Cytopathic bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV): emerging pestiviruses doomed to extinction

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a Flaviviridae pestivirus, is arguably one of the most widespread cattle pathogens worldwide. Each of its two genotypes has two biotypes, non-cytopathic (ncp) and cytopathic (cp). Only the ncp biotype of BVDV may establish persistent infection in the fetus when infecting a dam early in gestation, a time point which predates maturity of the adaptive immune system. Such fetuses may develop and be born healthy but remain infected for life. Due to this early initiation of fetal infection and to the expression of interferon antagonistic proteins, persistently infected (PI) animals remain immunotolerant to the infecting viral strain. Although only accounting for some 1% of all animals in regions where BVDV is endemic, PI animals ensure the viral persistence in the host population. These animals may, however, develop the fatal mucosal disease, which is characterized by widespread lesions in the gastrointestinal tract. Cp BVD virus, in addition to the persisting ncp biotype, can be isolated from such animals. The cp viruses are characterized by unrestrained genome replication, and their emergence from the persisting ncp ones is due to mutations that are unique in each virus analyzed. They include recombinations with host cell mRNA, gene translocations and duplications, and point mutations. Cytopathic BVD viruses fail to establish chains of infection and are unable to cause persistent infection. Hence, these viruses illustrate a case of “viral emergence to extinction” – irrelevant for BVDV evolution, but fatal for the PI host.     

Fluorogenic RT-PCR assay (TaqMan) for detection and classification of bovine viral diarrhea virus

A single tube fluorogenic RT-PCR-based 'TaqMan' assay was developed for detection and classification of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). TaqMan-PCR was optimized to quantify BVD virus using the ABI PRISM 7700 sequence detection system and dual-labeled fluorogenic probes. Two different gene specific labeled fluorogenic probes for the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) were used to differentiate between BVD types I and II. Sensitivity of the single tube TaqMan assay was compared with two-tube TaqMan assay and standard RT-PCR using 10-fold dilutions of RNA. Single tube TaqMan assay was 10-100-fold more sensitive than the two-tube TaqMan assay and the standardized single tube RT-PCR. Specificity of the assay was evaluated by testing different BVD virus strains and other bovine viruses. A total of 106 BVD positive and negative pooled or single serum samples, field isolates and reference strains were tested. Quantitation of cRNA from types I and II BVD virus was accomplished by a standard curve plotting cycle threshold values (C(T)) versus copy number. Single tube TaqMan-PCR assay was sensitive, specific and rapid for detection, quantitation and classification of BVD virus.     

BVDV一步法双重荧光RT-PCR检测方法的建立及应用

为实现对牛病毒性腹泻病毒(bovine viral diarrhea virus,BVDV)的快速检测和分型,本试验根据GenBank已发表的BVDV1和BVDV2 5′UTR基因特异性保守区域设计特异性引物和探针,以体外转录病毒RNA作为模板,建立了BVDV1和BVDV2一步法双重荧光RT-PCR方法。结果显示,双重荧光RT-PCR对BVDV1和BVDV2的检测下限均为102拷贝;具有较强的特异性,对口蹄疫病毒、猪瘟病毒、Hobi样病毒、牛传染性鼻气管炎病毒、施马伦贝格病毒等病毒核酸的扩增均为阴性;BVDV1和BVDV2的扩增均在102~107拷贝内呈现良好的线性关系,标准曲线的相关系数(R2)分别为0.999和0.998;方法重复性好,BVDV1和BVDV2的变异系数(CV值)分别在0.68%~1.87%和1.25%~1.90%。本试验对665份样品进行检测,共检出BVDV阳性样品45份,其中BVDV1阳性样品39份,BVDV2阳性样品5份,BVDV1和BVDV2均阳性样品1份。结果表明,本试验建立的BVDV一步法双重荧光RTPCR方法敏感性高、特异性强、重复性好,可广泛应用于BVDV的快速检测、分型和流行病学调查。     

Detection of the genome of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) using the polymerase chain reaction after reverse transcription (RT-PCR): comparison of methods for the isolation of ribonucleic acid (RNA) from clinical samples

