Article
Microbiology
Ali Mazloum, Antoinette van Schalkwyk, Andrey Shotin, Alexey Igolkin, Ivan Shevchenko, Konstantin N. Gruzdev, Natalia Vlasova
Summary: This study conducted full genome phylogenetic analysis on ASFV isolates from wild boars in Russia, revealing their genetic relationship and geographical distribution. Three single locus targets were identified as potential molecular markers with high resolving power for future ASFV phylogenetic practices.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Edward Spinard, Vivian O'Donnell, Elizabeth Vuono, Ayushi Rai, Charronne Davis, Elizabeth Ramirez-Medina, Nallely Espinoza, Alyssa Valladares, Manuel V. Borca, Douglas P. P. Gladue
Summary: African swine fever, a lethal disease of domestic pigs, has reappeared in the Dominican Republic after more than 40 years of absence in the Western hemisphere. This recent outbreak strain, identified as a genotype II ASFV, has close relation to the ASF strains circulating in Asia and Europe.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Rivalani F. Mthombeni, Armanda D. Bastos, Antoinette van Schalkwyk, Juanita van Emmenes, Livio Heath
Summary: Since its initial report in Kenya in 1921, African swine fever (ASF) has mainly been restricted to Africa. However, in 2007, an unknown ASF genotype II virus was introduced to Georgia, leading to its rapid spread to 73 countries and becoming a global threat to pig production. Through genome sequencing analysis, this study identified the origin of the Georgia 2007/1 virus and revealed its closest link to a virus circulating in Mozambique in 2005.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
ChiHai Ji, JingZhe Jiang, YingFang Wei, ZhiYuan Wang, YongJie Chen, ZhanZhuo Mai, MengKai Cai, ChenXiao Qin, Yu Cai, HeYou Yi, Guan Liang, Gang Lu, Lang Gong, GuiHong Zhang, Heng Wang
Summary: The African swine fever outbreak in China in 2018 severely damaged the pig industry in the country. The complex genome of ASFV and inadequate whole genome information highlight the importance of efficiently obtaining virus genome sequences. Our method provides an efficient way to sequence whole genomes and facilitate ASFV genome sequencing and novel virus discovery.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jan H. Forth, Sten Calvelage, Melina Fischer, Jan Hellert, Julia Sehl-Ewert, Hanna Roszyk, Paul Deutschmann, Adam Reichold, Martin Lange, Hans-Hermann Thulke, Carola Sauter-Louis, Dirk Hoper, Svitlana Mandyhra, Maryna Sapachova, Martin Beer, Sandra Blome
Summary: African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large and complex DNA virus that circulates between soft ticks and indigenous suids in sub-Saharan Africa. It has recently spread from Europe to Asia, causing severe haemorrhagic disease with high lethality rates in wild boar and domestic pigs. ASFV has shown high genetic stability for over a decade, making it difficult to trace outbreaks and conduct genomic surveillance. However, during its incursion into Germany in 2020, ASFV unexpectedly diverged into five distinct lineages with unique mutations. This new finding suggests a potential impact on the course of the ASFV pandemic.
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ulaankhuu Ankhanbaatar, Agathe Auer, Gerelmaa Ulziibat, Tirumala B. K. Settypalli, Delgerzul Gombo-Ochir, Ganzorig Basan, Taichiro Takemura, Erdene-Ochir Tseren-Ochir, Hatem Ouled Ahmed, Irene Kasindi Meki, Sneha Datta, Baba Soumare, Artem Metlin, Giovanni Cattoli, Charles E. Lamien
Summary: This study reports the whole-genome sequence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) detected in a Mongolian wild boar and compares it with other samples from Asia and Europe. The study finds differences between the Asian and European genome sequences and high similarity between ASFV variants in wild boars and domestic pigs, suggesting potential transmission through outdoor animal breeding.
