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Vanderhoeven E, Paresque R, Mello I, Nates S, Vicentini F, Díaz A, Masachessi G. Circulation of picobirnavirus in Neotropical free-ranging mammals. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:1097-1109. [PMID: 38114776 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10282-z] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Picobirnavirus (PBV) is a family of non-enveloped double-stranded RNA viruses with bisegmented genomes. Segment 1 encodes the capsid protein and segment 2 encodes RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. They exhibit high genomic heterogeneity and infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts, including humans. The objective of this study was to expand our knowledge of the circulation of PBV in free-living animals from two regions (Brazil and Argentina) of the Atlantic Forest. Fecal samples were analyzed from free-living animals: tapir, brocket deer, peccary, and different species of rodents and marsupials. A total of 133 samples were collected and analyzed by RT-PCR, of which 44 (33.08%) were PBV-positive. Nine amplicons were sequenced, five species from Argentina and four from Brazil, and phylogenetic analysis was performed. The nucleotide and amino acid identities of the PBV strains detected in animals from Argentina and Brazil were between 66.3% and 82.5% and between 55.3% and 74.2%, respectively. The analysed strains presented conserved nucleotide blocks without distinction of the host species. The phylogenetic tree showed that PBV strains from Atlantic Forest animals belonging to genogroup I were grouped into different clusters, without defining groups according to host species (human or animal) or the geographical area of detection. This is the first study on PBV in free-living animals in the Atlantic Forest. Our analysis suggested that PBV strains can infect different animal species, leading to PBV transmission between animals and humans. This reinforces the hypothesis of previous crossover points in the ecology and evolution of heterologous PBV strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezequiel Vanderhoeven
- Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones (UNaM), Puerto Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina.
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Roberta Paresque
- Programa de Pós Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Espírito Santo BR, São Mateus, ES, Brazil
| | - Iago Mello
- Programa de Pós Graduação Em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal Do Espírito Santo BR, São Mateus, ES, Brazil
| | - Silvia Nates
- Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | | | - Adrián Díaz
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Gisela Masachessi
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Virología "Dr. J. M. Vanella", Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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Alburkat HAT, Pulkkinen E, Virtanen J, Vapalahti O, Sironen T, Jääskeläinen AJ. Serological and molecular screening of arenaviruses in suspected tick-borne encephalitis cases in Finland. Epidemiol Infect 2024; 152:e20. [PMID: 38250808 PMCID: PMC10894894 DOI: 10.1017/s0950268824000128] [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] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is one of the arenaviruses infecting humans. LCMV infections have been reported worldwide in humans with varying levels of severity. To detect arenavirus RNA and LCMV-reactive antibodies in different geographical regions of Finland, we screened human serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, taken from suspected tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). No arenavirus nucleic acids were detected, and the overall LCMV seroprevalence was 4.5%. No seroconversions were detected in paired serum samples. The highest seroprevalence (5.2%) was detected among individuals of age group III (40-59 years), followed by age group I (under-20-year-olds, 4.9%), while the lowest seroprevalence (3.8%) was found in age group IV (60 years or older). A lower LCMV seroprevalence in older age groups may suggest waning of immunity over time. The observation of a higher seroprevalence in the younger age group and the decreasing population size of the main reservoir host, the house mouse, may suggest exposure to another LCMV-like virus in Finland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Abas Thamer Alburkat
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emilia Pulkkinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- ISLAB Laboratory Centre, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jenni Virtanen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tarja Sironen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - A J Jääskeläinen
- HUS Diagnostic Center, Helsinki University Hospital, and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Kichatova VS, Potemkin IA, Asadi Mobarkhan FA, Rumyantseva TD, Semenov SI, Kyuregyan KK, Mikhailov MI. Detection of antibodies to the hepatitis E virus in domestic reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Vopr Virusol 2023; 68:549-556. [PMID: 38156570 DOI: 10.36233/0507-4088-206] [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: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although domestic pigs and wild boars are the main reservoir of zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes in temperate countries, the presence of antibodies to HEV (anti-HEV) in the indigenous population of circumpolar territories, i.e. outside the habitat of wild and domestic pigs, indicates the presence of an alternative reservoir of the virus. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) may be a potential reservoir for HEV in the polar regions. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of anti-HEV among domestic reindeer in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). MATERIALS AND METHODS Sera from 497 domestic reindeer from the Oymyakon (n = 425) and Ust-Yansky districts (n = 72) of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) were tested for anti-HEV. A commercial ELISA kit DS-ELISA-ANTI-HEV-G (Diagnostic Systems-Stolitsa LLC, Russia) was used for detection of anti-HEV IgG, but a rabbit polyclonal antibody against deer IgG labeled with horseradish peroxidase (KPL, USA) at a dilution of 1 : 100 in phosphate-buffered saline were used instead of the human specific conjugate from the kit. RESULTS The average detection rate of anti-HEV in reindeer sera was 15.5% (95% CI: 12.6-19.0%). The detection rate of anti-HEV significantly increased with age, from 3.5% (95% CI: 1.1-9.0%) in calves aged 3-6 months to 25.0% (95% CI: 1.6 -36.5%) in deer aged 2-4 years (p < 0.0001). From this age group, anti-HEV detection rates reached a plateau, not differing significantly between older age groups (p > 0.05). The average anti-HEV detection rate among reindeer 2 years of age and older was 19.0% (95% CI: 15.3-23.4%). There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of anti-HEV detection between female and male reindeer, both among adult animals and among calves. CONCLUSION The observed anti-HEV detection rates among domestic reindeer in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) indicate that infection caused by HEV or an antigenically similar virus is common in these animals. The dynamics of antibody accumulation in the reindeer population indicates that infection apparently occurs during the first two years of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- V S Kichatova
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera
- Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education
| | - I A Potemkin
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera
- Russian Medical Academy of Continuing Professional Education
| | - F A Asadi Mobarkhan
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera
| | | | - S I Semenov
- North-Eastern Federal University named after. M.K. Ammosov
| | - K K Kyuregyan
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera
| | - M I Mikhailov
- Central Research Institute of Epidemiology
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera
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Lamsal A, Tryland M, Paulsen KM, Romano JS, Nymo IH, Stiasny K, Soleng A, Vikse R, Andreassen ÅK. Serological screening for tick-borne encephalitis virus in eight Norwegian herds of semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus). Zoonoses Public Health 2023; 70:692-698. [PMID: 37259822 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13060] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is found in Ixodes ricinus ticks throughout the area where viable tick populations exist. In Norway, TBEV is found in I. ricinus from the south coast until Brønnøy municipality in Nordland County and the range of the vector is expanding due to changes in climate, vegetation, host animals and environmental conditions. TBEV might thus have the potential to establish in new areas when I. ricinus expand its geographical distribution. At present, there is little knowledge on the status of the virus in high-altitude areas of inland regions in Norway. It has previously been indicated that reindeer may be an important sentinel species and indicator of the spread of ticks and TBEV in high-altitude regions. In this study, 408 semi-domesticated Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) from eight herds, from Tana in Troms and Finnmark County in northern Norway to Filefjell in Innlandet and Viken Counties in southern Norway, were screened for TBEV antibodies using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found 16 TBEV reactive reindeer samples by ELISA; however, these results could not be confirmed by the serum neutralization test (SNT). This could indicate that a flavivirusand not necessarily TBEV, may be circulating among Norwegian semi-domesticated reindeer. The results also indicate that TBEV was not enzootic in Norwegian semi-domesticated reindeer in 2013-2015. This knowledge is important as an information base for future TBEV and flavivirus surveillance in Norway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaka Lamsal
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Campus Bø, Norway
| | - Morten Tryland
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Evenstad, Norway
| | - Katrine M Paulsen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Javier Sánchez Romano
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Medical Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Ingebjørg H Nymo
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Section for Food Safety and Animal Health, The Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Karin Stiasny
- Center for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arnulf Soleng
- Department of Pest Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rose Vikse
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Åshild K Andreassen
- Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control and Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, Faculty of Technology, Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Campus Bø, Norway
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A Screening for Virus Infections among Wild Eurasian Tundra Reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Iceland, 2017-2019. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020317. [PMID: 36851530 PMCID: PMC9961133 DOI: 10.3390/v15020317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A winter population of around 4000-5000 wild Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer t. tarandus) in the eastern part of Iceland represents descendants from 35 semi-domesticated reindeer imported to Iceland from Finnmark county, Norway, in 1787. While previous studies have indicated that they host fewer parasite species as compared to reindeer in Fennoscandia, little information exists on their exposure to reindeer viral pathogens. The aim of this study was to investigate blood from hunted reindeer for antibodies against alphaherpesvirus and gammaherpesviruses (malignant catarrhal fever viruses, MCFV), pestivirus, bluetongue virus, and Schmallenberg virus, and to investigate nasal and oral mucosal membrane swab samples for the presence of parapoxvirus-specific DNA. Blood samples collected during the hunting seasons in 2017 (n = 40), 2018 (n = 103), and 2019 (n = 138) were tested for viral antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Screening for parapoxvirus DNA was conducted on swab samples from 181 reindeer by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), targeting the B2L and GIF genes. Antibodies against pestivirus were detected in two animals from 2017, and antibodies against MCFV were detected in two reindeer from 2018. No antibodies were detected against the other viruses tested. Parapoxvirus-specific DNA was detected in nasal swab samples from two animals sampled in 2019. This study suggests that the investigated viral infections are either not present or present at a low prevalence only, probably not representing a major health threat to this reindeer population. The lack of exposure to alphaherpesvirus, an enzootic pathogen in most investigated Rangifer populations, was unexpected.
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A novel statovirus identified in fecal samples from wild geladas in the Ethiopian highlands. Arch Virol 2022; 167:2709-2713. [PMID: 36269418 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05588-3] [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: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We present a novel statovirus in geladas (Theropithecus gelada), graminivorous primates endemic to the Ethiopian highlands. Using a high-throughput sequencing approach, we identified contiguous sequences in feces from two adult female geladas in the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia, that share similarities to statoviruses. Our phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome, as well as the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and capsid protein (CP) amino acid sequences, revealed that the gelada statoviruses cluster with those from other primates (laboratory populations of Macaca nemestrina and Macaca mulatta). As the first report of statovirus in wild primates, this finding contributes to our understanding of the phylogenetic and geographic distribution of statoviruses and their hosts.
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