The RT-PCR is an in vitro technique that is increasingly being used for diagnosis of viral animal pathogens. Due to its high sensitivity it is considered as an alternative to current standard methods for detecting BVDV especially in pooled samples, e.g. from bulk tank milk. A prerequisite for the performance of RT-PCR is an efficient and simple method for sample preparation. The aim of this work was to compare the efficiency of three commercially available kits for RNA extraction, and their suitability for sample preparation for the detection of the BVDV genome by RT-PCR in blood, milk and tissue samples. The kits were based on different methods for extraction of RNA and differed in costs, labour and time consumption. The most sensitive RT-PCRs (exception: heparinised blood) were obtained when sample preparation was performed by acidic guanidinium-isothiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction with the Trizol (Gibco) reagent. Using a kit based on the binding of RNA to silica membrane in a spin column, positive results in RT-PCR were obtained from all samples, but with lower sensitivity. The advantage of the column-based kits is that they are less time-consuming, easier to handle and suitable for automatisation of sample preparation. A kit using salt precipitation of the desoxribose nucleic acid (DNA) and proteins was unsuitable for the isolation of viral RNA from the samples.     

RT-PCR快速检测牛病毒性腹泻病毒方法的建立与应用

根据已发表的牛病毒性腹泻病毒（BVDV）5＇-UTR序列,设计1对特异性引物,建立了快速检测BVDV的RT-PCR方法。利用该方法能从BVDV中扩增出196bp特异性目的片段。应用此方法检测了26份疑似病例临床样品,14份为阳性。试验表明,该方法特异性强、敏感性好,能检测到1pg的病毒RNA,是一种快速准确的检测方法。     

Detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus, using degenerate oligonucleotide primers and the polymerase chain reaction.

A technique for detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) from circulating blood leukocytes, using the polymerase chain reaction, is described. The published nucleotide sequences of 2 strains of BVDV and that of hog cholera virus were aligned and the information was used to design oligonucleotides coding for 2 regions of amino acid homology. The oligonucleotides were a mixed population including all possible codons for the conserved amino acids. These degenerate oligonucleotides were used in the polymerase chain reaction to detect viral RNA in cells infected in vitro, or in circulating blood leukocytes from infected animals. Virus was detected in over 60 samples from diverse isolates. The detection of BVDV by the polymerase chain reaction is a rapid, sensitive, and specific technique, which represents an improvement over existing technology.     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒和牛轮状病毒TaqMan二重实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法的建立

根据牛病毒性腹泻病毒（BVDV）5′端非编码区和牛轮状病毒（BRV）VP6基因序列,设计特异性引物和探针。通过对引物和探针浓度、Mg2＋浓度、dNTP浓度和Taq酶用量以及反应条件等因素的优化筛选,建立了能同时鉴别BVDV和BRV的二重荧光RT-PCR方法。该方法特异性好,与其他病原如CSFV、MB和IBRV不发生交叉反应;敏感性高,能够检测100个BVDV RNA和100个BRV RNA;稳定性好,批内重复和批间重复变异系数小;干扰性试验表明该方法能同时检测2个模板的不同浓度组合。本研究建立的二重荧光RT-PCR方法可用于BVDV和BRV检测,具有特异、敏感、快速、稳定等优点,是BVDV和BRV基础研究、流行病学调查和临床检测的良好工具。     

基因2型牛病毒性腹泻病毒RT-PCR检测方法的建立和初步应用

根据已发表的牛病毒性腹泻病毒基因1型(BVDV-1)和2型(BVDV-2)5非编码区(5-UTR)的序列,分别设计了针对BVDV-1型、BVDV-2型以及针对BVDV-1和BVDV-2两型的特异性引物和通用引物,以标准参考株BVDV-1 NADL株和BVDV-2890 株为对照,建立了分别能检测BVDV-1、BVDV-2和BVDV-1/BVDV-2的RT-PCR 检测方法.在此基础上,进一步对疑似BVDV-2感染牛的临床病料组织(脾、淋巴结、心肌、血液等)检测结果表明,在所检测的18份样品中,BVDV-2阳性8份(44%).经RT-PCR鉴定为阳性的组织病料,进一步通过MDBK 细胞进行病毒分离,病毒分离率为100%;结合感染细胞病变观察,间接免疫荧光试验RT-PCR和序列测定鉴定,所分离的病毒均为BVDV-2.上述研究表明,该RT-PCR检测方法敏感、特异;并证实我国牛群已存在BVDV-2的污染或感染.