Molecular detection and characterization of unclassified bovine enteric caliciviruses in South Korea

The unclassified bovine enteric calicivirus (BEC) is a new bovine enteric calicivirus that is different from bovine norovirus, and causes diarrhea and pathologies in the small intestine of calves. This virus includes Nebraska (NB)- and Newbury agent 1 (NA1)-like strains. The prevalence of this BEC and its genetic characterization has only been reported in the UK and the USA. This study examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of these BECs in diarrheic calves in South Korea. Among a total of 645 diarrheic fecal specimens obtained from 629 cattle herds, these unclassified BECs were detected in 59 (9.1%) diarrheic fecal samples from 57 herds (9.3%) by either RT-PCR or nested PCR. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the partial RdRp gene showed that all the Korean BECs clustered together and were closely related to the NB-like viruses (80.9-88.1% nucleotide and 84.5-98.4% amino acid) but not to the NA1-like viruses (75.8-78.4% nucleotide and 79.7-82.8% amino acid). Although these viruses could not be classified into NA1- and NB-like viruses from the sequence and phylogenetic data of the entire capsid gene, all the Korean BECs clustered together on a branch separate from the other known BECs. These results show that these BEC infections are endemic in diarrheic calves in South Korea. The infecting strains are genetically closer to the NB-like viruses but have a distinct evolutionary pathway.     

Genetically diverse group C rotaviruses cause sporadic infection in Korean calves

This study examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of the bovine group C rotaviruses (GCRVs) in a total of 127 diarrhea fecal samples of calves from 52 Korean native beef calf herds using RT-PCR and nested PCR. Overall, seven of the 127 fecal samples (5.5%) from seven of the 52 herds (13.5%) tested positive for bovine GCRVs only by nested PCR. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of a partial VP6 gene showed that Korean bovine GCRVs had marked genetic diversity; two Korean strains belonged to the bovine lineage, whereas five Korean strains belonged to the porcine lineage. These results suggest that the genetically diverse bovine GCRVs cause sporadic infections in diarrheic calves in South Korea.     

Molecular epidemiology of bovine toroviruses circulating in South Korea

The prevalence of the bovine torovirus (BToV) and its genetic characterization have been reported in North America, Europe and Japan. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of the BToV in a total of 645 diarrheic fecal samples from 629 Korean native beef calf herds using RT-PCR and nested PCR with the primer pairs specific to a part of the BToV membrane (M) gene. Overall, 19 (2.9%) out of 645 diarrheic samples from 19 herds (6.9%) tested positive for BToVs by either RT-PCR or nested PCR. A comparison of the nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) sequences of a part of the BToV M gene (409bp) among the BToVs showed the Korean BToVs to have comparatively higher sequence homology to the Japanese and Dutch BToVs than to the American and Italian BToVs. Generally, the Korean BToV strains clustered with the Japanese and Dutch BToV strains. However, the American and Italian BToV strains clustered on a separate major branch, suggesting that these are more distantly related to other known BToV strains. These results suggest that the BToV infections are sporadic in diarrheic calves in South Korea, and the Korean BToV strains are more closely related to the Japanese and Dutch BToVs than to the American and Italian BToVs.     

Detection and molecular characterization of porcine group C rotaviruses in South Korea

Group C rotaviruses (GCRVs) cause acute diarrhea in humans and animals worldwide and the evidence for a possible zoonotic role of GCRVs has been recently provided. However, there is little evidence of porcine GCRV infections or of their genetic diversity in South Korea. We examined 137 diarrheic fecal specimens from 55 farms collected from six provinces. RT-PCR utilizing primer pairs specific for the GCRV VP6 gene detected GCRV-positive reactions in 36 (26.2%) diarrheic fecal samples. Of these, 17 samples (12.4%) tested positive for porcine GCRVs alone and 19 samples (13.8%) were also positive for other pathogens. Other enteric pathogens except for GCRV were detected in 64 feces samples (46.7%) and no enteric pathogens were evident in 37 feces samples (27.0%). Phylogenetic and sequence homology analyses of GCRV partial VP6 gene between 23 Korean and other known porcine GCRVs demonstrated that Korean strains belonged to the porcine lineage. Furthermore, one Korean porcine strain shared the highest nucleotide (89.7–89.0%) and deduced amino acid sequence (92.9–93.9%) identities with bovine GCRV strains and was placed in the bovine GCRV lineage indicative of bovine origin. In conclusion, porcine GCRV infections are widespread in piglets with diarrhea in South Korea. The infecting porcine GCRVs mostly belong to the porcine lineage with the exception of one bovine-like GCRV, which possibly originated from bovine GCRV due to interspecies transmission.     

Genetic diversity of porcine sapoviruses

Sapoviruses (SaVs) within the Caliciviridae family are an important cause of gastroenteritis in both humans and animals. Although the widespread occurrence of divergent human SaV strains has been reported, there have only been a few studies of porcine SaVs examining their genetic diversity. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of porcine SaVs in piglets with diarrhea in South Korea. Two hundred and thirty-seven fecal specimens from piglets with diarrhea were examined from 78 farms over a 2-year period from six provinces in South Korea. Overall, 69 (29.1%) of the samples from five provinces tested positive for porcine SaVs by either RT-PCR or nested PCR with the primer pairs specific to porcine SaVs. An analysis of the partial capsid gene (757bp) of 12 porcine SaVs detected from fecal samples showed genetic divergence, not only among the Korean porcine SaVs (67.7-99.1%), but also between Korean and American porcine SaVs (69.1-90.2%). Interestingly, one strain (Po/SaV/JN-MA113/05/Korea), formed a second porcine SaV/GIII genotype, and is tentatively called GIII/2. This strain had a 0.236-0.405 inter-cluster distance with the other strains in the same genogroup, which is comparable to the distances between the established GI and GII SaVs. Furthermore, two potential recombinant porcine SaVs were identified. In conclusion, porcine SaV infections are common in diarrheic piglets in South Korea. The infecting strains are genetically diverse, and include a newly recognized genotype and recombinant viruses within genogroup III.     

Detection and molecular characterization of calf diarrhoea bovine coronaviruses circulating in South Korea during 2004-2005

Although the widespread occurrence of calf diarrhoea (CD) bovine coronavirus (BCoV) infections have been reported in most cattle producing countries, only the genetic differences in the BCoVs from American and Canadian isolates and/or strains have been identified and compared. Hence, it is unclear if the BCoVs circulating in the other countries have distinct genetic characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genetic diversity of CD BCoVs based on the deduced amino acid (aa) sequences of the spike (S) and haemagglutinin/esterase (HE) proteins in South Korea. RT-PCR and nested PCR using the primer pairs specific to the nucleocapsid gene, BCoVs detected the BCoVs in 56 (15.6%) of 359 diarrhoeic faecal samples. Phylogenetic analysis of the entire S gene indicated that 10 Korean CD BCoV strains clustered with other Korean BCoV strains with different clinical forms but were different from the American and Canadian BCoV strains. Moreover, the phylogenetic data of the aa sequences of the HE gene revealed all the Korean CD strains to be distinct from the other Korean BCoV strains with different clinical forms. These results suggest that the Korean BCoVs cause endemic infections in diarrhoeic calves in Jeonnam province and have taken a different evolutionary pathway from the BCoVs in other countries. Moreover, the different BCoV strains are circulating in the different clinical forms in South Korea. These results also suggest that vaccines against the BCoVs can be developed with each Korean BCoV in different clinical forms.     

Detection and molecular characterization of porcine type 3 orthoreoviruses circulating in South Korea

Orthoreoviruses infect virtually all mammalian species, causing systemic infections including mild gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses. However, little is known about the prevalence or genetic diversity of porcine orthoreoviruses in South Korea. We examined 237 diarrheic fecal samples collected from 78 pig farms around the country. RT-PCR utilizing primers specific for the L1 gene of mammalian orthoreoviruses showed that 45 (19.0%) samples were positive. The 10 strains isolated from orthoreovirus-positive samples formed typical perinuclear cytoplasmic inclusion bodies and had an atypical hemagglutination pattern; these are characteristics of type 3 orthoreovirus. Phylogenetic analysis of the S1 gene in these 10 Korean and other strains showed that type 3 orthoreoviruses could be divided into four lineages; the 10 Korean strains were included in porcine lineage IV, along with T3/porcine/Sichuan/2006. Sequence analysis showed that strains in lineage IV had nucleotide identities of 97.0-98.1% and deduced amino acid identities of 96.4-98.2%. Sequence analysis of the σ1 protein, a viral attachment protein, revealed that the amino acid sequences associated with neurotropism (amino acids 198-204, 249I, 350D, and 419E) were highly conserved among the Korean strains, confirming that neural tropism was present. In conclusion, our findings suggest that porcine orthoreovirus infections are endemic in pig farms in South Korea and that the 10 novel Korean porcine orthoreoviruses belong to porcine lineage IV of type 3 orthoreovirus. In addition, sequence analysis of S1 genes encoding the σ1 protein showed that the 9 of 10 Korean porcine orthoreoviruses exhibited neural tropism.     

新疆喀什地区安格斯犊牛腹泻主要病毒性病原调查及牛诺如病毒全基因序列分析

【目的】 调查新疆喀什地区安格斯犊牛腹泻主要病毒性病原流行情况及牛诺如病毒（Bovine norovirus,BNoV）全基因组遗传关系。【方法】 采用RT-PCR技术分别对2021年不同季节在喀什4个牛场采集的363份犊牛腹泻粪便样品进行牛轮状病毒（Bovine rotavirus,BRV）、牛冠状病毒（Bovine coronavirus,BCoV）、牛病毒性腹泻病毒（Bovine viral diarrhea virus,BVDV）和BNoV 4种病毒性病原检测,并对扩增获得的BNoV全基因序列进行分析。【结果】 BCoV和BNoV检出率较高,分别为36.09%（131/363）和25.07%（91/363）,混合感染中BCoV＋BNoV检出数量最多,阳性率为44.00%（22/50）。对喀什地区4个场区进行检测,其中A场主要检测出BCoV和BNoV,检出率分别为43.52%（47/108）和32.41%（35/108）;B场主要检测到BCoV,检出率为52.21%（71/136）;C、D场病原检出率普遍较低。秋、冬季检出量最多的病毒分别为BNoV和BCoV,检出率分别为66.67%（50/75）和77.59%（90/116）。对BNoV全基因序列分析显示,本试验检测到的新疆喀什地区BNoV Bo/XJ-KS/01/CHN株（登录号：ON076888）属于GⅢ.2型BNoV,与中国CN/HB-SJZ和CH/HB/BD/2019毒株在进化树中处于同一分支,且与CN/HB-SJZ-2毒株核苷酸相似性最高,为93.70%;与英国分离到的Jena/1999/UK毒株核苷酸相似性最低,为72.49%。进一步对3个开放阅读框（ORF）比对分析发现,测得的BNoV全基因组序列与国内参考株CN/HB-SJZ-2的核苷酸和氨基酸相似性主要是在ORF1区域最高,分别为94.24%和98.69%;与国外参考株Jena/1999/UK的核苷酸和氨基酸相似性主要是在ORF3区域最低,分别为63.59%和64.57%。与国内外毒株比对结果显示,未出现基因重组现象。【结论】 南疆地区犊牛腹泻流行情况因季节、场区不同有一定的差异。病毒性病原主要在秋、冬季感染率较高,以单一BCoV、BRV和BNoV感染为主。本研究测定分析的BNoV GⅢ.2型Bo/XJ-KS/01/CHN全基因序列与中国CN/HB-SJZ-2参考株亲缘关系最近,与国内外全基因组参考序列比对未出现基因重组现象。     

