Moderately virulent African swine fever virus infection: blood cell changes and infective virus distribution among blood components

Blood samples of pigs infected with a moderately virulent African swine fever virus (ASFV) isolate, obtained from the Dominican Republic (DR-II), were monitored temporally for viremia, infective ASFV association with major blood components, differential changes in blood cell composition, and plasma antibodies to ASFV. After intranasal/oral virus inoculation, pigs underwent acute infection and illness that resolved. Acute illness began on postinoculation day (PID) 4 and continued to PID 11, and pigs were febrile, with maximal infective ASFV titers detected in blood. By PID 11, initial antibody titers to ASFV antigens were detected in plasma. The WBC numbers were maintained near preinoculation counts; however, lymphocyte counts decreased slightly with a compensatory increment in neutrophil and monocyte numbers. From PID 11 to PID 25, rectal temperatures gradually returned to preinoculation values, titers of viremia began to decrease, plasma antibody to ASFV antigens increased to peak titers, and WBC numbers increased slightly. Percentages of lymphocytes returned to preinoculation values, neutrophil percentages decreased to slightly below preinoculation values, monocyte percentages were mildly increased, and eosinophil percentages were unaffected. From PID 25 to PID 46, titers of viremia further decreased, and plasma titers of antibodies to ASFV antigens remained high. In pigs with DR-II viremia (PID 4 to PID 46), most viral infectivity (greater than 95%) was RBC associated. Plasma contained less than 1% infectivity, and less than 0.1% of virus was in the WBC fraction (monocytes, lymphocytes, and granulocytes). After PID 46, viremia was no longer detectable.     

In vitro and in vivo association of African swine fever virus with swine erythrocytes

The association of African swine fever virus (ASFV) with swine erythrocytes in vivo, in high titers, was verified by inoculating 30 pigs with 17 ASFV isolates and assaying their plasma and washed erythrocyte fractions for residual virus. Viral antigens were specifically localized on the surface of in vitro and in vivo swine erythrocytes, using the fluorescent antibody technique and 3 monoclonal antibodies specific for ASFV. The same monoclonal antibodies immunoprecipitated virus-specific polypeptides of molecular weights 13 kd and 73 kd from ASFV-infected Vero cells. Erythrocytes from viremic swine infected with Lisbon-60, Dominican Republic, Badajoz-M98, or Cameroon isolates of ASFV were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Virus was found in membrane depressions at the surface of erythrocytes. These surface depressions resembled stages of smooth surfaced pits. Erythrocytes from viremic pigs were fragile osmotically.     

In vivo and in vitro effects of moderately virulent African swine fever virus on mitogenesis of pig lymphocytes

Six pigs were infected oro-nasally with a moderately virulent African swine fever (ASF) virus from the Dominican Republic (DR II). The effect of virus infection on the pig's immune system was tested by measuring peripheral leucocyte numbers and the ability of mononuclear leucocytes (MNL) to respond by lymphocyte proliferation (LP) to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), concanavalin-A (Con-A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). All 6 pigs developed high viremias between 4 and 18 days post-inoculation (DPI) which became undetectable by 32 to 46 DPI. Virus was found in erythrocytes, plasma, and mononuclear leucocytes from peripheral blood. Overall, virus infection had only minor effects on the number of circulating leucocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes. At the early acute phase of infection slight neutrophilia and lymphocytopenia were observed with mildly elevated monocyte numbers and slightly depressed neutrophil numbers that continued from the time of evident reduction in viremia to beyond the period of viral clearance. The infected pigs readily produced high titers of ASF virus antibody shortly after the onset of viremia. No significant differences in LP responses of MNL from the 6 pigs to PHA-P, Con-A and PWM were observed after infection when compared to those obtained with MNL from normal pigs. The in vitro addition of infectious ASF virus to MNL from normal pigs did not affect LP responses to any of the three mitogens. These results do not support the hypothesis that immunosuppression is a consequence of ASFV infection of pigs.     

Potential arthropod vectors of African swine fever virus in North America and the Caribbean basin

In an effort to identify arthropods that might serve as vectors and perhaps reservoirs of African swine fever virus (ASFV) if it were to enter the U.S.A., the blood-sucking insect Triatoma gerstaeckeri and four species of ticks of the genus Ornithodoros were established in colonies capable of reproducing in numbers sufficient to enable thorough studies to be made of their ASFV vector potentials. A nymphal stage of T. gerstaeckeri carried the virus for 41 days and retained it through one molt, but was unable to transmit it to susceptible pigs. Studies on O. coriaceus revealed that the species is able to harbor and transmit the virus for greater than 440 days, passing it trans-stadially from the first nymphal stage to the adult, sustaining it through at least four molts. Trans-ovarial passage was not demonstrated and nearly 40% of the ticks died, apparently, of the ASFV infection. O. turicata collected in Florida was also found to be capable of becoming infected with ASFV and transmitting it by bite to susceptible pigs. O. puertoricensis collected during the ASF eradication programs in the Dominican Republic and Haiti was not only readily infected experimentally, but it was also able to transmit the virus trans-stadially and trans-ovarially. However, ASFV was not isolated from any of the 350 O. puertoricensis collected in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. O. parkeri from a long-established laboratory colony were able to carry the virus through at least one molt, but they were unable to transmit it to susceptible pigs.     

The role of antibody in protection against African swine fever virus

Intraperitoneal immunization of pigs with anti-African swine fever virus (ASFV) antibody protected them against the effects of challenge with ASFV. This protection, which was exemplified by a reduction in pyrexia and viraemia plus an increased survival time, appeared to be mediated through the effects of complement-dependent antibody-mediated cytotoxicity (CDAC) or antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Experiments suggested that the reduction in viraemia was associated with complement lysis whereas protection was conferred by ADCC.     

非洲猪瘟病毒强免疫原性重组CD2v抗原的制备与初步应用

旨在获得非洲猪瘟病毒（ASFV）强免疫原性重组CD2v抗原,利用生物信息学软件进行CD2v抗原指数分析,将其细胞质内免疫显性区与类弹性蛋白多肽（ELP）在重组大肠杆菌中进行融合表达,对ELP-CD2v融合蛋白的相变循环（ITC）条件进行优化,在优化条件下进行融合蛋白纯化,利用烟草蚀纹病毒（TEV）蛋白酶活性包涵体切除ELP标签,通过免疫转印法对重组CD2v抗原进行鉴定,利用重组CD2v抗原建立ELISA抗体检测方法,与多抗原ELISA对ASFV抗体阳性和阴性血清进行平行检测。结果显示,ELP-CD2v融合蛋白获得正确、可溶性表达,ITC条件为28℃和1.5 mol·L^-1 NaCl,在0.2% Triton X-100存在下进行ITC,纯化的融合蛋白纯度为76.3%;TEV蛋白酶活性包涵体能有效切割ELP标签,再次ITC回收的重组CD2v抗原纯度为91.7%,能被ASFV抗体识别;根据多抗原ELISA检测结果选择血清样品,用重组CD2v抗原ELISA进行检测,结果显示,15份ASFV抗体阴性血清均为CD2v抗体检测阴性,15份ASFV抗体阳性血清均为CD2v抗体检测阳性。这些研究结果表明,ASFV的CD2v蛋白胞内区存在强免疫原性表位,其重组抗原有望用于CD2v的抗体检测。     

湖南高致病性猪蓝耳病隐性感染情况调查

用ELISA和RT-PCR的方法对采集自湖南省内20个规模场1007份血清和3个市级定点屠宰场50份猪肺门淋巴结进行蓝耳病血清抗体检测和高致病性猪蓝耳病病毒的检测。结果1007份血清中,蓝耳病抗体阳性率为72.9%(734/1007),高致病性猪蓝耳病病毒携毒率为3.2%(32/1007),50份肺门淋巴结病毒阳性率为16%(8/50),其中,蓝耳病免疫与非免疫猪血清其抗体阳性率相差不显著,种猪的抗体阳性率明显高于商品猪,而其病毒携毒率为0%。部分规模猪场和眼观健康的育肥猪存在高致病性猪蓝耳病病毒的隐性感染。     

Preparation and Preliminary Application of Highly Immunogenic Recombinant CD2v Antigen of African Swine Fever Virus

To obtain the highly immunogenic recombinant CD2v antigen of African swine fever virus (ASFV), the amino acid sequence of CD2v was analyzed for antigenic index using bioinformatics software and the intracytoplasmic region with high antigenic index was expressed in E. coli as an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) fusion protein. After optimization of the conditions for inverse transition cycling (ITC), ELP-CD2v fusion protein was purified by ITC in the presence of different concentrations of Triton X-100 and the ELP tag was cleaved with active inclusion bodies of tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease. The tag-free recombinant CD2v antigen was recovered by an additional round of ITC and identified by Western blotting. By using the recombinant CD2v antigen, an indirect ELISA was established and used to detect ASFV antibody-positive and antibody-negative sera in parallel with the multi-antigen ELISA. The results showed that ELP-CD2v fusion protein was expressed correctly in E. coli with an optimal transition temperature of 28 ℃ at 1.5 mol·L^-1 NaCl. After one cycle of ITC in the presence of 0.2% Triton X-100, ELP-CD2v fusion protein was purified to 76.3% purity. The ELP tag was cleaved efficiently with the TEV protease and removed after an additional round of ITC. The recovered recombinant CD2v protein had a purity of 91.7%, which was recognized by pig anti-ASFV serum. For 30 serum samples detected by ASFV multi-antigen ELISA, recombinant CD2v ELISA showed that all of 15 antibody-negative sera were CD2v antibody negative and all of 15 antibody-positive sera were CD2v antibody positive. These data suggest that the presence of immune dominant epitopes in the intracytoplasmic region of CD2v protein and the potential application of the recombinant CD2v antigen for ASFV antibody detection.     

广西德保县黑猪主要疫病病原学和血清学检测

为了解德保黑猪主要疫病流行状况和免疫效果,2018—2020年釆集166个德保黑猪饲养场点的300份病死猪样品进行非洲猪瘟(ASF)、猪瘟(CSF)、口蹄疫(FMD)、猪繁殖与呼吸综合征(PRRS)、猪伪狂犬病(PR)、猪圆环病毒病(PCV-2)、猪支原体病(PPLO)、猪传染性胸膜肺炎(PCP)、猪链球菌病(SS)、...     

Experimental production of congenital persistent swine fever infections: II. Effect on functions of the immune system

Twelve pregnant sows were infected at various stages of gestation with a low-virulent field strain of swine fever (SF) virus. The sows developed neutralizing antibody in serum, colostrum and milk.Only one pig had antibody to SF virus at birth. Twenty-three congenitally infected pigs developed a persistent viraemia. In the plasma samples of these pigs, neither antibodies nor virus-antibody complexes were detected after the disappearance of maternal antibodies.The persistently infected pigs showed a normal antibody response against sheep red blood cells, except in the terminal stage of disease. These observations indicate immunological tolerance to SF virus in these pigs. Immunological tolerance was also induced in pigs which had been infected in utero after the onset of immune competence.The lymphocyte response to phytohaemagglutinin seemed to be slightly depressed in the persistently infected pigs, whereas the response to pokeweed mitogen was comparable with that of control pigs.A clear, cell-mediated immune response to SF virus could not be demonstrated by the lymphocyte stimulation test.Three pigs that were born uninfected did not produce neutralizing antibody following natural exposure from in-contacts, whereas the littermates did. These pigs appeared to be sensitized when challenged with virulent SF virus.     

Cytopathogenic effect of African swine fever virus for pig monocytes: characterization and use in microassay

A microculture assay is described for the titration of African swine fever virus (ASFV) using swine monocytes contained in mononuclear leucocyte (MNL) microcultures. Titration endpoints were determined by observing cytopathogenic effects (CPE) of ASFV infected monocytes with an inverted microscope at 40 X magnification. CPE was a late event following the detection of ASFV antigens in monocytes by radioimmune assay, immunofluorescence and hemadsorption. It began with the detachment, enlargement and rounding of monocytes which progressively formed into grape-like clusters of 3-20 or more cells which eventually lysed. The characteristic CPE was produced in monocyte microcultures by virulent, moderately virulent, Vero cell adapted, and nonhemadsorbing ASFV strains. The sensitivity and reproducibility of the CPE microassay was similar to that of the hemadsorption microassay.     

The immune response and maternal antibody interference to a heterologous H1N1 swine influenza virus infection following vaccination

This study investigated the efficacy of a bivalent swine influenza virus (SIV) vaccine in piglets challenged with a heterologous H1N1 SIV isolate. The ability of maternally derived antibodies (MDA) to provide protection against a heterologous challenge and the impact MDA have on vaccine efficacy were also evaluated. Forty-eight MDA(+) pigs and 48 MDA(-) pigs were assigned to 8 different groups. Vaccinated pigs received two doses of a bivalent SIV vaccine at 3 and 5 weeks of age. The infected pigs were challenged at 7 weeks of age with an H1N1 SIV strain heterologous to the H1N1 vaccine strain. Clinical signs, rectal temperature, macroscopic and microscopic lesions, virus excretion, serum and local antibody responses, and influenza-specific T-cell responses were measured. The bivalent SIV vaccine induced a high serum hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titer against the vaccine virus, but antibodies cross-reacted at a lower level to the challenge virus. This study determined that low serum HI antibodies to a challenge virus induced by vaccination with a heterologous virus provided protection demonstrated by clinical protection and reduced pneumonia and viral excretion. The vaccine was able to prime the local SIV-specific antibody response in the lower respiratory tract as well as inducing a systemic SIV-specific memory T-cell response. MDA alone were capable of suppressing fever subsequent to infection, but other parameters showed reduced protection against infection compared to vaccination. The presence of MDA at vaccination negatively impacted vaccine efficacy as fever and clinical signs were prolonged, and unexpectedly, SIV-induced pneumonia was increased compared to pigs vaccinated in the absence of MDA. MDA also suppressed the serum antibody response and the induction of SIV-specific memory T-cells following vaccination. The results of this study question the effectiveness of the current practice of generating increased MDA levels through sow vaccination in protecting piglets against disease.     

Genome analysis of African swine fever virus isolated in Italy in 1983

An African Swine Fever virus (ASFV) isolated in an 1983 outbreak of the disease in Piemonte, Italy, was related by restriction endonuclease analysis of the viral genome to ASFV strains isolated in the Dominican Republic (1978), Haiti (1981) and Cameroon (1982).     

非洲猪瘟病毒无标签p30-ELISA抗体检测方法的建立及应用

非洲猪瘟(African swine fever, ASF)是由非洲猪瘟病毒(African swine fever virus, ASFV)引起猪的一种急性、热性、出血性、高度接触性传染病,临床症状以败血症、皮炎和关节炎为特征,高发病率和高死亡率。为建立临床检测ASFV抗体的间接ELISA检测方法,本研究扩增了ASFV-CP204L基因,通过pET-30a原核表达系统表达p30蛋白,使用Ni-NTA纯化表达产物,通过肠激酶切除外源性蛋白,得到无His-组氨酸标签的p30蛋白,以此为诊断抗原,建立间接ELISA方法。结果显示：表达的无标签p30重组蛋白大小约为30 ku,与ASF阳性猪血清具有较好的反应原性;确定ELISA抗原包被浓度为1 μg·mL^-1,根据ROC曲线下面积确定S/P值>0.398判定为阳性,批内、批间变异系数均<10%;与PCV2、CSFV、PRV-gE、PRRSV阳性血清无交叉反应与INGENASA商品化试剂盒总符合率为97.78%。用该方法分别检测标准阳性血清、动物感染试验血清和收集的区域性临床血清644份,该方法最低可检测到1∶512倍稀释的标准阳性血清样品;检测感染动物血清,其中80%(4/5)的试验动物在第10天抗体为阳性。644份临床猪血清样品中抗体阳性率为7.61%,其中,母猪、后备母猪、仔猪、保育猪和育肥猪抗体阳性率分别为3.03%、0%、4.94%、7.55%和28.7%。本试验建立的ASFV-p30间接ELISA方法具有良好的特异性、灵敏度和重复性,可应用于ASFV的抗体检测,为ASF的诊断和流行病学调查提供了技术手段。     

Natural infection of pigs with bovine viral diarrhea virus and its differential diagnosis from hog cholera.