Article
Immunology
Siqi Cai, Zezhong Zheng, JiaoJiao Cheng, Lintao Zhong, Ran Shao, Feiyan Zheng, Zhiying Lai, Jiajun Ou, Liang Xu, Pei Zhou, Gang Lu, Guihong Zhang
Summary: This study identified swine interferon-induced transmembrane proteins (SwIFITMs) as having potent antiviral activity against African swine fever virus (ASFV). These proteins were found to be constitutively expressed in most porcine tissues and their expression levels were induced by ASFV infection or swine interferon treatment. Overexpression of SwIFITMs inhibited ASFV replication in Vero cells, while knockdown of these genes enhanced ASFV replication in PAMs. The study also demonstrated that endogenous IFITMs play a role in restricting ASFV replication. Overall, this research expands our understanding of the antiviral activity of porcine IFITMs against ASFV.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jingyue Bao, Yong Zhang, Chuan Shi, Qinghua Wang, Shujuan Wang, Xiaodong Wu, Shengbo Cao, Fengping Xu, Zhiliang Wang
Summary: African swine fever (ASF) is a highly important animal disease that affects domestic swine globally. This study focused on analyzing the genome sequences of circulating ASFV strains to gain insights into the disease outbreaks. A curated dataset of 123 high-quality ASFV genome sequences representing 10 genotypes was prepared and used for phylogenetic analysis, which provided a high-resolution topology for genotyping ASFV isolates. The study also revealed wide distribution and high variation of tandem repeat sequences in ASFV genomes, as well as structural variation and highly variable poly G or poly C tracts. Overall, this study improved our understanding of the genetic variation of ASFV and will facilitate further research on ASFV molecular epidemiology.
Review
Biology
Zhaoyao Li, Wenxian Chen, Zilong Qiu, Yuwan Li, Jindai Fan, Keke Wu, Xiaowen Li, Mingqiu Zhao, Hongxing Ding, Shuangqi Fan, Jinding Chen
Summary: African swine fever is a highly fatal viral disease in domestic pigs and wild boars, impacting pig-raising countries and pork trade. Safe and effective vaccines are urgently needed to control outbreaks. Understanding the structure, function, immune response, and diagnosis of the ASF virus is crucial for vaccine development.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Ulaankhuu Ankhanbaatar, Tserenchimed Sainnokhoi, Buyantogtokh Khanui, Gerelmaa Ulziibat, Tserenjav Jargalsaikhan, Dulam Purevtseren, Tirumala Bharani K. Settypalli, John Flannery, William G. Dundon, Ganzorig Basan, Carrie Batten, Giovanni Cattoli, Charles E. Lamien
Summary: African swine fever (ASF) is a severe haemorrhagic disease of pigs caused by the ASFV virus, which has spread to Europe and Asia. Mongolia reported its first outbreak on January 15th, 2019, becoming the second country in the region affected by the disease after China. The Mongolian ASFV belong to genotype II and serogroup 8, indicating a possible cross-border spread of the virus.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Xianghan Duan, Yi Ru, Wenping Yang, Jingjing Ren, Rongzeng Hao, Xiaodong Qin, Dan Li, Haixue Zheng
Summary: African swine fever is a highly contagious disease that threatens the pig industry worldwide, with no effective vaccines or drugs. The complex genome of ASFV and the structure and infection process of the viral proteins are still not fully understood.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuxuan Zheng, Su Li, Shi-Hua Li, Shaoxiong Yu, Qihui Wang, Kehui Zhang, Liang Qu, Yuan Sun, Yuhai Bi, Fuchou Tang, Hua-Ji Qiu, George F. Gao
Summary: African swine fever virus (ASFV) infection leads to increased expression of viral transmembrane genes, activation of antiviral signaling pathways and inflammatory response. Cells infected with different viral loads show distinct transcriptomic changes during infection. Furthermore, ASFV infection activates the cell apoptosis pathway.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Ann Sofie Olesen, Thomas Bruun Rasmussen, Soren Saxmose Nielsen, Graham J. Belsham, Anette Boklund, Tosca Ploegaert, Bernie Moonen-Leusen, Sandra Blome, Anette Botner
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the probability of detecting African swine fever virus (ASFV) using qPCR and virus infectivity assays, as well as determine the correlations between the results. The researchers tested a panel of 80 samples at three reference laboratories and found that qPCR had the highest probability for detecting ASFV.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jordan T. Gebhardt, Steve S. Dritz, C. Grace Elijah, Cassandra K. Jones, Chad B. Paulk, Jason C. Woodworth
