BACKGROUND: Ambient particles during Asian dust events are usually less than 10micrometer in size, and known to be associated with the adverse effects on the general population. There is little evidence linking Asian dust to adverse effects on the airways. In 2002, the authors found that particulate matter during Asian dust events had an effect on the symptoms and pulmonary function of patients with bronchial asthma. An aggravating factor might be that of a viral infection, but this remains unclear. Conversely, it has been speculated that African dust may carry the virus responsible for foot and mouth disease. Asian dust events are also likely to be responsible for transporting viruses, some of which are pathogenic, and common in many environments. Therefore, in this study, air samples were screened for the presence of viruses. METHODS: Air samples were collected 20 times each during Asian dust events and under non-dust conditions, for at least 6 hours per sample, using a high volume air sampler (Sibata Model HV500F), with an airflow rate of 500L/min, between April and August 2003, and between April and August 2004. The samples were then screened for the presence of targeted viruses (Influenza A, B, Hog cholera virus, and Aphthovirus) using a polymerase chain reaction method. RESULTS: One Asian dust event occurred between April and August 2003, and 3 between April and August 2004, with a 24 hour average PM10 level of 148.0microgram/m(3). The 24 hour average PM10 level was 57microgram/m(3). There was a significant difference in?the PM10 concentration between dusty and clear days. No viruses (Influenza virus, Aphthovirus, and Hog cholera virus) were identified in the air samples obtained during the dusty days. CONCLUSIONS: Although no virus was detected in this study, further studies will be needed to identify suspected viruses carried during Asian dust events, employing more appropriate virus detection conditions.
Animals ; Aphthovirus ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Asthma ; Atmosphere* ; Classical Swine Fever ; Classical swine fever virus ; Dust* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Particulate Matter ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Swine

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is highly infectious disease of cloven-hoofed animals, particularly cattle, sheep, pigs and goats. Also, it is the most important animal pathogen on the global scale because of the potential for rapid and extensive spread through susceptible animal populations. Outbreak can lead to formidable economic consequence for domestic livestock production and international trade. FMD is caused by FMD virus which is a small, non-enveloped, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the genus Aphthovirus within the family Picornaviridae . There are seven immunologically distinct serotypes; O, A, C, SAT (Southern African Territories) 1, SAT 2, SAT 3 and Asia 1 and a diverse antigenic spectrum of virus strains within each serotype. Characteristic lesion of FMD is the formation of vesicles in the mucosal membranes of mouth, muzzle, foot, and teats. Nowadays, many developed countries have maintained FMD-free as a result of eradication efforts. However, outbreaks of FMD have occurred in several countries, even in Europe, and it is still endemic in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. Last year, three outbreaks of FMD occurred in our country. Last outbreak reported in November, 2010 induced the enormous social and economical impacts. Culling of infected animals, movement control, and vaccination are the major control measures of FMD. To control the disease, each country has their own strategies based on the current situation of FMD in their country. Therefore, I would like to discuss the causative agent, epidemiological properties and control measures of FMD in this paper.
Africa ; Animals ; Aphthovirus ; Asia ; Cattle ; Communicable Diseases ; Developed Countries ; Disease Outbreaks ; Europe ; Foot ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Goats ; Humans ; Livestock ; Membranes ; Middle East ; Mouth ; Picornaviridae ; RNA Viruses ; Sheep ; South America ; Swine ; Vaccination ; Viruses

We developed a pre-treatment method to remove interfering substances during quantification of 146S antigens in foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Three methods, including ultracentrifugation, PEG precipitation and nuclease digestion, were optimized and compared for removal efficiency of the interfering impurities in FMD vaccines. Under optimized conditions, the 146S contents in two batches of FMD vaccines were determined to be 7.1 and 7.6 μg/mL by ultracentrifugation, 9.7 and 10.4 μg/mL by PEG precipitation, and 10.5 and 10.4 μg/mL by nuclease digestion. The optimal condition for nuclease digestion using Benzonase determined by response surface method was as follows: appending Benzonase into 200 μL of antigen phase to a final concentration of 421 U/mL and incubating at 25.1 °C for 1.29 h. This method has advantages including efficient removal of the interfering impurities, fast processing speed, and mild operating conditions. Then 12 bathes of FMD vaccines with different serotypes produced by 4 manufacturers were tested to verify the established treatment method. Results showed the method was applicable to various FMD vaccines with good reproducibility (RSD<5.3%, n=3). The developed method removed interference from impurities during quantification of 146S, and therefore would broaden the application of HPSEC in vaccine quality control and ensure the accuracy and reliability.
Animals ; Chromatography, Gel ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; Reproducibility of Results ; Viral Vaccines

This study examined the disinfection conditions (exposure time, 0–30 min; exposure temperature, 4℃–65℃) of hypochlorous acid water (HOCl) in automobile disinfection equipment. The study tested poliovirus type 1 (PV1), low pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV, H9N2), and foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV, O type). As a result, the PV1 and FMD viruses were inactivated easily (virus titer 4 log value) by HOCl (> 100 ppm) but the AIV required higher exposure temperatures (> 55℃). In conclusion, the exposure temperature and time are important factors in deactivating AIV and FMDV.
Animals ; Automobiles ; Disinfection ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Hypochlorous Acid ; Influenza in Birds ; Poliovirus ; Water

