OBJECTIVETo study the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) like virus in animals at a live animal market of Guanzhou in 2004 before and after culling of wild animal action taken by the local authority, in order to predict the re-emerging of SARS from animal originals in this region.

METHODSAnimals at live animal market were sampled for rectal and throat swabs in triplicate. A single step realtime reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) diagnostic kit was performed for screening SARS-CoV like virus, the manual nested RT- PCR and DNA sequencing were performed for confirmation. Only specimens which tested positive for both of the N and P genes by nested RT-PCR were scored as positive.

RESULTSIn 31 animals sampled in January 5 2004 before culling of wild animals at Guangdong Province, including 20 cats (Felis catus), 5 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and 6 Lesser rice field rats (Rattus losea), 8 (25.8%) animals were tested positive for SARS-CoV like virus by RT-PCR methods, of which 4 cats, 3 red fox and one Lesser rice field rats were included. However, two weeks after culling of animals and disinfection of the market were implemented, in 119 animals sampled in January 20 2004, including 6 rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), 13 cats, 46 red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), 13 spotbill duck (Anas platyrhynchos), 10 greylag goose (Anser anser), 31 Chinese francolin (Franclinus pintadeanus), only rectal swab from one greylag goose was tested positive for SARS-CoV like virus. Furthermore, in 102 animals that including 14 greylag gooses, 3 cats, 5 rabbits, 9 spotbill duck (Anaspoecilorhyncha), 2 Chinese francolin (Franclinus pintadeanus), 8 common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), 6 pigeons, 9 Chinese muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), 19 wild boar (Sus scrofa), 16 Lesser rice field rats, 5 dogs, 1 mink (Mustela vison), 3 goats, 2 green peafowl (Pavo muticus) sampled in April, May, June, July, August and November, only rectal swab from one pig was tested positive. However, of 12 and 10 palm civets sampled in November and December including five of which had been at the live animals market for 2 days, none of them was tested positive.

CONCLUSIONThis findings revealed that animals being sampled in April, May, June, July, August and November of 2004, only one rectal swab from a pig was tested positive as SARS-CoV like virus, much lower than the results from the previous year, suggesting that the possibility of re-emerging of human infection from animal origins is low for the winter of 2004-2005.

Animals ; Animals, Wild ; virology ; China ; DNA, Viral ; analysis ; Felidae ; virology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; SARS Virus ; isolation & purification

Wild birds (mainly Anseriformes and Charadriiformes) are recognized as the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). The long-term surveillance of AIVs in wild birds has been conducted in North America and Europe since 1970s. More and more surveillance data revealed that all the HA and NA subtypes of AIVs were identified in the wild ducks, shorebirds, and gulls, and the AIVs circulating in wild birds were implicated in the outbreaks of AIVs in poultry and humans. Therefore, the AIVs in wild birds pose huge threat to poultry industry and human health. To gain a better understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of AIVs in wild birds, we summarize the transmission of AIVs between wild birds, poultry, and humans, the main results of surveillance of AIVs in wild birds worldwide and methods for surveillance, and the types of samples and detection methods for AIVs in wild birds, which would be vital for the effective control of avian influenza and response to possible influenza pandemic.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; virology ; Birds ; virology ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; physiology ; Influenza in Birds ; epidemiology ; transmission ; virology ; Influenza, Human ; epidemiology ; transmission ; virology ; Sentinel Surveillance ; veterinary

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) is a natural epidemic zoonotic pathogen. However, no reports have been published regarding the isolation, identification and full-length genome of EMCV from a local aardvark population. In present study, an EMCV isolate HNXX13 was isolated from aardvarks named Huainan-pig in Henan Province. The systematic identification, full-length genome sequencing and molecular characteristic analysis of the isolate HNXX13 were conducted. The result showed that the isolate was spherical with a diameter of 24-30 nm, neither heat- nor acid-resistant, sensitive to trypsin, insensitive to chloroform, not protected by bivalent cationic, and the specific fluorescence was observed in the cytoplasm of BHK-21 cells infected with the isolate by using indirect fluorescence assay. The full-length genome of EMCV HNXX13 generated a 7 725bp sequence (GenBank: F771002), with 81.0%-99.9% nucleotide identity to reference strains from different animals, and 99.5% with a Chinese reference strain isolated earlier from a commercial pig herd. The phylogenetic tree based on the full-length genome and ORF sequences identified that all EMCV strains were divided into three groups G1, G2 and G3, and strain HNXX13 belonging to the G1 group with other Chinese reference strains. The result also identified that this EMCV infection could cause severe clinical signs in a local aardvark population, and enriches the molecular epidemiological data of EMCV in China. Regional differences exist in EMCV genome and transmission is limited within a certain area. However, the cross-infection and transmission of EMCV between aardvark and mice appears most likely. Mutations have occurred in some amino acids of EMCV strain HNXX13 during the transmission in local aardvark herd and these mutations might make the virus easier to infect the aardvark.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; virology ; Cardiovirus Infections ; veterinary ; virology ; China ; Encephalomyocarditis virus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Genome, Viral ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Xenarthra ; virology

OBJECTIVETo further understand the association of hantavirus (HV) harbored and transmitted in wild brown rats.