2015年-2016年度南宁部分地区猪戊型肝炎病毒基因型分析

为了解广西猪群中戊型肝炎病毒(HEV)基因型,利用套式RT-PCR用对南宁周边猪场采集到的104份新鲜猪粪便进行HEV检测、分离并成功扩增和克隆了11株阳性毒株的ORF2基因部分保守片段.序列测定结果表明,11株HEV ORF2序列自身核苷酸同源性为97.7%~100%,推导编码的氨基酸同源性为97.9%~100%;与4型HEV代表毒株Ch-S-1、Ch-T11、swGX40等的核苷酸同源性为84.6%~90.6%,而与其他各型之间的同源性较低.系统发育进化树结果表明,11株HEV广西株为基因4型,其中,10株HEV为4a亚型,1株毒株为4e亚型.结果表明,广西猪群中流行的HEV均为基因4型,且以4a亚型为优势流行毒株.     

牛诺如病毒实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立及应用

牛诺如病毒（BNoV）是国内新发的犊牛腹泻病原,笔者拟建立检测BNoV的Real-time PCR方法。根据BNoV流行株的RNA聚合酶（RdRp）基因序列设计引物,通过优化反应条件和体系,成功建立基于EvaGreen检测BNoV的Real-time PCR方法。该检测方法的Ct值与标准品模板在2.24×10²~2.24×10⁸拷贝·μL^-1线性关系良好,相关系数R²=0.997,扩增效率为98.44%;该方法可特异性检出BNoV,对其他犊牛腹泻相关病原呈阴性;最低检测限为22.4拷贝·μL^-1;批间和批内的变异系数均小于2%,重复性好。对2017年9月-2019年5月采自河南省的221份犊牛腹泻样本中BNoV的检出率为11.31%（25/221）,采样场阳性率为92.86%（13/14）。本试验所建方法灵敏度高、特异性强、稳定性好,为BNoV的检测和流行病学调查提供了有力手段。     

牛诺如病毒及牛嵴病毒双重PCR检测方法的建立及初步应用

本研究根据BNoV和BKoV基因组的保守区域设计2对特异性引物,建立了能同时检测牛诺如病毒(Bovine norovirus,BNo V)和牛嵴病毒(Bovine kobuvirus,BKo V)的双重PCR检测方法。该方法能特异性扩增BNo V和BKo V的目的条带,且未扩增出其他犊牛腹泻病毒性病原;BNoV和BKoV的最低检测限分别为5.39×105 copies/μL和2.23×106 copies/μL;对临床采集的127份犊牛腹泻样品检测结果显示,BNoV的阳性率为6.30%(8/127),BKoV的阳性率为4.72%(6/127),两者与单一PCR检测结果相一致,符合率为100%。本研究建立的双重PCR方法具有良好的敏感性、特异性、重复性,可用于BNoV和BKoV的快速检测和流行病学调查。     

Molecular evidence for zoonotic transmission of Giardia duodenalis among dairy farm workers in West Bengal, India

No study in the past has examined the genetic diversity and zoonotic potential of Giardia duodenalis in dairy cattle in India. To assess the importance of these animals as a source of human G. duodenalis infections and determine the epidemiology of bovine giardiasis in India, fecal samples from 180 calves, heifers and adults and 51 dairy farm workers on two dairy farms in West Bengal, India were genotyped by PCR-RFLP analysis of the β-giardin gene of G. duodenalis followed by DNA sequencing of the nested PCR products. The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis in cattle was 12.2% (22/180), the infection being more prevalent in younger calves than in adult cattle. Zoonotic G. duodenalis Assemblage A1 was identified in both calves and workers although the most prevalent genotype detected in cattle was a novel Assemblage E subgenotype. These findings clearly suggest that there is a potential risk of zoonotic transmission of G. duodenalis infections between cattle and humans on dairy farms in India.     