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an acute, severe, and highly contagious infectious disease caused by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), which seriously endangers the development of animal husbandry. The inactivated FMD vaccine is the main product for the prevention and control of FMD, which has been successfully applied to control the pandemic and outbreak of FMD. However, the inactivated FMD vaccine also has problems, such as the instability of antigen, the risk of spread of the virus due to incomplete inactivation during vaccine production, and the high cost of production. Compared with traditional microbial and animal bioreactors, production of antigens in plants through transgenic technology has some advantages including low cost, safety, convenience, and easy storage and transportation. Moreover, since antigens produced from plants can be directly used as edible vaccines, no complex processes of protein extraction and purification are required. But, there are some problems for the production of antigens in plants, which include low expression level and poor controllability. Thus, expressing the antigens of FMDV in plants may be an alternative mean for production of FMD vaccine, which has certain advantages but still need to be continuously optimized. Here we review the main strategies for expressing active proteins in plants, as well as the research progress on the expression of FMDV antigens in plants. We also discuss the current problems and challenges encountered, with the aim to facilitate related research.
Animals ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus/genetics* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease/prevention & control* ; Antigens, Viral/genetics* ; Viral Vaccines

With the progess in studying gene structure and function of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV), FMDV can express exogenous genes in different sites. Through transforming and modifying FMDV can achieve different application purposes such as improving virus titer, introducing tag, improving immune responses, and reducing pathogenicity. From the perspective of FMDV receiving inserted exogenous gene, this paper mainly describes the latest relevant developments of FMDV's expression to exogenous gene.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; genetics ; Genetic Engineering ; Mutagenesis, Insertional

Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Antibodies, Viral ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an economically significant animal disease because of the speed of its transmission. Routine vaccination may not be effective for early protection in an outbreak situation. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be used as a rapid, effective, and an alternative antiviral approach. In this study, we screened 15 synthetic siRNAs to inhibit FMD virus replication in IBRS-2 cells and selected 10 siRNA sequences. Furthermore, we produced 7 adenoviruses expressing shRNA targeting conserved regions of FMDV, such as a leader sequence and nonstructural protein regions, and showed their antiviral effects. We compared the antiviral effects among them and compared between synthetic siRNAs and adenovirus-delivered siRNAs. In particular, the most efficient siRNA, 3C2, was the conserved sequence in the O, A, Asia 1, and C serotypes of FMDV and was located in the predicted loop structure. The pool of sequences including 3C2 and recombinant adenoviruses could be applied for multiple siRNAs and protection in a broad range of cells and animals.
Adenoviridae ; Animals ; Asia ; Conserved Sequence ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; RNA ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Vaccination ; Virus Replication

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most important livestock diseases in East Africa with outbreaks reported annually that cause severe economic losses. It is possible to control disease using vaccination, but antigenic matching of the vaccine to circulating strains is critical. To determine the relationship between foot-and-mouth disease viruses circulating in districts along the Uganda and Tanzanian border between 2016 and 2017 and currently used vaccines, phylogenetic analysis of the full VP1 virus sequences was carried out on samples collected from both sides of the border. A total of 43 clinical samples were collected from animals exhibiting signs of FMD and VP1 sequences generated from 11 of them. Eight out of the 11 sequences obtained belonged to serotype O and three belonged to serotype A. The serotype O sequences obtained showed limited nucleotide divergence (average of 4.9%) and belonged to topotype East Africa-2, whereas the most common O-type vaccine strain used in the region (O/KEN/77/78) belonged to East Africa-1. The serotype A viruses belonged to topotype Africa-G1 (average nucleotide divergence 7.4%), as did vaccine strain K5/1980. However, vaccine strain K35/1980 belonged to Africa G VII with an average sequence divergence of 20.5% from the study sequences. The genetic distances between current vaccine strains and circulating field strains underscores the crucial need for regular vaccine matching and the importance of collaborative efforts for better control of FMD along this border area.
Africa ; Africa, Eastern ; Animals ; Disease Outbreaks ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease ; Livestock ; Serogroup ; Tanzania ; Uganda ; Vaccination ; Vaccines

The stability of virus-like particles (VLPs) is currently the main factor affecting the quality of foot-and-mouth disease VLPs vaccines. In order to further improve the quality of the VLPs vaccine of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), three amino acid modification sites were designed and screened through kinetic analysis software, based on the three-dimensional structure of FMDV. The three mutant recombinant plasmids were successfully prepared by the point mutation kit, transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21 and expressed in vitro. After purification by Ni ion chromatography column, SDS-PAGE proved that the three amino acid mutations did not affect the expression of the target protein. The results of the stability study of three FMD mutant VLPs obtained by in vitro assembly show that the introduction of internal hydrophobic side chain amino acids made the morphology of VLPs more uniform (N4017W), and their stability was significantly improved compared to the other two VLPs. The internal hydrophobic force of the capsid contributes to the formation of VLPs and helps to maintain the stability of the capsid, providing new experimental ideas for improving the quality of VLPs vaccines, and helping to promote the development of VLPs vaccines.
Amino Acids ; Animals ; Capsid Proteins/genetics* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease/prevention & control* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus/genetics* ; Kinetics ; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle/genetics* ; Viral Vaccines/genetics*