HoBi-like is the most prevalent ruminant pestivirus in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Summary The ruminant pestiviral species BVDV‐1, BVDV‐2 and BDV, along with the putative species HoBi‐like, may cause substantial economic losses in cattle, sheep and goats. Brazil's large size, variable biomes and wide range of ruminant animal production within different geographic regions suggest that the presence and prevalence of ruminant pestivirus may differ by regions within Brazil. This study investigated the genetic diversity of ruminant pestiviruses and determined the frequency of active infections within two states of the Northeast Region of Brazil, Maranhão and Rio Grande do Norte. Serum samples from 16,621 cattle and 2,672 small ruminants from 569 different herds residing in this region were tested by RT‐PCR followed by DNA sequencing. Seventeen positive cattle were detected (0.1%) from fifteen different herds (2.64%). All isolates were classified as HoBi‐like pestiviruses based on phylogenetic analysis. All small ruminant samples tested negative. The findings presented herein suggest that the Northeast Region of Brazil has a uniquely high prevalence of HoBi‐like viruses. The increasing reports of HoBi‐like viruses detected in cattle in the field suggest that natural infection with these viruses may be more widespread than previously thought. The identification of HoBi‐like viruses as the most prevalent type of ruminant pestivirus circulating in the Northeast Region of Brazil indicates the need for both continued monitoring and determination of the extent of economic losses associated with HoBi‐like virus infections. In addition, it must be taken into account in the choice of diagnostic tests and in vaccine formulations.

Genetic Diversity of Bovine Pestiviruses Detected in Backyard Cattle Farms Between 2014 and 2019 in Henan Province, China

“…All 24 isolates from the BVDV-positive samples were classified as Pestivirus A, and on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of 5 ′ -UTR and Npro genes (Figure 2) further classified into five genotypes: Pestivirus A 1b (six isolates), Pestivirus A 1m (six isolates), Pestivirus A 1q (two isolates), Pestivirus A 1u (one isolate), and the other nine Pestivirus A isolates cluster in the same genotype with Chinese strain XH-2 which was assigned as Pestivirus A 1o, but phylogenetic analysis showed this cluster of isolates were under different cluster from other Pestivirus A 1o strains, further analyzed by the PNS software which available at www.pns-software.com (45), these cluster should be members of a new sub-genotype (1.7.2) within the genotype 1o (1.7). In addition, five isolates from Pestivirus H-positive samples were classified as Pestivirus H, and all further were classified into genotype "Pestivirus H a" based on the results of phylogenetic analysis of the 5 ′ -UTR and Npro genes (46) (Figure 2).…”

A genetic profile of bovine pestiviruses circulating in Brazil (1998–2018)

“…Recently, this group of viruses has been recognized as a new pestivirus species, named Pestivirus H (ICTV, 2017) (proposed abbreviation, HoBiPeV). The origin, distribution, and relevance of HoBiPeV are still unclear, yet a number of studies demonstrated that these viruses are endemic in Brazil (Cortez et al, 2006;Weber et al, 2016aWeber et al, , 2016bSilveira et al, 2017Silveira et al, , 2018Monteiro et al, 2018aMonteiro et al, , 2018b.…”

“…Similar to the previous results of Bianchi et al (2011), an unexpectedly high frequency of BVDV-2 was observed in RS state. Silveira et al (2018) performed a screening for pestivirus genomes in the sera of cattle, collected from 2012 to 2013, as part of an FMDV vaccination monitoring program, from two northeastern states [Maranhão (MA) and Rio Grande do Norte (RN)]. Serum samples from 16,621 cattle from 569 herds in both states were pooled in up to 45 samples/pool and tested by RT-PCR.…”

Phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis of HoBi‐like pestivirus: Insights into origin and dispersal

“…Pestiviruses are positive‐sense single‐stranded RNA viruses that belong to the genus Pestivirus , family Flaviviridae . The HoBi‐like virus (HoBiPeV), or bovine viral diarrhoea virus‐3 (BVDV‐3) and currently named as Pestivirus H , is an emerging cattle pathogen (Shi et al, 2016; Silveira et al, 2018). The viral genome is around 12.3 Kb long and contains a unique open reading frame (ORF) that is flanked by two untranslated regions (UTRs) of roughly 600 nucleotides at total.…”