Coagulation changes in African swine fever virus infection

Pigs were infected with highly virulent (Tengani '62), with moderately virulent (DR '79) African swine fever (ASF) virus, or with virulent hog cholera (HC) virus. Changes in platelet counts, selected coagulation assays and concentrations of factor VIII-related antigen (VIIIR:Ag) were monitored. Permeability of aortic endothelium was studied after the injection of Evan's blue dye on various days after infection with DR '79 ASF virus. Virulent ASF virus caused prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), 1-stage prothrombin time, and thrombin clotting time as early as postinoculation day (PID) 4. These changes became progressively more severe until death. Both virulent HC and DR'79 viruses induced an increase APPT and thrombin clotting time at PID 3 to 4, only occasionally did the prothrombin time increased significantly (P less than 0.01). The APPT began to decrease on PID 7 and 8, but only DR'79-infected pigs lived long enough to regain a normal APTT. Infection by ASF viruses caused acute thrombocytopenia after PID 6 and platelet counts of HC virus-infected pigs decreased progressively from the onset of fever to levels of 1 to 2 X 10(5)/mm3 at PID 6 to 7. All ASF virus-infected pigs had an increase in VIIIR:Ag beginning at PID 3, with maximum increases at PID 6 to 7. Hog cholera virus infection did not cause consistent changes in levels of VIIIR:Ag. Pigs infected with DR'79 virus did not have increased vascular permeability to Evan's blue dye during infection; however, there was markedly decreased staining of the aorta after pigs became thrombocytopenic.     

非洲猪瘟病毒p72蛋白杆状病毒表达系统的构建及其抗原性分析

为研究真核表达非洲猪瘟病毒(ASFV)主要结构蛋白p72,本研究从含ASFV p72基因全序列的重组质粒pGEX-6p-p72中扩增出1 941 bp的p72全长基因,将其插入于pFastBac HTa杆状病毒载体中,构建了重组质粒pFastBac HTa-p72,转化至感受态细胞DH10Bac中,获得重组杆粒rBacmid-p72。再将其转染至sf9昆虫细胞,获得重组杆状病毒。Western blot和夹心法ELISA分析表明ASFV p72基因在昆虫细胞sf9中获得了正确表达,重组p72蛋白可以被特异性抗ASFV血清、p72单克隆抗体识别,表明该蛋白特异性强、活性稳定,具有良好的抗原性。为进一步研究p72蛋白的结构、功能和免疫学特性奠定基础。     

Interferon status and white blood cells during infection with African swine fever virus in vivo

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of African swine fever that is the significant disease of domestic pigs, with high rates of mortality. ASFV is double-stranded DNA virus whose genes encode some proteins that are implicated in the suppression of host immune response. In this study, we have modeled in vivo infection of ASFV for determination of interferon (IFN) status in infected pigs. We measured the level of IFN-α, -β and -γ by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and showed that the level of IFN-α sharply decreased during infection. Unlike IFN-α, the level of IFN-β and -γ increased from the 2nd and 4th days post-infection, respectively. Also, we analyzed the population dynamics of peripheral white blood cells of infected pigs due to their important role in host immune system. We showed that the atypical lymphocytes appeared after short time of infection and this result is in accordance with our previous study done in vitro. At the last day of infection about 50% of the total white blood cells were destroyed, and the remaining cells were represented mainly by small-sized lymphocytes, reactive lymphocytes and lymphoblasts.     

Megakaryocytic infection and thrombocytopenia in African swine fever

Pigs infected with an African swine fever field isolate of modified virulence became acutely thrombocytopenic four to five days after the onset of fever and viremia. By eight days after inoculation, all pigs were thrombocytopenic. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated that 2 to 10% of the megakaryocytes were infected. By 13 days after inoculation, platelet counts returned to within normal limits, and there was megakaryocytic hyperplasia despite a continued viremia. Secondary complications delayed the return of normal circulating platelet levels in some pigs. The clinical findings of African swine fever are discussed in light of the gross and histologic lesions.     

我国流行的非洲猪瘟病毒:高致病力,强传播能力

非洲猪瘟(African Swine Fever,ASF)是一种急性、烈性、病毒性传染病,主要感染家猪和野猪,其发病率和死亡率极高,接近100%,被世界动物卫生组织(OIE)列为必须报告的动物疫病,被我国列为一类动物疫病。当前该病缺乏有效的防控用疫苗及药物,主要通过捕杀发病动物及严格的生物安全措施来控制。该病病原是非洲猪瘟病毒(African Swine Fever Virus,ASFV),属于非洲猪瘟病毒科(Asfarviridae)非洲猪瘟病毒属(Asfivirus)唯一成员,其基因组长约170 kb^193 kb,为双链DNA,编码151~167个病毒蛋白。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒感染对猪瘟免疫的影响