Natural infection of pigs with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) through contact with infected cattle has caused problems in diagnosing hog cholera (HC). Low cross-reacting serum antibody titers against HC caused by BVDV infection were found in clinically normal pigs as well as those suspected of having HC. Bovine viral diarrhea virus was isolated from specimen tissues and initially identified as HC virus (HCV), using the fluorescent antibody cell culture technique. Additional cell cultures, as well as pig and calf trials, were necessary to identify it as BVDV. The isolate caused clinical signs of illness in the calves, whereas the pigs remained healthy. Bovine viral diarrhea virus may be detected in tissue sections or isolated in cell cultures and confirmed as HCV, using the HC fluorescent antibody conjugate. Laboratories performing the neutralization test for HC should use discretion when interpreting HC titers unless BVD titers are determined on the same serums.     

Vaccine-induced T cell-mediated immunity plays a critical role in early protection against pseudorabies virus (suid herpes virus type 1) infection in pigs

The aim of our study was to evaluate the relative importance of antibody and T cell-mediated immunity in protection against pseudorabies virus (suid herpes virus type 1) infection in pigs. We induced different levels of immune responses by using: (1) a modified live vaccine; (2) the same modified live vaccine with an oil-in-water (o/w) adjuvant; (3) an inactivated vaccine; and (4) the same inactivated vaccine with an o/w adjuvant. Subsequently, we challenged pigs with virulent pseudorabies virus (PRV). We demonstrated that best-protected pigs stood out by maintaining strong T cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses after challenge. Of the immune parameters tested, protection against virus shedding was correlated best with the magnitude of the IFN-gamma response of in vitro re-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with an additional role for PRV-specific IgG2 antibodies. The use of an o/w adjuvant resulted in higher antibody and CMI responses, in particular with an increased frequency of memory T helper blast cells of in vitro re-stimulated PBMC. However, this adjuvant-induced enhancement of the immune response had a limited additional effect on the efficacy of inactivated vaccines. This study suggests a major contribution of the CMI response in early protection against PRV infection and that PRV-induced IFN-gamma responses may serve as a suitable indicator for assessing the immune status of vaccinated pigs.     

Dynamics of African swine fever virus shedding and excretion in domestic pigs infected by intramuscular inoculation and contact transmission

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly virulent swine pathogen that has spread across Eastern Europe since 2007 and for which there is no effective vaccine or treatment available. The dynamics of shedding and excretion is not well known for this currently circulating ASFV strain. Therefore, susceptible pigs were exposed to pigs intramuscularly infected with the Georgia 2007/1 ASFV strain to measure those dynamics through within- and between-pen transmission scenarios. Blood, oral, nasal and rectal fluid samples were tested for the presence of ASFV by virus titration (VT) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Serum was tested for the presence of ASFV-specific antibodies. Both intramuscular inoculation and contact transmission resulted in development of acute disease in all pigs although the experiments indicated that the pathogenesis of the disease might be different, depending on the route of infection. Infectious ASFV was first isolated in blood among the inoculated pigs by day 3, and then chronologically among the direct and indirect contact pigs, by day 10 and 13, respectively. Close to the onset of clinical signs, higher ASFV titres were found in blood compared with nasal and rectal fluid samples among all pigs. No infectious ASFV was isolated in oral fluid samples although ASFV genome copies were detected. Only one animal developed antibodies starting after 12 days post-inoculation. The results provide quantitative data on shedding and excretion of the Georgia 2007/1 ASFV strain among domestic pigs and suggest a limited potential of this isolate to cause persistent infection.     