Summary: The diagnostic investigation highlighted contamination of ASFV on feed trucks and within the feed production system, emphasizing the importance of biosecurity measures, particularly in managing employee traffic. The report underscores the significance of routine data capture for evaluating the efficacy of biosecurity procedures.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Taehwan Oh, Duy Tien Do, Hung Van Vo, Hyeok-il Kwon, Seung-Chul Lee, Min Ho Kim, Dung Thi Thu Nguyen, Quang Tin Vinh Le, Tan Minh Tran, Toan Tat Nguyen, Joo Young Lee, Chanhee Chae
Summary: The use of renal-derived swine macrophages as a novel primary cell candidate offers a solution to ethical constraints and consistency problems in ASFV propagation. These primary cells are proven to be permissive to both cell adapted ASFV and wild-type ASFV, making them useful for virus isolation and propagation. Additionally, compared to commercial cell lines, renal-derived macrophages demonstrate consistent molecular characteristics and are more suitable for isolating field viruses.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Saskia Nowicki, Zaydah R. deLaurent, Etienne P. de Villiers, George Githinji, Katrina J. Charles
Summary: This study used whole genome sequencing to investigate the relationship between E. coli and recent faecal contamination in drinking water. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strains with higher allelic diversity were likely from naturalized populations, while strains from human and/or recent faecal contamination were found at unprotected collection points or points of use. The findings emphasize the importance of monitoring E. coli in water sources and considering sanitary conditions and temporal variability in risk assessment.
Article
Immunology
Estefania Cadenas-Fernandez, Jose M. Sanchez-Vizcaino, Erwin van den Born, Aleksandra Kosowska, Emma van Kilsdonk, Paloma Fernandez-Pacheco, Carmina Gallardo, Marisa Arias, Jose A. Barasona
Summary: The study aimed to test an inactivated ASFV preparation under a vaccination strategy that had not been previously tested, but the results showed that combining factors such as adjuvants, dosage, and routes of administration did not improve its protective effect, suggesting that an inactivated virus strategy may not be a viable vaccine option to fight ASF.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mercedes de la Fuente, Raquel Martin Folgar, Pedro Martinez-Paz, Estrella Cortes, Jose Luis Martinez-Guitarte, Monica Morales
Summary: This study characterized the expression patterns of important endocrine-related genes in the model species Chironomus riparius after exposure to three chemicals, providing valuable data for future ecotoxicological studies. Changes in transcriptional activities of certain genes could serve as molecular bioindicators of endocrine disruption in Chironomus riparius.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
C. Grace Elijah, Jessie D. Trujillo, Cassandra K. Jones, Natasha N. Gaudreault, Charles R. Stark, Konner R. Cool, Chad B. Paulk, Taeyong Kwon, Jason C. Woodworth, Igor Morozov, Carmina Gallardo, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Jurgen A. Richt
Summary: This study evaluated the distribution of ASFV in a feed mill environment, showing a higher detection of viral genome on transient surfaces compared to other surfaces. The findings suggest that once ASFV enters the feed mill environment, it can rapidly spread, with human movement significantly contributing to the transmission of ASFV in the feed mill environment.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Carmina Gallardo, Alejandro Soler, Imbi Nurmoja, Cristina Cano-Gomez, Svetlana Cvetkova, Maciej Frant, Grzegorz Wozniakowski, Alicia Simon, Covadonga Perez, Raquel Nieto, Marisa Arias
Summary: The Polish ASFV caused rapidly developing fatal acute disease, while the Estonian ASFV caused acute to sub-acute infections with two animal survivors. In contrast, infection with the Latvian ASFV resulted in a more subtle or even subclinical disease.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Catherine Grace Elijah, Jessie D. Trujillo, Cassandra K. Jones, Taeyong Kwon, Charles R. Stark, Konner R. Cool, Chad B. Paulk, Natasha N. Gaudreault, Jason C. Woodworth, Igor Morozov, Carmina Gallardo, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Jurgen A. Richt