METHODSRattus norvegicus (n = 570) were trapped in 10 sites in Beijing. RT-PCR was used to test rodent lung samples for hantavirus infection. Unconditional multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, with PCR positive as the dependent variable and the characteristics of Rattus norvegicus population as independent variables.

RESULTSThe overall HV prevalence in Rattus norvegicus was 9.1% (52/570). Significant association between HV infection in Rattus norvegicus and some biological characteristics of host population was observed. Adult Rattus norvegicus had a higher HV prevalence than juveniles. Males in the reproduction periods and rats with wounds were more likely to be infected with HV than others.

CONCLUSIONIt was further confirmed that there existed parallel transmission of HV in Rattus norvegicus hosts. Aggression might be the primary mode of HV transmission among male Rattus norvegicus.

Aggression ; Animals ; Animals, Wild ; injuries ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hantavirus ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; transmission ; veterinary ; virology ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; virology ; Male ; Prevalence ; Rats ; injuries ; virology ; Reproduction ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Risk Factors ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; transmission

Two hundred thirty specimens of wild birds were collected from some areas in Heilongjiang Province during the period of 2003~2004, including two batches of specimens collected randomly from a same flock of mallards in Zhalong Natural Reserve in August and December, 2004, respectively. Primary virus isolation and identification for avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were performed. The results showed that only two specimens of young mallards collected from Zhalong Natural Reserve in August, 2004 were positive to AIV (isolation rate 0.9%), and one strain (D57) of these two virus isolates was identified to be H9 subtype by hemagglutination inhibition test. Meanwhile, the two batches of blood serum samples of mallards from Zhalong were also examined for antibodies against AIV and NDV. Among 38 blood serum samples collected in August, antibodies against the hemagglutinin of H1, H3, H5, H6 and H9 subtypes of AIV were found in 1, 0, 2, 0 and 8 samples, respectively; and 11 samples were found with antibody against NDV. Whereas the NDV isolation in both two batches of specimens of mallard was negative, all of the 32 blood serum samples collected in December were negative for antibodies against AIV and NDV.
Animals ; Animals, Wild/*virology ; Antibodies, Viral/isolation&purification ; Birds/virology ; China/epidemiology ; Hemagglutination Tests ; Influenza A virus/*isolation&purification ; Influenza in Birds/epidemiology/immunology/*virology ; Newcastle Disease/epidemiology/immunology/*virology ; Newcastle disease virus/*isolation&purification ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

The virus strains were isolated from the liver and spleen of the dead young ducks characterized with symptoms of hemorrhagic-necrotic hepatitis. These isolates could cause the death of muscovy duck-embryo and chick-embryo. 1-day-old birds infected with these isolates had the same character with clinically dead birds and the virus could be isolated from artificially infected birds. These isolates could proliferate in MDEF and result in CPE. The virus could proliferate in the cytoplasm in order of crystals and arranged in the latlic-like. The viron was shown spherical, icosahedron, cubic symmetry, no-envelope, with double-layered capsid, about 70 nm in diameter by electron microscopy. The genome segments of the virus were consisted of L1-3, M1-3 and S1-4, which were similar to that of avian reovirus (ARV). Compared to 68.2%, 69.3% - 70.1%, respectively. The system evolution analysis showed that S3 gene coding sigmaB protein was placed in different branch of MDRV and ARV, indicating that S3 gene of the virus was different from ARV and MDRV. The main clinical symptoms and lesions of ducklings caused by the virus were different from the diseases caused by MDRV and ARV. It was concluded that the virus was a Novel duck reovirus belonging to Orthoreovirus genus of the Reoviridae family.
Animals ; Animals, Wild ; virology ; Bird Diseases ; pathology ; virology ; Chick Embryo ; China ; Ducks ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Orthoreovirus, Avian ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Reoviridae Infections ; pathology ; veterinary ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

Climate change induced by recent global warming may have a significant impact on vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. For example, the distribution of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has expanded into new regions. We surveyed the levels of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibodies against JEV (Family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus) in wild birds captured in Korea. Blood samples were collected from 1,316 wild birds including the following migratory birds: Oceanodroma castro (n = 4), Anas formosa (n = 7), Anas penelope (n = 20), Fulica atra (n = 30), Anas acuta (n = 89), Anas crecca (n = 154), Anas platyrhynchos (n = 214), Aix galericulata (n = 310), and Anas poecilorhyncha (n = 488). All were captured in 16 locations in several Korea provinces between April 2007 and December 2009. Out of the 1,316 serum samples tested, 1,141 (86.7%) were positive for JEV. Wild birds captured in 2009 had a higher seroprevalence of ant-JEV antibodies than those captured in 2007. Wild birds with an HI antibody titer of 1 : 1,280 or higher accounted for 21.2% (280/1,316) of the animals tested. These findings indicated that wild birds from the region examined in our study have been exposed to JEV and may pose a high risk for introducing a new JEV genotype into Korea.
Animal Migration ; Animals ; Animals, Wild ; Bird Diseases/*epidemiology/virology ; Birds ; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Encephalitis, Japanese/blood/epidemiology/*veterinary/virology ; Genotype ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests ; Population Surveillance ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies