A hepatitis B virus causes chronic infections in equids worldwide

Preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) requires suitable animal models. Equids host homologs of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Because coinfections of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV occur in humans, we screened 2,917 specimens from equids from five continents for HBV. We discovered a distinct HBV species (Equid HBV, EqHBV) in 3.2% of donkeys and zebras by PCR and antibodies against EqHBV in 5.4% of donkeys and zebras. Molecular, histopathological, and biochemical analyses revealed that infection patterns of EqHBV resembled those of HBV in humans, including hepatotropism, moderate liver damage, evolutionary stasis, and potential horizontal virus transmission. Naturally infected donkeys showed chronic infections resembling CHB with high viral loads of up to 2.6 × 109 mean copies per milliliter serum for >6 mo and weak antibody responses. Antibodies against Equid HCV were codetected in 26.5% of donkeys seropositive for EqHBV, corroborating susceptibility to both hepatitis viruses. Deltavirus pseudotypes carrying EqHBV surface proteins were unable to infect human cells via the HBV receptor NTCP (Na+/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide), suggesting alternative viral entry mechanisms. Both HBV and EqHBV deltavirus pseudotypes infected primary horse hepatocytes in vitro, supporting a broad host range for EqHBV among equids and suggesting that horses might be suitable for EqHBV and HBV infections in vivo. Evolutionary analyses suggested that EqHBV originated in Africa several thousand years ago, commensurate with the domestication of donkeys. In sum, EqHBV naturally infects diverse equids and mimics HBV infection patterns. Equids provide a unique opportunity for preclinical testing of novel therapeutics for CHB and to investigate HBV/ HCV interplay upon coinfection

Temporal Dynamics of European Bat Lyssavirus Type 1 and Survival of Myotis myotis Bats in Natural Colonies

Many emerging RNA viruses of public health concern have recently been detected in bats. However, the dynamics of these viruses in natural bat colonies is presently unknown. Consequently, prediction of the spread of these viruses and the establishment of appropriate control measures are hindered by a lack of information. To this aim, we collected epidemiological, virological and ecological data during a twelve-year longitudinal study in two colonies of insectivorous bats (Myotis myotis) located in Spain and infected by the most common bat lyssavirus found in Europe, the European bat lyssavirus subtype 1 (EBLV-1). This active survey demonstrates that cyclic lyssavirus infections occurred with periodic oscillations in the number of susceptible, immune and infected bats. Persistence of immunity for more than one year was detected in some individuals. These data were further used to feed models to analyze the temporal dynamics of EBLV-1 and the survival rate of bats. According to these models, the infection is characterized by a predicted low basic reproductive rate (R0 = 1.706) and a short infectious period (D = 5.1 days). In contrast to observations in most non-flying animals infected with rabies, the survival model shows no variation in mortality after EBLV-1 infection of M. myotis. These findings have considerable public health implications in terms of management of colonies where lyssavirus-positive bats have been recorded and confirm the potential risk of rabies transmission to humans. A greater understanding of the dynamics of lyssavirus in bat colonies also provides a model to study how bats contribute to the maintenance and transmission of other viruses of public health concern

Assessment of phosphonoformate-treatment of pigeon herpesvirus infection in pigeons and budgerigars, and Aujeszky's disease in rabbits

Trisodium phosphonoformate (PFA) was used to treat Pigeon herpesvirus 1 (PHV1) infection in pigeons and budgerigars and Aujeszky's disease in rabbits. Intramuscular administration of PFA in pigeons, even when commenced before experimental inoculation of PHV1, did not prevent the occurrence of clinical disease, or reduce the viral excretion or the serological response, and did not prevent the appearance of carriers. In budgerigars infected with PHV1, fatal hepatitis was not prevented by PFA-treatment begun before infection, and in rabbits the treatment did not prevent fatal encephalitis due to Aujeszky's disease virus. © 1982

Comparison of the effect of trisodium phosphonoformate on the mean plaque size of pseudorabies virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus and pigeon herpesvirus

The effect of various concentrations of trisodium phosphonoformate on the titre and the mean plaque of pseudorabies virus (SHS), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) virus and pigeon herpesvirus (PHV) was studied. Phosphonoformate significantly reduced the mean plaque size of all three viruses whatever the concentration used. However, an increase of the concentration of phosphonoformate over 100 µM per ml in the overlay medium did not further reduce the mean plaque size of PHV. Phosphonoformate also produced a decrease in the titre of the three viruses at the highest concentration. SHV was the most susceptible to the effect of trisodium Phosphonoformate and PHV was the least susceptible. This finding might be of signifiance for a possible clinical application in the treatment of local lesions produced by PHV infection

Comparison between strains of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (Bovid herpesvirus 1), from respiratory and genital origins, using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of structural proteins

The polypeptide composition of three strains of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, isolated from typical respiratory disease (IBR), has been compared with that of three strains isolated from the genital tract of cattle suffering from infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IPV). All the IBR strains are similar to each other, but different from the IPV strains, which in turn were similar to each other. IBR isolates and IPV isolates differed in three polypeptides. © 1980, All rights reserved.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Vaccination of vampire bats using recombinant vaccinia-rabies virus

Adult vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) were vaccinated by intramuscular, scarification, oral, or aerosol routes (n=8 in each group) using a vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein recombinant virus. Sera were obtained before and 30 days after vaccination. All animals were then challenged intramuscularly with a lethal dose of rabies virus. Neutralizing antirabies antibodies were measured by rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). Seroconversion was observed with each of the routes employed, but some aerosol and orally vaccinated animals failed to seroconvert. The highest antibody titers were observed in animals vaccinated by intramuscular and scarification routes. All animals vaccinated by intramuscular, scarification, and oral routes survived the viral challenge, but one of eight vampire bats receiving aerosol vaccination succumbed to the challenge. Of 31 surviving vaccinated and challenged animals, nine lacked detectable antirabies antibodies by RFFIT (five orally and four aerosol immunized animals). In contrast, nine of 10 non-vaccinated control bats succumbed to viral challenge. The surviving control bat had antiviral antibodies 90 days after viral challenge. These results suggest that the recombinant vaccine is an adequate and safe immunogen for bats by all routes tested

Salivary excretion of rabies virus by healthy vampire bats

peer reviewedSalivary excretion of rabies virus was evaluated in 14 adult vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) intramuscularly injected with a large dose (10(6) MICLD50) of vampire rabies virus variant CASS88. Saliva samples were obtained from surviving bats every other day for 30 days, then weekly for 2 months, and finally 1 and 2 years later. Rabies virus was isolated in murine neuroblastoma cells and in randomly selected cases by PCR. Rabies virus was not detected in the saliva of any of the 11 animals that succumbed (somewhat early) to rabies challenge, nor in the control bats. In contrast, virus was detected early, and only once (days 6, 6 and 21) in each of the three animals that survived rabies challenge and remained healthy for at least 2 years after challenge. At that time even vigorous dexamethasone and cyclosporine administration failed to provoke further viral excretion