Survival of exotic Newcastle disease virus in commercial poultry environment following removal of infected chickens

During the first weeks of 2003, after exotic Newcastle disease (END) was confirmed in commercial layer flocks in Southern California, it became apparent that the virus survival information in the literature varied widely and was difficult to extrapolate to current local conditions. The END Task Force used the information available in the literature and the recommendations of research scientists to establish protocols for safely handling manure from infected and depopulated premises. In an attempt to gain more applicable knowledge in the management of contaminated poultry manure in the course of the END outbreak, this virus survival study was designed and implemented. Environmental drag swabs were tested for END virus from two of the early-infected commercial ranches that consisted of several houses following immediate removal of the infected flocks. A total of 293 samples, composed of 168 manure drag swab pools, 72 dropping board swab pools, and 38 compost swab pools from 3 houses (ranch 1), and 180 manure belt scraper swab pools from ranch 2 were analyzed for ND virus isolation and characterization for 21 consecutive days postdepopulation. Thirteen manure drag swab pools (from houses 1 and 3) and two manure dropping board swab pools (from house 3) collected from ranch 1 were positive for END virus at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, and 16 days postdepopulation. No END virus was isolated after the 16th day following depopulation from any of the samples. All samples from ranch 2 were negative during the entire observation period.     

荧光定量RT-PCR检测H5亚型禽流感病毒方法的建立与验证

根据H5亚型禽流感病毒HA基因上的保守序列,设计合成引物,以H5亚型禽流感病毒HA基因重组质粒为标准品绘制标准曲线,建立了荧光定量逆转录聚合酶链反应检测方法。结果表明,本试验建立的标准曲线循环阈值(Ct值)与模板浓度具有良好的线性关系,相关系数为0.995,灵敏度约为8拷贝/μL,相当于8个AIV颗粒,对新城疫病毒和其他禽病病毒无交叉反应,特异性好、重复性佳,为H5亚型禽流感病毒检测提供了一种特异、敏感、快速、低成本、高通量、生物安全性好的定量检测方法。对178份临床泄殖腔棉拭子样品的检测,该方法结果与经典病毒分离方法符合率大于90.0%,在禽流感病毒临床样品快速筛检、流行病学监测等方面显示了良好的应用前景。     

狂犬病病毒快速荧光RT-PCR检测方法研究与应用

采用TaqMan方法,根据古典狂犬病病毒非编码区及N基因编码区序列,设计合成多对引物和多条探针,通过对引物、探针的筛选,反应条件的选择和优化,建立了古典狂犬病病毒荧光RT-PCR检测技术。与病毒分离鉴定、常规RT-PCR试验比较表明,建立的荧光PCR检测技术快速、敏感,检测时限3 h以内。特异性试验表明本方法与犬瘟热病毒,犬细小病毒,犬Ⅰ型腺病毒不发生交叉反应。初步动物感染试验及定量检测研究及表明,本方法可用于感染动物不同组织样品中病毒的相对定量。对132份临床样品和4种商品化疫苗进行检测研究表明,本方法适用于样品中狂犬病病毒的直接检测以及疫苗中活病毒或灭活病毒的检测。     

Prevalence of classical swine fever, Aujeszky's disease and brucellosis in a population of wild boar in Switzerland

During two survey rounds of a national surveillance system for infectious diseases in wild boar in Switzerland, each lasting four months from November to February, between 2001 and 2003, 1949 blood samples and 62 tissue samples from the spleen and 50 from the reproductive organs were collected from hunted wild boar. The survey was designed so that freedom from infection could be detected with a probability of 95 per cent at a threshold prevalence of less than 1 per cent for classical swine fever and Aujeszky's disease and less than 1.5 per cent for brucellosis. There was no serological evidence of classical swine fever or Aujeszky's disease, but brucellosis due to Brucella suis biovar 2 was confirmed serologically and by bacterial isolation.     

新城疫病毒通用型实时RT-PCR检测方法的建立与应用

采用TaqMan方法,经引物和探针的设计、筛选及反应条件优化,研究了检测活禽和禽产品中新城疫病毒的通用型实时RT-PCR(RRT-PCR)方法。结果显示,对12株分别为速发型、中发型、缓发型和疫苗株新城疫病毒的尿囊液倍比稀释液的检测极限在10-5~10-7之间;建立的方法与常见禽类病毒无交叉反应,特异性良好;在检测人工感染肉鸡的脏器组织、咽喉、泄殖腔拭子中病毒的灵敏度同鸡胚分离试验基本一致;弱毒疫苗免疫鸡群在免疫后14 d,应用本方法不能从咽喉、泄殖腔拭子中检测到病毒;临床样品检测表明,该方法不仅可以检出中强毒力新城疫毒株,也可检出缓发型野毒株和疫苗毒株。     

Estimating the trend of the French BSE epidemic over six birth cohorts through the analysis of abattoir screening in 2001 and 2002

A bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) testing programme at the abattoir started in 2001 in France. A total of 5 281 293 bovines were tested in 2001 and 2002; 87 were found positive in 2001--37 per million (95% CI 30-46)--, whereas only 71 in 2002--24 per million (95% CI 19-30). Logistic regression models were run to compare the prevalence of BSE on successive birth cohorts, using a pair-wise method of controlling for age at testing; the prevalence on the first one, determined on animals slaughtered in 2001, was compared to the prevalence on the following one determined on animals slaughtered in 2002. Five models were performed in order to compare the birth cohorts preceding and following the months of June 1993 (i.e. July 92-June 93 birth cohort compared to July 93-June 94 birth cohort) (8.5 years old cattle), June 1994 (7.5 years old cattle), June 1995 (6.5 years old cattle), June 1996 (5.5 years old cattle) and June 1997 (4.5 years old cattle). The models were adjusted for the production type of cattle and the test used. The results showed a significant increase (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.08-4.9) of the BSE prevalence between the July 93-June 94 and July 94-June 95 cohorts, and then a significant decrease over the next two birth cohorts; the July 95-June 96 birth cohort was significantly less affected than the July 94-June 95 one (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.27-0.78), and the July 96-June 97 birth cohort was significantly less affected than the July 95-June 96 one (OR = 0.17, 95% CI 0.07-0.37). The increase in BSE prevalence between the July 93-June 94 and July 94-June 95 cohorts was in agreement with modelling studies, but needs to be confronted to the data on fallen stock at the national level. The decrease in BSE prevalence on the birth cohorts born after June 1995 was in agreement with the findings on the fallen stock in the western part of France and matches the implementation of the removal of specified risk materials (SRM) and dead animals from the processing of meat and bone meal (MBM) since June 1996.     

实时荧光定量RT-PCR方法检测禽流感病毒

根据禽流感病毒(Avian influenza virus,AIV)M基因上的保守序列,合成引物和荧光标记探针,以阳性AIVM基因质粒为标准品做标准曲线,建立了荧光定量逆转录聚合酶链反应(RRT-PCR)检测方法。结果表明,本试验建立的标准曲线循环阈值(Ct值)与模板浓度具有良好的线性关系,相关系数为0.999,灵敏度约为5拷贝/μL,相当于5个AIV颗粒,对新城疫病毒和其他禽病病毒无交叉反应,特异性好、重复性佳,为AIV检测提供了一种特异、敏感、快速的定量检测方法。对500份临床泄殖腔棉拭样品的检测,其结果阳性?阴性数与经典病毒分离方法符合率分别为91.2%?99.4%。在AIV临床样品筛检、流行病学监测等方面显示良好的应用前景。     

Use of sentinel chickens to evaluate the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection procedures in noncommercial poultry operations infected with exotic Newcastle disease virus.

The use of sentinel chickens in establishing the negative status of commercial poultry flocks depopulated due to exotic Newcastle disease (END) is considered to be an economically beneficial process. However, the costs and benefits of using sentinel chickens in noncommercial operations are in question. The objective of this study was to use sentinel chickens to evaluate whether adequate cleaning and disinfection coupled with an appropriate time period without susceptible poultry species on the premises would eliminate END virus from a noncommercial poultry operation and preclude the need for placement of sentinels in previously infected operations before declaring them free of virus. Noncommercial poultry operations were selected from the 2002 to 2003 END outbreak database. Operations included in the study had one or more isolations of END virus (ENDV) from cloacal or oropharyngeal swabs of birds on the premises. A total of 546 birds were placed on 53 premises. All sentinel birds sampled after placements were negative by virus detection methods and serologic tests. Results of this study indicate that time and the application of appropriate cleaning and disinfection procedures will adequately mitigate the risk of viable virus persisting in noncommercial poultry operations. In the future, this information may eliminate the need for sentinel bird placement to ensure virus free status of premises before repopulation, thereby decreasing the costs of END eradication.     

Morbidity and mortality associated with a Standardbred yearling sale

In the 2‐week period following a Standardbred yearling sale, 5 horses from the sale died or were subjected to euthanasia. Three were confirmed as equine herpesvirus type 1 myeloencephalopathy (EHM), while EHM was suspected in 2. Clinical abnormalities were reported in 77 of 177 (43.5%) other yearlings during the 14‐day period after the sale; however, no diagnostic testing was performed. Eleven secondary cases of suspected EHM in horses in contact with yearlings purchased at the sale were identified. No cases of EHM were identified associated with the same sale in 2003; however, there was no difference in morbidity with clinical abnormalities reported in 39/96 (41%) horses sold that year (P = 0.70). Yearling sales have an inherent risk of pathogen exposure and illness is common in purchased horses. Disease in these horses could have been associated with a wide range of respiratory pathogens; however, the incidence of confirmed or suspected primary and secondary EHM cases associated with the 2002 yearling sale highlight the potential for significant outbreaks of disease.     

A comparison of rapid bovine spongiform encephalopathy testing methods on autolyzed bovine brain tissue.

In 1999, the European Union (EU) approved 3 rapid methods for the testing of bovine brain samples for the presence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The evaluation that led to the approval did not include an analysis of autolyzed material. Member states of the EU have active surveillance programs for BSE, which target fallen stock as well as other categories of cattle. Autolysis is a common feature of fallen stock samples because there can be a considerable delay between death and collection of samples. Therefore, it is important to know whether these tests perform optimally on autolyzed samples. The Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) selected 250 positive fallen stock samples. These had been detected during routine testing using the Prionics-Check Western blot and confirmed as BSE cases by immunohistochemistry or electron microscopy. Samples were graded according to the degree of autolysis and then tested by the 3 methods: Prionics-Check Western blot, Platelia test, and Enfer test. All 3 methods correctly classified the samples as positive BSE cases, therefore alleviating doubt about their ability to do so. Subsequent EU validation exercises, such as those conducted in 2002--2003, have included the testing of autolyzed material. It is important that all new methods be evaluated on autolyzed tissue before approval for official use.