Summary: Monitoring ASFV in feed through sequencing batches can reduce viral contamination, but not eliminate it entirely. The described subsampling method accurately detects ASFV genetic material in bulk ingredients. Further research is necessary to explore other mitigation techniques for reducing ASFV contamination in feed.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sammy Wambua, Hadrien Gourle, Etienne P. de Villiers, Oskar Karlsson-Lindsjo, Nina Wambiji, Angus Macdonald, Erik Bongcam-Rudloff, Santie de Villiers
Summary: This study is the first metagenomic assessment of Western Indian Ocean coral reef microbial diversity, providing a much-needed baseline for the region. The research found variations in taxonomic and functional diversity of microbial communities inhabiting coral reefs exposed to varying impacts of human activities.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jose A. Barasona, Estefania Cadenas-Fernandez, Aleksandra Kosowska, Sandra Barroso-Arevalo, Belen Rivera, Rocio Sanchez, Nestor Porras, Carmina Gallardo, Jose M. Sanchez-Vizcaino
Summary: The study on the oral vaccination of wild boars against African swine fever showed that low-dose vaccinated animals only had slight transient fever after vaccination, while one of the high-dose vaccinated wild boars died after revaccination. Further research is needed for clarification.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raquel Martin-Folgar, Adrian Esteban-Arranz, Viviana Negri, Monica Morales
Summary: This study synthesized and characterized label-free graphene oxide (GO) with different lateral dimensions and thickness, and evaluated their impact on Chironomus riparius. The results showed that GO accumulated in the gut of C. riparius and disrupted its antioxidant metabolism. Additionally, different sizes of GO induced different levels of oxidative stress in C. riparius.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Virology
Manuel Duran-Ferrer, Ruben Villalba, Paloma Fernandez-Pacheco, Cristina Tena-Tomas, Miguel-Angel Jimenez-Clavero, Jose-Antonio Bouzada, Maria-Jose Ruano, Jovita Fernandez-Pinero, Marisa Arias, Javier Castillo-Olivares, Montserrat Aguero
Summary: This study investigated the response of immunologically naive and vaccinated horses to African horse sickness virus. Immunologically naive horses showed clinical symptoms and sustained viremia after infection. Vaccinated horses did not show significant side effects and were largely asymptomatic after infection.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raquel Martin-Folgar, Monica Torres-Ruiz, Mercedes de Alba, Ana Isabel Canas-Portilla, M. Carmen Gonzalez, Monica Morales
Summary: Plastics, especially nano-sized plastic particles, have negative health effects on living beings and the environment. These particles can be found in various ecosystems and exposure to them can occur through air, water, food, and personal care products. The toxicity mechanisms of these nanomaterials are currently unknown, emphasizing the need for further studies on their effects at the molecular and cellular levels.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Raquel Martin-Folgar, Adrian Esteban-Arranz, Viviana Negri, Monica Morales
Summary: This study investigated the changes in gene expression in the aquatic organism Chironomus riparius after exposure to different concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) materials. The results showed that larger and thicker GO nanomaterials altered the transcription of genes involved in cellular stress, oxidative stress, DNA damage, apoptosis, endocrine and development. These modifications provide evidence for the action mechanisms of GOs in invertebrates and highlight the need for further research to evaluate their effects on biota.
Meeting Abstract
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Catherine G. Elijah, Jessie Trujillo, Cassandra K. Jones, Taeyong Kwon, Charles R. Stark, Konner Cool, Chad B. Paulk, Natasha Gaudreault, Jason C. Woodworth, Igor Morozov, Carmina Gallardo, Jordan T. Gebhardt, Jurgen Richt
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Virology
Naiqing Xu, Xinen Tang, Xin Wang, Miao Cai, Xiaowen Liu, Xiaolong Lu, Shunlin Hu, Min Gu, Jiao Hu, Ruyi Gao, Kaituo Liu, Yu Chen, Xiufan Liu, Xiaoquan Wang
Summary: This study found that the H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus has a high airborne transmissibility, while the H7N9 virus does not. The Hemagglutinin protein of the H9N2 virus was found to play a key role in replication, stability, and airborne transmission.