猪瘟病毒（CSFV）与同属的牛病毒性腹泻病病毒（BVDV）同源性较高,抗原性上有交叉。本次调查对368份猪瘟免疫猪血清样本进行BVDV抗原检测,其中7份呈阳性,阳性率1.90%。对7份BVDV阳性血清采用ELISA和IHA两种方法检测猪瘟（CSFV）抗体水平,抗体合格率偏低,两者的结果符合率为71%。研究表明：BVDV在一定程度上干扰了猪瘟疫苗的免疫效果,影响抗体水平。     

Correlation of cell surface marker expression with African swine fever virus infection

The expression of surface markers on African swine fever virus (ASFV) infected cells was evaluated to assess their involvement in infection. Previous findings indicated CD163 expression was correlated with ASFV susceptibility. However, in this study the expression of porcine CD163 on cell lines did not increase the infection rate of these cells indicating other factors are likely to be important in determining susceptibility to infection. On adherent porcine bone marrow (pBM) cells the expression of CD45 was strongly correlated with infection. CD163 and CD203a expression correlated at intermediate levels with infection, indicating cells expressing these markers could become infected but were not preferentially infected by the virus. Most of the cells expressing MHCII were infected, indicating that they may be preferentially infected although expression of MHCII was not essential for infection and a large percentage of the infected cells were MHCII negative. CD16 showed a marked decrease in expression following infection and significantly lower levels of infected cells were shown to express CD16. Altogether these results suggest CD163 may be involved in ASFV infection but it may not be essential; the results also highlight the importance of other cell markers which requiring further investigation.     

非洲猪瘟病毒VP73结构蛋白表达及鉴定

根据GenBank登录的非洲猪瘟病毒(ASFV) VP73基因序列,人工合成VP73主要抗原表位区基因片段,克隆至pUC57载体中.设计1对引物,PCR扩增获得429 bp的VP73基因片段;将VP73基因片段使用EcoRI和SalI酶切后亚克隆至表达载体pGEX-KG,经PCR、酶切、测序鉴定挑选阳性克隆,转化至表达菌株BL21 (DM3)中,进行体外诱导表达,SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析蛋白表达及其活性.结果显示,成功构建表达重组载体pGEX-KG-VP73,对该重组载体进行诱导,有效表达了41 ku重组蛋白,表达量约占菌体总蛋白的17％,Western blot分析证实该蛋白具有良好反应原性.     

An immunohistochemical study of the tonsils in pigs with acute African swine fever virus infection

An immunohistochemical study of the tonsils was carried out to gain further insight in the pathogenesis of acute African swine fever (ASF). Twenty-one pigs were inoculated by intramuscular route with a highly virulent isolate of ASF virus and painlessly killed at 1-7dpi. Viral antigen was highly distributed in the tonsil from 3 to 4dpi and an increase in the number of monocyte-macrophages was very evident at the same days post inoculation. This phenomenon was observed together with an increase of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (Tumour necrosis factor alpha and Interleukin-1 alpha) and the apoptosis of lymphocytes studied by the terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) technique and haemorrhages. With these results, we can conclude that the tonsil is suffering similar lesions than those observed in other lymphoid organs in acute African swine fever, even when the route of inoculation is the intramuscular and not oral-nasal.     

Prevalence of African swine fever virus and classical swine fever virus antibodies in pigs in Benue State,Nigeria

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study investigated the prevalence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) and classical swine fever virus (CSFV) antibodies in pigs in Benue State, Nigeria....     

猪瘟病毒和猪流行性腹泻病毒双重RT-PCR方法的建立

本研究根据GenBank中发表的猪瘟病毒(CSFV)和猪流行性腹泻病毒(PEDV)的基因组序列,设计筛选出两对用于双重RT-PCR反应的特异性引物,通过对特异性、灵敏性和稳定性等试验,建立了检测猪流行性腹泻病毒和猪瘟病毒的双重RT-PCR核酸检测技术。利用建立的CSFV-PEDV双重RT-PCR核酸检测技术,对某规模化猪场病料进行检测,结果表明,扩增出大小约311 bp和501 bp大小的特异性条带,为猪瘟与猪流行性腹泻病毒混合感染。建立的CSFVPEDV双重RT-PCR核酸检测技术具有良好的特异性、灵敏性和稳定性,该方法的建立为CSFV和PEDV的快速诊断、疫情监测及流行病学研究奠定了基础。     

Pathogenesis of African swine fever virus in Ornithodoros ticks

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the only known DNA arbovirus and the sole member of the family Asfarviridae. It causes a lethal, hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs. ASFV is enzootic in sub-Saharan Africa and is maintained in a sylvatic cycle by infecting both wild members of the Suidae (e.g. warthogs) and the argasid tick Ornithodoros porcinus porcinus. The pathogenesis of ASFV in O. porcinus porcinus ticks is characterized by a low infectious dose, lifelong infection, efficient transmission to both pigs and ticks, and low mortality until after the first oviposition. ASFV pathogenesis in warthogs is characterized by an inapparent infection with transient, low viremic titers. Thus O. porcinus porcinus ticks probably constitute the most important natural vector of ASFV, although both the mammalian and tick hosts are probably required for the maintenance of ASFV in the sylvatic cycle. The mechanism of ASFV transmission from the sylvatic cycle to domestic pigs is probably through infected ticks feeding on pigs. In addition to O. porcinus porcinus, a number of North American, Central American and Caribbean species of Ornithodoros have been shown to be potential vectors of ASFV.     

