Very virulent infectious bursal disease virus in southeastern Europe

Clinical outbreaks of severe acute infectious burial disease (IBD) were recorded since the mid- and late 1990s in several countries in the southeastern part of Europe. Epidemiologic data showed that both infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV)-vaccinated and IBDV-nonvaccinated chickens were affected with acute IBD and mortality up to 50% independent of the IBDV vaccination status of the appropriate parent flocks. For investigation of the causative agent of acute IBD, the variable region of VP2 was amplified, cloned, and sequenced. Nucleotide sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction fragments showed several silent nucleotide exchanges in comparison with the sequence of the very virulent (vv) IBDV strain UK661. Also, restriction enzyme cleavage sites proposed specific for vvIBDV were present in all investigated strains. On the basis of clinical signs in affected flocks, recorded epidemiologic data, and sequence analysis, it is very likely the IBD-causing strains were of the vv phenotype.     

Immunosuppressive effect of infectious bursal disease virus strains of variable virulence for chickens.

Infection of chicks with attenuated Lp and Sp clones of the RF-1 strain of infectious bursal disease virus was shown to exert no immunosuppressive effect, whereas the parent strain RF-1tc and the original virulent strain RF-1wt were immunosuppressive. One-day-old chicks infected with Lp and Sp clones showed no suppression of immunological response to live Newcastle disease vaccines B1 and TCND, and to bivalent infectious coryza vaccine. On the other hand, infection with RF-1tc or RF-1wt strains was immunosuppressive for these vaccines. The immunosuppressive effect of RF-1tc and RF-1wt strains was more pronounced for infectious coryza vaccine and B1 vaccine than for TCND vaccine. The immunosuppressive effect of RF-1tc and RF-1wt strains was lower when chicks were infected with these strains at the age of 21 days than when they were infected at one day of age.     

一株传染性法氏囊病病毒强毒株的分离与鉴定

鸡传染性法氏囊病是由传染性法氏囊病病毒引起的一种急性传染病。本研究从江苏某疑似发生传染性法氏囊病的鸡场采集病料,通过观察临床症状、病理变化、RT-PCR检测、基因测序、SPF鸡胚接种、琼脂扩散试验和雏鸡攻毒等试验,证实了该鸡群发生了传染性法氏囊病,且分离到一株传染性法氏囊病病毒(JSXY株),该病毒有较强的致病力,VP4基因比较分析发现其与变异株亲缘关系最近,序列同源性为95%。本研究为江苏地区传染性法氏囊病的防治提供了有益的参考。     

Efficacy of VP2 protein expressed in E. coli for protection against highly virulent infectious bursal disease virus

The ability of a heat-inactivated whole virus from a highly virulent infectious bursal disease virus (hvIBDV) and VP2 protein from hvIBDV expressed in E. coli provided protection against a hvIBDV challenge in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. Six out of seven chickens that were injected three times with crude VP2 protein developed significant antibody titer against IBDV. However, only four out of the seven chickens survived the hvIBDV challenge. Despite showing low antibody titer profiles, all chickens immunized with the heat-inactivated whole virus also survived the challenged with hvIBDV. However, all of these chickens had bursal atrophy and mild to moderate depletion of lymphocytes. Thus, antibodies raised against IBDV VP2 protein expressed in E. coli and denatured IBDV proteins induced some degree of protection against mortality but not against bursal damage following challenge with hvIBDV.     

鸡传染性法氏囊病超强毒Gx株感染性分子克隆的构建

本研究以鸡传染性法氏囊病超强毒Gx株(野毒株)基因组为模板,用蛋白酶K法提取病毒基因组核酸dsRNA,在cDNA克隆的5'端上游引入了T7启动子序列,采用Long-accurateRT-PCR(LA-PCR)一步法扩增并克隆了病毒基因组A节段与B节段全长cDNA。序列测定结果表明,基因组A节段全长共3267个核苷酸,包括5'及3'端的非编码区和两个部分重叠的开放阅读框,基因组B节段全长共2843个核苷酸,包括5'及3'端的非编码区和一个开放阅读框。将IBDV-Gx株的A节段全长基因组及B节段全长基因组分别克隆入pMD18-T载体,构建成pMD-A、pMD-B两个带有T7启动子的重组质粒。两个重组质粒线性化后,进行体外转录,然后共电转染于鸡胚成纤维细胞37℃培养72h并传代。收获的细胞传代培养物分别用RT-PCR、间接免疫荧光、蚀斑试验等方法进行鉴定,结果用RT-PCR扩增出了VP3及VP5基因片段,间接免疫荧光检测到了特异性的荧光抗体,蚀斑试验结果表明蚀斑形成单位为3×103PFU/mL。     

Identification of a strain of infectious bursal disease virus isolated from mosquitoes.

The Becht strain of infectious bursal disease virus was compared with a virus isolated from Aedes vexans mosquitoes and designed 743 virus. The viruses were compared with respect to cell culture host range, cellular changes resulting from viral infections, growth curves, antigenic relationship, and physicochemical characteristics. The viruses are closely comparable in all these properties, and they are considered to be strains of the same virus. In cross comparisons by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, 743 virus and infectious bursal disease virus were found to be antigenically identical, confirming the results of the neutralization test. The 743 virus differs from most strains of infectious bursal disease virus in that it is nonpathogenic for chickens.     

鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒超强毒株VP2基因突变对细胞嗜性改变的研究

为研究鸡传染性法氏囊病病毒超强毒株(vvIBDV)细胞嗜性改变的分子基础,本研究通过定点突变、重叠延伸PCR(SOE-PCR)等技术,以vvIBDV HLJ-0504株为骨架构建了两组感染性克隆,并借助已建立的反向遗传操作技术进行病毒拯救。IFA检测、电镜观察及RT-PCR鉴定均显示:Q253H/A284T双点突变的pCAGGHLJ0504A889/980HRT和pCAGGHLJ0504BHRT共转染DF1细胞成功拯救出重组病毒(rHLJ0504HT),而未进行双点突变的pCAGGHLJ0504AHRT和pCAGGHLJ0504BHRT共转染组未获得重组病毒。上述结果表明,双点突变Q253H/A284T能使vvIBDV HLJ-0504适应非允许细胞CEF,但未进行Q253H/A284T双点突变的vvIBDV HLJ-0504不能感染非允许细胞CEF,因此,该研究表明VP2的Q253H/A284T两个氨基酸突变是vvIBDV细胞嗜性改变的分子基础。     

5株传染性囊病病毒超强毒株的分离与鉴定

本研究从浙江余姚、上虞、海南3个疑似发生传染性囊病的鸡场采集病料共20份,通过观察临床症状、病理变化、RT-PCR检测、SPF鸡胚接种、基因测序等试验,证实鸡场送检样品的鸡群发生了传染性囊病,且分离到5株传染性囊病病毒,对VP2基因进行测序分析后,发现具有超强毒株的特征。并与Gen Bank上的已知的强毒OKYM D49706、HK46 AF092943、D78 AF499929、Harbin-1 AF454945的VP2氨基酸序列的同源性在99.22%。说明此次分离的5株病毒与已知病毒存在一定的差异性。为以后的IBDV病毒的研究提供了一定的依据。     

Persistent infection with chicken anaemia virus and some effects of highly virulent infectious bursal disease virus infection on its persistency

Chicken anaemia virus (CAV) infectivity and the effect of highly virulent infectious bursal disease virus (hv IBDV) infection on CAV's infectivity were examined in chickens inoculated with CAV or inoculated dually with CAV and hv IBDV. Five chickens inoculated dually with hv IBDV at 35 days old and then with CAV at 40 days old exhibited no clinical signs of disease, but showed atrophic bursae of Fabricius when necropsied 4 weeks later. Upon examining the chickens at 7 days postinoculation (dpi) with CAV, it was found that hv IBDV infection had inhibited production of virus neutralising (VN) antibody to CAV, and that it was possible to recover CAV from plasma of these chickens. Although VN antibody to CAV appeared after 14 dpi, CAV was recovered from blood cells (BC s) at high titres ranging from 10(2.5)to 10(5.5)TCID(50)/0.1 ml, 7 to 28 dpi in IBDV -induced immunosuppressed chickens. In addition, CAV was sporadically recovered, using rectal swabs, from the dually inoculated chickens at low titers, ranging from 10(1.0)to 10(2. 0)TCID(50)/0.1 ml). In contrast, although CAV was recovered from BC s in most of the chickens inoculated with CAV alone, the titers were lower (10(1.0)to 10(2.5)TCID(50)/0.1 ml). No CAV was detected from the rectal swabs of these chickens. The results of virus recovery were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. This study first examined the persistency of CAV in BC s and the effective enhancement of primary CAV infection as a result of immunosuppression caused by hv IBDV infection.     

Detection of cell membrane proteins that interact with virulent infectious bursal disease virus

To detect the molecules that interact with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), the chicken B lymphoblastoid cell line, LSCC-BK3, which is permissive for virulent IBDV infection was investigated. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-solubilized plasma membrane fraction from the cells was subjected to a virus overlay protein binding assay. The IBDV specifically bound to proteins in LSCC-BK3 plasma membranes with molecular weights of 70, 82 and 110 kDa. This is the first report to demonstrate cellular molecules that interact with virulent IBDV.     

Protection against infectious bursal disease virulent challenge conferred by a recombinant avian adeno-associated virus vaccine

The development and use of recombinant vaccine vectors for the expression of poultry pathogens proteins is an active research field. The adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a replication-defective virus member of the family Parvoviridae that has been successfully used for gene delivery in humans and other species. In this experiment, an avian adeno-associated virus (AAAV) expressing the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) VP2 protein (rAAAV-VP2) was evaluated for protection against IBDV-virulent challenge. Specific pathogen free (SPF) birds were inoculated with rAAAV-VP2 or with a commercial intermediate IBDV vaccine and then challenged with the Edgar strain. IBDV-specific antibody levels were observed in all vaccinated groups; titers were higher for the commercial vaccine group. The live, commercial vaccine induced adequate protection against morbidity and mortality; nevertheless, initial lymphoid depletion and follicular atrophy related to active viral replication was observed as early as day 14 and persisted up to day 28, when birds were challenged. No bursal tissue damage due to rAAAV-VP2 vaccination was observed. Eight-out-of-ten rAAAV-VP2-vaccinated birds survived the challenge and showed no clinical signs. The bursa:body weight ratio and bursa lesion scores in the rAAAV-VP2 group indicated protection against challenge. Therefore, transgenic expression of the VP2 protein after rAAAV-VP2 vaccination induced protective immunity against IBDV challenge in 80% of the birds, without compromising the bursa of Fabricius. The use of rAAAV virions for gene delivery represents a novel approach to poultry vaccination.