Article
Virology
Samar S. Ewies, Sabry M. Tamam, Ahmed S. Abdel-Moneim, Sherin R. Rouby
Summary: Contagious ecthyma (CE) is a highly contagious viral disease of sheep and goats worldwide. The study provided a clinical description of CE and screened for genetic variation in the B2L gene. Infected sheep exhibited anorexia and oral lesions, while inoculated chicken embryos showed pock lesions. The B2L gene was successfully amplified and found to be highly conserved.
Article
Virology
Yigal Farnoushi, Dan Heller, Avishai Lublin
Summary: In recent years, new variants of avian reovirus (ARV) have caused a variety of symptoms in chickens worldwide, including viral arthritis/tenosynovitis. This study analyzed emerging ARV variants in Israel and found significant genetic diversity. Most ARV isolates in Israel belonged to genotypic cluster 5 (GC5). The study suggests that Israel has not experienced the emergence of new ARV variants since the introduction of the live vaccine (ISR-7585), but ongoing monitoring is needed due to the continuous emergence of ARV variants.
Article
Virology
Shigeru Tajima, Michiyo Kataoka, Yuki Takamatsu, Hideki Ebihara, Chang-Kweng Lim
Summary: Yokose virus (YOKV), a bat-associated flavivirus, was found to replicate at a slower rate in mosquito cells compared to other mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Specific nucleotide mutations in the virus were identified to enhance its proliferation ability in mosquito cells.
Article
Virology
Alejandra Borjabad, Baojun Dong, Wei Chao, David J. Volsky, Mary Jane Potash
Summary: This study investigated HIV brain disease using a mouse model, and found that poly I:C can reverse associated cognitive impairment and reduce virus burden. The results also revealed transcriptional changes related to neuronal function and innate immune responses.
Article
Virology
Ching-Hung Lin, Feng-Cheng Hsieh, Meilin Wang, Chieh Hsu, Hsuan-Wei Hsu, Chun-Chun Yang, Cheng-Yao Yang, Hung-Yi Wu
Summary: This study demonstrates that the synthesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNA is not solely determined by the sequence homology between the leader TRS and TRS-B, but also by the disassociation of the coronavirus polymerase from the viral genome. This finding provides a new insight into the transcription mechanism of coronaviruses.
Article
Virology
Nicholas S. Kron, Benjamin W. Neuman, Sathish Kumar, Patricia L. Blackwelder, Dayana Vidal, Delphina Z. Walker-Phelan, Patrick D. I. Gibbs, Lynne A. Fieber, Michael C. Schmale
Summary: Two recent studies documented the genome of a novel virus in marine animals, finding that the virus is widespread in apparently healthy animals but not highly expressed in neurons. The studies also identified viral replication factories and high levels of defective genomes in chronically infected animals.
Article
Virology
Andrew M. Ramey, Laura C. Scott, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Evan J. Buck, Alison R. Williams, Mia Kim Torchetti, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson
Summary: We successfully detected and characterized highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in hunter-harvested wild waterfowl samples from western Alaska. Genomic analysis revealed three independent viral introductions into Alaska. Our findings demonstrate the utility and potential limitations of using molecular processing approaches directly on original swab samples for viral research and monitoring.
Article
Virology
Ting Gong, Dongdong Wu, Yongzhi Feng, Xing Liu, Qi Gao, Xiaoyu Zheng, Zebu Song, Heng Wang, Guihong Zhang, Lang Gong
Summary: This study discovered that quercetin can inhibit PEDV replication both in vivo and in vitro, and alleviate the clinical symptoms and intestinal injury caused by the virus. This provides a new direction for the development of PED antiviral drugs.
Article
Virology
Min Zhu, Hao Zeng, Jianqiao He, Yaohui Zhu, Pingping Wang, Jianing Guo, Jinfan Guo, Huabo Zhou, Yifeng Qin, Kang Ouyang, Zuzhang Wei, Weijian Huang, Ying Chen
Summary: The reassortment between avian H9N2 and Eurasian avian-like (EA) H1N1 viruses may have potentially changed from avian-to-mammals adaptation. This study found that the introduction of EA H1N1 internal genes into H9N2 virus restored the replication capability and resulted in extreme virulence in some cases. This raises new concerns for public health due to the possible coexistence of H9N2 and EA H1N1 viruses in dogs.