Cytokine mRNA expression and pathological findings in pigs inoculated with African swine fever virus (E-70) deleted on A238L

African swine fever virus (ASFV) induces a variety of immune responses and clinical forms in domestic pigs. As it is the only member of the Asfarviridae family, ASFV encodes many novel genes not encoded by other virus families. Among these genes, A238L may regulate the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines, controlled mainly by NFkappaB and NFAT pathways. In this study, we inoculated two groups of pigs, one with the ASFV highly virulent E-70 isolate, deleted on A238L gene, and the other group with the parental E-70 isolate. No significant differences were observed in the clinical signs or pathology between both groups. However, the TNF-alpha mRNA expression was strongly enhanced in the PBMC from pigs inoculated with the virus deleted in A238L, reinforcing the role of the A238L gene in the inhibition of the NFkappaB pathway of expression of cytokines. No up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines was observed in the PBMC of animals inoculated with the E-70 isolate, even though apoptosis and haemorrhages were evident and might be related to the presence of bystander monocyte-macrophages expressing these cytokines. Other studies using ASFV deleted in other genes inoculated in the natural hosts should be performed to gain further insight into the role of these genes in the pathogenesis of ASF.     

猪瘟病毒低毒力毒株FJFQ株的分离鉴定

从福建某猪场分离到 1 株病毒,其在PK 15细胞上的毒价为 106.5 TCID50/mL,该病毒能被猪瘟病毒高免血清所中和(效价为1∶8)。通过 RT -PCR 扩增出猪瘟病毒约250 bp的E2蛋白主要抗原编码区序列,其与几株已发表毒株序列的核苷酸及氨基酸同源性分别为79.9%~87.9%,77.7%~86.6%,与Alfort 株同属于基因二群。经本动物传3代均不表现明显的临床症状。用猪瘟兔化弱毒疫苗免疫后以此分离毒作强攻进行免疫保护相关实验,结果免疫组猪在攻毒前及攻毒后扁桃体 HCFA检测均为阴性,对照组猪扁桃体HCFA于攻毒后1周开始出现阳性结果,且一直持续到试验结束。用分离株免疫本动物后再攻石门毒, 2 头试验猪中 1 头死亡,1头出现临床症状。初步说明,所分离的病毒为猪瘟病毒(命名为CSFV- FJFQ株),可能是一株低毒力毒株,且其免疫原性不好。     

Enhanced protective response and immuno-adjuvant effects of porcine GM-CSF on DNA vaccination of pigs against Aujeszky’s disease virus

This study was conducted to investigate whether the co-delivery of DNA encoding porcine cytokines would enhance a protective immune response in pigs to a Pseudorabies virus (PRV; or Aujeszky’s disease virus) DNA vaccine. Aujeszky’s disease in pigs results in respiratory and nervous symptoms with important economic losses. To evaluate cytokine effects, eukaryotic expression vectors were constructed for porcine GM-CSF, IL-2 and IFN-γ. cDNA for each of these cytokines was inserted under the control of a CMV promoter in the pcDNA3 plasmid and cytokine expression was confirmed after DNA transfection in various mammalian cell cultures by bioassays (GM-CSF and IL2) and ELISA (IFN-γ). Pigs were vaccinated by single intramuscular injection with plasmid DNA encoding PRV gB and gD along with various combinations of cytokine plasmid constructs. Pig serum was tested for the production of antibody by isotype specific anti-PRV ELISA. Pigs were then challenged with the highly virulent PRV strain NIA3 on day 21 after vaccination. The survival and growth rate of pigs were monitored for seven days after the viral challenge. The co-administration of GM-CSF plasmid increased the immune response induced by gB and gD PRV DNA vaccine. This immune response was characterized by an earlier appearance of anti-PRV IgG2, a significantly enhanced anti-PRV IgG1 and IgG2 antibody response, a significantly decreased and shortened viral excretion in nasal swabs and an improved protection to the viral challenge. In contrast, the co-administration of porcine IL-2 or IFN-γ had no adjuvant effects. Our results thus demonstrate for the first time that the application of porcine GM-CSF gene in a DNA vaccine formulation can exert immuno-adjuvant and protective effects with single vaccination in the natural host pig against Aujeszky’s disease.