Persistent infections after natural transmission of bovine viral diarrhoea virus from cattle to goats and among goats

Abstract

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is an economically important pathogen of cattle worldwide. Infection of a pregnant animal may lead to persistent infection of the foetus and birth of a persistently infected (PI) calf that sheds the virus throughout its life. However, BVD viruses are not strictly species specific. BVDV has been isolated from many domesticated and wild ruminants. This is of practical importance as virus reservoirs in non-bovine hosts may hamper BVDV control in cattle. A goat given as a social companion to a BVDV PI calf gave birth to a PI goat kid. In order to test if goat to goat infections were possible, seronegative pregnant goats were exposed to the PI goat. In parallel, seronegative pregnant goats were kept together with the PI calf. Only the goat to goat transmission resulted in the birth of a next generation of BVDV PI kids whereas all goats kept together with the PI calf aborted. To our knowledge, this is the first report which shows that a PI goat cannot only transmit BVD virus to other goats but that such transmission may indeed lead to the birth of a second generation of PI goats. Genetic analyses indicated that establishment in the new host species may be associated with step-wise adaptations in the viral genome. Thus, goats have the potential to be a reservoir for BVDV. However, the PI goats showed growth retardation and anaemia and their survival under natural conditions remains questionable.

Prolonged Activity of the Pestiviral RNase E rns as an Interferon Antagonist after Uptake by Clathrin-Mediated Endocytosis

“…This also confirms that E rns , in contrast to the envelope glycoprotein E2 (14), does not attach to the cells via a specific receptor, which would be expected to be more species specific. Thus, the activity of E rns was similar in GSM and LSM cells and canine keratinocytes, all of which were from species that were shown to be at least partially susceptible to BVDV infection (39)(40)(41)(42). In contrast, human cells are reported to be resistant to pestivirus infections, but E rns was nevertheless able to inhibit dsRNA-induced Mx expression in HUVECs, though at concentrations somewhat higher than those used for the other cell types.…”

Influence of border disease virus (BDV) on serological surveillance within the bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) eradication program in Switzerland

“…Virus transmission was described between cattle and both, sheep and goats ([19, 43, 44], and references therein). Natural infections of cattle with BDV were reported in England and Wales [45, 46], Austria [47, 48], Italy [49] and New Zealand [50].…”

Risk factors associated with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) infection in the semiarid of the state of Paraíba, in the northeast region of Brazil

“…Pestiviruses are potentially the viruses that most frequently affect bovines (SANDVIK, 1999). In this context, the bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) has become an important viral infectious agent of bovines, and is considered endemic in many regions (BACHOFEN et al, 2013). It is believed that the economic impact of these infections cannot be estimated, as the virus causes sudden losses due to subfertility and immunosuppression in infected animals (RODNING et al, 2012).…”