A noncytopathic type 1a bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) was isolated from a free-ranging yearling female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) from northwestern Wyoming (USA). The mule deer was emaciated, weak, and salivating, and Arcanobacterium pyogenes was cultured from lung abscesses. Bovine viral diarrhea virus was isolated from lung, however, BVDV antigen was not detected by immunohistochemistry. The BVDV genotype was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and the RNA sequences from the 5'UTR and E2 genes compared with sequences of a type 1a BVDV isolated from cattle from the same area as the deer. The sequences from the deer BVDV were distinct from those of the bovine type 1a BVDV, but similar to other bovine type 1a BVDVs. Seventy-four (60%) of 124 sera collected from mule deer in this area had serum neutralizing antibody titers to type 1a BVDV of > or = 1:32. The high prevalence of seropositive mule deer and isolation of BVDV suggests that this virus circulates in the mule deer population. The isolate described in this report is the second reported BVDV isolate from free-ranging deer in North America and the first from a mule deer.
In order to determine the susceptibility of deer to infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), four mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fawns and one white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) fawn were inoculated intranasally with the New York-1 strain of BVDV originally isolated from cattle. None of the animals developed clinical signs of illness. Virus was isolated from white blood cells from four fawns on one or more occasions from day 2 through day 15 post-inoculation (PI) indicating that infection and systemic spread of BVDV had occurred. In addition, virus was isolated from nasal swabs from three fawns, one to three times, from day 2 through day 8 PI. Four fawns had virus neutralizing antibody titers to two strains of BVDV prior to inoculation and all developed greater than four-fold increases in virus neutralizing antibody titers by 3 wk PI. No gross lesions of bovine viral diarrhea were detected at necropsy approximately 3 mo PI. A variety of nonspecific lesions were detected by histopathology. Based on these findings, mule and white-tailed deer are susceptible to infection with BVDV. Isolation of virus from nasal swabs is evidence that BVDV could be transmitted by deer via direct contact.
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