青海省海北州藏羊群中牛病毒性腹泻病毒和羊边界病毒的流行病学调查

为掌握青海省海北州藏羊群中牛病毒性腹泻病毒和羊边界病毒的感染情况,本研究采用RT-PCR方法分别对青海省海北州的161份健康藏羊血清样品和34份腹泻藏羊组织样品进行了BVDV和BDV的抗原核酸检测。结果显示：195份样品中BVDV和BDV总阳性率分别为29.74 %和14.36 %;161份健康藏羊血清样品中BVDV和BDV平均阳性率分别为26.71 %和11.80 %,BVDV/BDV混合感染率为4.35 %;34份腹泻藏羊组织样品中BVDV和BDV平均阳性率分别为44.12 %和26.47 %,BVDV/BDV混合感染率为17.65 %。本研究表明青海省海北州健康藏羊群和腹泻藏羊群中均存在BVDV、BDV的单独感染以及混合感染,且感染情况在个别养殖场(户)较为严重,本研究为青海藏羊的综合防控措施提供了指导依据,丰富了我国羊群中BVDV和BDV的流行病学资料。     

赤羽病病毒套式RT-PCR检测方法的建立与初步应用

根据GenBank中已发表的赤羽病病毒(AKAV)的S基因序列,设计了3条特异性引物,建立了检测AKAV的套式RT-PCR方法。特异性试验表明,该方法可以特异扩增出AKAV的S基因片段,但从牛病毒性腹泻病毒(BVDV)、传染性牛鼻气管炎病毒(IBRV)等13种对照病毒中均不能扩增出目的条带。敏感性试验表明,套式RT-PCR能够扩增10-5稀释度的病毒RNA(核酸含量约1.18 ng/μL),比普通RT-PCR高出1 000倍。用此方法检测130份奶牛血清样品与1份流产胎儿病料,均未检测到阳性样本,但AKAV在血清模拟样品中可被有效检出。研究结果表明,该方法灵敏、特异,为AKAV的检测提供了一个快速、有效的手段。     

One-step RT-PCR for the Detection of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus in Clinical Samples

A single-tube, non-interrupted, one-step RT-PCR has been standardized to amplify the hypervariable region of the VP2 gene sequence of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). The technique standardized on purified viral RNA was successfully applied to the detection of the virus directly in clinical samples. The amplified products were confirmed to be IBDV specific by their size in ethidium bromide-stained agarose gel, nested PCR and restriction enzyme digestion. Digestion of the amplicons with StyI restriction enzyme also differentiated classical virus from six very virulent field isolates. The sensitivity of the one-step RT-PCR was found to be 0.2 pg of viral RNA.     

Shedding of feline leukemia virus RNA in saliva is a consistent feature in viremic cats

The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the shedding pattern of feline leukemia virus (FeLV) RNA in saliva, and to correlate it with the proviral load in whole blood, viral load in plasma, levels of p27 in saliva and plasma, the isolation of infectious FeLV from saliva, and the titers of FeLV-specific antibodies of the IgG and IgA isotypes. We evaluated 24 experimentally FeLV-infected cats for these parameters using real-time RT-PCR and PCR, cell culture assay and sandwich ELISA. We observed that shedding of viral RNA in saliva was a consistent feature in viremic cats. Latently FeLV-infected cats, displaying a very low proviral load, did not shed infectious virus in saliva, but occasionally shed viral RNA. Consequently, salivary shedding of FeLV RNA may not necessarily indicate a transmission potential for susceptible cats. This study also confirmed previous results from our laboratory, showing that a negative result for p27 in plasma, or for viral RNA in plasma or saliva does not exclude FeLV infection, considering that blood cells from those cats contained provirus. We also showed that FeLV RNA and DNA were stable for more than 64 days in saliva samples stored at room temperature. We conclude that the detection of FeLV RNA in saliva may be a useful indicator of viremia, and that the detection of salivary viral RNA by RT-PCR could become a reliable tool for the diagnosis of FeLV infection, which is facilitated by the low invasive method of collection of the samples.     

Classical swine fever virus: a second ring test to evaluate RT-PCR detection methods

Six laboratories participated in a study to compare the sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR tests for the detection of classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Sets of coded samples were prepared by serial dilution of positive samples and then distributed to each of the laboratories. One set comprised 25 samples of random primed cDNA, synthesised from viral RNA representative of different pestiviruses. The other set comprised samples of blood and serum obtained from virus-free or CSFV-infected pigs. Each laboratory tested the samples using PCR/RT-PCR according to a set of standardised protocols that specified the exact conditions and requirements for inclusion of control samples. Two types of test were evaluated. One amplified a part of the 5'-non coding region of the pestivirus genome by means of a closed, one-tube RT-nested PCR. The other amplified a part of the NS5B gene using non-nested RT-PCR. The results of the laboratories were compared with one another, and with those obtained earlier when similar samples were tested by the same laboratories using non-standardised methods [Paton et al., Classical swine fever virus: a ring test to evaluate RT-PCR detection methods, Vet. Microbiol., in press]. Standardisation of the protocols resulted in a more consistent test sensitivity. Three laboratories avoided significant false positive results. Others that did not, could nevertheless recognise that test specificity was inadequate from the results obtained with the control samples. Minimum requirements for the inclusion of adequate controls and periodic proficiency testing are proposed.