Identification of a conservative site in the African swine fever virus p54 protein and its preliminary application in a serological assay

BackgroundASF was first reported in Kenya in 1910 in 1921. In China, ASF spread to 31 provinces including Henan and Jiangsu within six months after it was first reported on August 3, 2018. The epidemic almost affected the whole China, causing direct economic losses of tens of billions of yuan. Cause great loss to our pig industry. As ELISA is cheap and easy to operate, OIE regards it as the preferred serological method for ASF detection. P54 protein has good antigenicity and is an ideal antigen for detection.ObjectiveTo identify a conservative site in the African swine fever virus (ASFV) p54 protein and perform a Cloth-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting the ASFV antibody in order to reduce risks posed by using the live virus in diagnostic assays.MethodWe used bioinformatics methods to predict the antigen epitope of the ASFV p54 protein in combination with the antigenic index and artificially synthesized the predicted antigen epitope peptides. Using ASFV-positive serum and specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), we performed indirect ELISA and blocking ELISA to verify the immunological properties of the predicted epitope polypeptide.ResultsThe results of our prediction revealed that the possible antigen epitope regions were A23–29, A36–45, A72–94, A114–120, A124–130, and A137–150. The indirect ELISA showed that the peptides A23–29, A36–45, A72–94, A114–120, and A137–150 have good antigenicity. Moreover, the A36–45 polypeptide can react specifically with the mAb secreted by hybridoma cells, and its binding site contains a minimum number of essential amino acids in the sequence 37DIQFINPY44.ConclusionsOur study confirmed a conservative antigenic site in the ASFV p54 protein and its amino acid sequence. A competitive ELISA method for detecting ASFV antibodies was established based on recombinant p54 and matching mAb. Moreover, testing the protein sequence alignment verified that the method can theoretically detect antibodies produced by pigs affected by nearly all ASFVs worldwide.     

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.     

非洲猪瘟病毒传播方式及控制措施

非洲猪瘟(African swine fever,ASF)是由非洲猪瘟病毒(African swine fever virus,ASFV)引起的一种急性、热性、高度传染性疫病,感染猪以发热和全身性出血为主要特征,病程短、病死率高。非洲猪瘟主要流行于非洲国家,随后相继传入西欧、南美洲、东欧,以及亚洲国家,对全球养猪业、食品安全和猪及其产品国际贸易产生了严重危害和深远影响。现结合参考文献和我国非洲猪瘟发生、控制情况,分析了非洲猪瘟病毒传播动力学、传播方式,提出防控非洲猪瘟的主要措施。     

非洲猪瘟病毒衣壳蛋白P72在大肠杆菌中的表达

利用PCR技术，从含非洲猪瘟（ASFV）P72基因的克隆质粒BBBBPr4中扩增出1．94kb的P72基因．将P72基因和表达栽体pET-30c（＋）分别用限制性核酸内切酶Fba Ⅰ／XHoⅠ和BamHⅠ／XHoⅠ进行双酶切，然后在T4DNA连接酶作用下，将P72基因定向克隆至栽体pET-30c（＋）中相应位点上，并转化至宿主菌BL21（DE3）中，得到了重组菌株BL21（DE3）（pET—ASFvP72）。经PCR鉴定，构建的重组菌株中合有P72基因。重组菌株BL21（DE3）（pET-ASFVP72）经IPTG诱导后，其表达产物经SDS-PAGE和Western blot分析，结果表明衣壳蛋白P72基因可以在受体菌中高效表达，达到了菌体总蛋白的34％，表达产物的分子量约为78Ku，并能被ASFV抗体所识别。     

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.     

非洲猪瘟病毒DP96R蛋白的表达与单克隆抗体的制备

为制备非洲猪瘟病毒(ASFV) DP96R蛋白单克隆抗体,根据大肠杆菌密码子优化后的DP96R基因序列设计引物,PCR扩增后连接表达载体pET28a-SUMO构建pET-SUMO-DP96R原核表达质粒,将该质粒转化大肠杆菌BL21细胞,经IPTG诱导,获得可溶性的DP96R蛋白.通过Western blot鉴定该蛋白...