First report of Cryptosporidium deer-like genotype in Malaysian cattle

Fifty faecal samples from diarrheic calves between 1 and 6 months old were collected per rectum from 5 farms around Petaling District in Selangor, Malaysia for Cryptosporidium species detection and genotyping investigation. Oocysts were purified using sedimentation and gradient centrifugation, then examined by immunofluorescence assay (IFAT). Genomic DNA was extracted from all samples and nested PCR was performed to amplify the SSU rRNA gene. Eighteen samples (36%) were positive for Cryptosporidium species by PCR. The sequence and phylogenetic analysis of 14 isolates indicated that Cryptosporidium parvum was most common (11 isolates) followed by Cryptosporidium deer-like genotype (3 isolates). The present work reports the first data on Cryptosporidium genotyping from cattle in Malaysia.     

Detection and molecular characterization of two canine circovirus genotypes co-circulating in Vietnam

BackgroundCanine circovirus is reported in dogs in many countries, including the USA, China and Thailand. It has been detected in healthy dogs and dogs with diarrhea, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, and vasculitis. It comprises five genotypes and is frequently found as a coinfection with canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2).AimTo characterize canine circovirus genotypes co-circulating with CPV-2 in Vietnam.MethodPCR assessment of 81 CPV-2-positive fecal samples from Vietnamese diarrheic dogs up to seven months of age for other viral enteric pathogens, including canine bocavirus, canine adenovirus, paramyxovirus, canine coronavirus, porcine circovirus-3 and canine circovirus. In addition, eight selected full genome sequences of Vietnamese canine circovirus were analyzed and used for phylogeny.ResultsIn total 19.8% of samples were found to be positive for canine circovirus. Phylogeny revealed that the Vietnamese canine circovirus strains were clustered in two different genotypes (genotype-1 and -3). The genetic diversity among Vietnamese canine circovirus was 86.0–87.2%. The nucleotide discrepancy among both genotypes altered the deduced amino acid sequence in 14 and ten residues of the replicase and capsid proteins, respectively. Genetic recombination analysis revealed that the Vietnamese canine circovirus-6 strain has the American and Chinese canine circovirus as its major and minor parents, respectively. Only a single dog revealed triple detections of CPV-2c, Canine circovirus and canine adenovirus (1.2%).ConclusionThe co-circulation of two different genotypes of canine circovirus and CPV-2c in dogs in Vietnam has been illustrated.Clinical relevanceThe mortality rate with CPV-2 only (22%) doubled in dogs with canine circovirus and CPV-2 co-infection.     

Prevalence and first genetic identification of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle in central Viet Nam

We investigated the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in relation to age and clinical status in cattle in the central region of Viet Nam. A total of 266 fecal samples from diarrheic and non-diarrheic cattle were examined by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium parvum type infections, those of the Cryptosporidium andersoni type, and mixed infection of both types was 33.5% (89/266), 5.6% (15/266), and 3.4% (9/266), respectively. The infection rate of 44.3% (35/79) of C. parvum in calves less than 6 months old was significantly higher than that of 28.9% (54/187) in cattle greater than 6 months old (P < 0.01). Although no C. andersoni oocysts were detected in calves less than 3 months old, no significant difference was observed between the age groups in the prevalence of C. andersoni infection and mixed infection. The percentage of diarrheic and non-diarrheic cattle identified to be shedding C. parvum oocysts was 46.5% (74/159) and 14.0% (15/107), respectively (P < 0.0001). The risk of diarrhea was 1.7 times greater in C. parvum-infected calves than in their non-infected counterparts. DNA sequences of 18S rRNA genes of C. parvum type and C. andersoni type indicated that they were C. parvum bovine genotype and C. andersoni, respectively. This is the first genetic identification of C. parvum bovine genotype and C. andersoni from cattle in Viet Nam.     

重庆肉牛腹泻相关病毒的检测及遗传进化分析

为了解重庆市肉牛病毒性腹泻的病原流行情况,本研究对重庆市8个肉牛养殖场的81份腹泻粪便样本中牛病毒性腹泻-黏膜病病毒（bovine viral diarrhea virus,BVDV）、牛冠状病毒（bovine coronavirus,BCV）、牛轮状病毒（bovine rotavirus,BRV）和牛星状病毒（bovine astrovirus,BAstV）4种致腹泻病毒进行了RT-PCR检测,对PCR产物进行测序,用Mega 6.0软件进行系统发育分析。结果显示,BRV、BAstV和BVDV检出率分别为66.7%、8.6%和7.4%,BCV未检出。遗传进化分析结果表明,测序的5个BRV单独聚为一小支,与GenBank中其他VP6序列有明显的遗传距离;BVDV与中国株和丹麦株聚为一支,遗传关系最近;5个BAstV单独聚为一支,与中国香港株遗传关系最近,但仍有明显的遗传距离。本试验结果表明,重庆地区肉牛腹泻主要发生在6月龄以下犊牛,BRV是该地区肉牛腹泻的重要原因,BRV、BAstV和BVDV 3种病毒的遗传多样性值得进一步关注。     

Isolation of bovine coronavirus from feces and nasal swabs of calves with diarrhea.

Fecal and nasal samples were collected from 180 calves with diarrhea and 36 clinically normal co-habitants, and tested for virus using HRT-18 cell cultures derived from human rectal adenocarcinoma. A cytopathic virus was isolated from 5 fecal and 56 nasal samples obtained from diarrheic calves. All calves in which the virus was isolated from diarrheic feces were positive for virus isolation from nasal swabs. The virus was also isolated from the nasal swabs of 10 clinically normal calves that were co-habitants with diarrheic calves. Because they were morphologically similar to coronavirus, agglutinated mouse erythrocytes and serologically identical with the Nebraska calf diarrhea coronavirus, new isolates were identified as bovine coronavirus. The demonstration of viral antigens in nasal epithelial cells by a direct immunofluorescence was in close agreement with the virus isolation in HRT-18 cell cultures. This is the first report on the isolation of bovine coronavirus from newborn calves with diarrhea in Japan. The evidence that the virus was frequently isolated from nasal swabs is of great interest for understanding the pathogenesis of bovine coronavirus infection.     

Longitudinal identification of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in dairy calves on a farm in Southern Xinjiang,China

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most common species responsible for human and animals microsporidiasis. A total of 250 samples were collected weekly from 25 newborn dairy calves of a farm in Southern Xinjiang, China at one to ten weeks of age. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was identified and genotyped by nested PCR amplification and sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.The cumulative prevalence of E. bieneusi infection was 100% (25/25), and the average infection was 52.0% (130/250). The highest infection rate was recorded at six weeks of age (92.0%, 23/25), and no infection was observed at one and two weeks of age. Sequencing analysis showed nine E. bieneusi genotypes (J, EbpC, PigEBITS5, CHV4, CHC3, CS-9, KIN-1, CH5, and CAM5) were identified. The highest genetic polymorphism was observed at ten weeks of age. Genotype J was the predominant E. bieneusi genotype. Phylogenetic analysis clustered genotype J into Group 2 and other eight genotypes (EbpC, PigEBITS5, CHV4, CHC3, CS-9, KIN-1, CH5, and CAM5), detected in 22 (16.9%, 22/130) samples, into Group 1. Among the genotypes, EbpC, KIN-1, and J have been identified in humans. The highest E. bieneusi infection rate (57.9%, 124/214) was observed in fecal samples with formed feces with no diarrhea (p < 0.01), and high genetic polymorphism was observed in class I fecal samples. The presence of zoonotic E. bieneusi genotypes in dairy calves suggests the possibility of transmitting zoonotic infections to humans. It provides the basic data on dynamic change of E. bieneusi in calves.