African Swine Fever Virus Isolate, Georgia, 2007

The virus isolate introduced to the Caucasus in 2007 is closely related to a group of viruses, genotype II, circulating in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Zambia

Full Genome Characterisation of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 6 from the Netherlands 2008 and Comparison to Other Field and Vaccine Strains

In mid September 2008, clinical signs of bluetongue (particularly coronitis) were observed in cows on three different farms in eastern Netherlands (Luttenberg, Heeten, and Barchem), two of which had been vaccinated with an inactivated BTV-8 vaccine (during May-June 2008). Bluetongue virus (BTV) infection was also detected on a fourth farm (Oldenzaal) in the same area while testing for export. BTV RNA was subsequently identified by real time RT-PCR targeting genome-segment (Seg-) 10, in blood samples from each farm. The virus was isolated from the Heeten sample (IAH “dsRNA virus reference collection” [dsRNA-VRC] isolate number NET2008/05) and typed as BTV-6 by RT-PCR targeting Seg-2. Sequencing confirmed the virus type, showing an identical Seg-2 sequence to that of the South African BTV-6 live-vaccine-strain. Although most of the other genome segments also showed very high levels of identity to the BTV-6 vaccine (99.7 to 100%), Seg-10 showed greatest identity (98.4%) to the BTV-2 vaccine (RSAvvv2/02), indicating that NET2008/05 had acquired a different Seg-10 by reassortment. Although Seg-7 from NET2008/05 was also most closely related to the BTV-6 vaccine (99.7/100% nt/aa identity), the Seg-7 sequence derived from the blood sample of the same animal (NET2008/06) was identical to that of the Netherlands BTV-8 (NET2006/04 and NET2007/01). This indicates that the blood contained two different Seg-7 sequences, one of which (from the BTV-6 vaccine) was selected during virus isolation in cell-culture. The predominance of the BTV-8 Seg-7 in the blood sample suggests that the virus was in the process of reassorting with the northern field strain of BTV-8. Two genome segments of the virus showed significant differences from the BTV-6 vaccine, indicating that they had been acquired by reassortment event with BTV-8, and another unknown parental-strain. However, the route by which BTV-6 and BTV-8 entered northern Europe was not established

Transplacental Transmission of Bluetongue Virus 8 in Cattle, UK

To determine whether transplacental transmission could explain overwintering of bluetongue virus in the United Kingdom, we studied calves born to dams naturally infected during pregnancy in 2007–08. Approximately 33% were infected transplacentally; some had compromised health. In all infected calves, viral load decreased after birth; no evidence of persistent infection was found

African swine fever : update on Eastern, Central and Southern Africa

Control of African swine fever (ASF) in countries in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) is particularly complex owing to the presence of all three known epidemiological cycles of maintenance of the virus, namely an ancient sylvatic cycle involving the natural hosts and vectors of the disease as well as domestic cycles with and without involvement of natural vectors. While the situation is well documented in some of the countries, for others very little information is available. In spite of the unfavourable ASF situation, the pig population in the sub‐region has grown exponentially in recent decades and is likely to continue to grow in response to rapid urban growth resulting in increasing demand for animal protein by populations that are no longer engaged in livestock production. Better management of ASF will be essential to permit the pig sector to reach its full potential as a supplier of high quality protein and a source of income to improve livelihoods and create wealth. No vaccine is currently available and it is likely that, in the near future, the sub‐region will continue to rely on the implementation of preventive measures, based on the epidemiology of the disease, to avoid both the devastating losses that outbreaks can cause and the risk the sub‐region poses to other parts of Africa and the world. The current situation in the ECSA sub‐region is reviewed and gaps in knowledge are identified in order to support ongoing strategy development for managing ASF in endemic areas.LKD received funding from UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC grant BBS/E/1/00007035. CM’s ASF research is funded by a Wellcome Trust Fellowship (Grant 105684/Z/14/Z) and the African Union Commission (Grant AURG‐II‐1‐196‐2016).http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/tbed2020-07-01hj2019Veterinary Tropical Disease

Evidence of vertical transmission of lumpy skin disease virus in Rhipicephalus decoloratus ticks

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an economically important acute or sub-acute disease of cattle that occurs across Africa and in the Middle East. The aim of this study was to assess whether Rhipicephalus decoloratus ticks were able to transmit lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) transovarially. Uninfected, laboratory-bred R. decoloratus larvae were placed to feed on experimentally infected "donor" cattle. After completion of the life cycle on donor animals, fully engorged adult female ticks were harvested and allowed to lay eggs. Larvae that hatched from these eggs were then transferred to feed on uninfected "recipient" cattle. The latter became viraemic and showed mild clinical disease with characteristic skin lesions and markedly enlarged precrural and subscapular lymph nodes. This is the first report of transovarial transmission of poxviruses by R. decoloratus ticks, and the importance of this mode of transmission in the spread of LSDV in endemic settings requires further nvestigation