW and to document any trends or changes in submission and bat details. We examined all submissions of samples for ABLV testing received by the NSW Department of Primary Industries Virology Laboratory for the 13-year period between 1 May 2008 and 30 April 2021. Fifty-four (4.9%) ABLV-infected bats were detected, with some clustering of positive results. This is greater than the prevalence estimated from wild-caught bats. All bats should be considered a potential source of ABLV. In particular, flying-foxes with rabies-like clinical signs, and with known or possible human interaction, pose the highest public health risk because they are more likely to return a positive result for ABLV infection. This review of ABLV cases in NSW will help veterinarians to recognise the clinical presentations of ABLV infection in bats and emphasises the importance of adequate rabies vaccination for veterinarians.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W O'Connor
- Virology Laboratory, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - D S Finlaison
- Virology Laboratory, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - P D Kirkland
- Virology Laboratory, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, New South Wales, Australia
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O'Connor TW, Finlaison DS, Manning LK, Hazelton MS, Spiers ZB, Pinczowski P, Bolin EM, Kemsley PD, Horadagoda NU, Dart AJ, Cook RW, Kirkland PD. Encephalomyocarditis virus infection in alpacas. Aust Vet J 2020; 98:486-490. [PMID: 32794196 DOI: 10.1111/avj.12962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection was detected by real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) in four adult alpacas (Vicugna pacos) from two properties on the Far North Coast of New South Wales (NSW) in April and May 2018 and in two adult alpacas from a third property on the Central Coast of NSW in October 2018. Viral RNA was detected in a range of samples, including blood, fresh body organs and mucosal swabs. EMCV was isolated from the blood and body organs of five of these alpacas. These animals displayed a range of clinical signs, including inappetence, colic, recumbency and death. Necropsy findings included multifocal to coalescing areas of myocardial pallor, pulmonary congestion and oedema, hepatic congestion and serosal effusion. Histopathological changes comprised acute, multifocal myocardial degeneration and necrosis, with mild, neutrophilic and lymphocytic inflammation (5/5 hearts) and mild, perivascular neutrophilic meningoencephalitis (1/3 brains). This is the first report of disease due to EMCV in alpacas under farm conditions, and it identifies EMCV infection as a differential diagnosis for acute disease and death in this camelid species. In addition to the samples traditionally preferred for EMCV isolation (fresh heart, brain and spleen), blood samples are also appropriate for EMCV detection by qRT-PCR assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W O'Connor
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - D S Finlaison
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - L K Manning
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - M S Hazelton
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - Z B Spiers
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - P Pinczowski
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - E M Bolin
- North Coast Local Land Services, 24-26 Mulgi Drive, South Grafton, New South Wales, 2460, Australia
| | - P D Kemsley
- North Coast Local Land Services, 24-26 Mulgi Drive, South Grafton, New South Wales, 2460, Australia
| | - N U Horadagoda
- University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Camden, University of Sydney, 410 Werombi Road, Camden, New South Wales, 2570, Australia
| | - A J Dart
- University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Camden, University of Sydney, 410 Werombi Road, Camden, New South Wales, 2570, Australia
| | - R W Cook
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
| | - P D Kirkland
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle, New South Wales, 2568, Australia
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