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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » ABADRU » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #243770
Title: Detection of a Novel Reassortant Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus in the United States Containing RNA Segments Derived from Both Exotic and Endemic Serotypes

Author
item ALLISON, ANDREW - University Of Georgia
item GOEKJIAN, GINGER - University Of Georgia
item POTGIETER, CHRISTIAAN - Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute
item Wilson, William
item JOHNSON, DONNA - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item MERTENS, PETER - Institute Of Animal Health - United Kingdom
item STALLKNECHT, DAVID - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Journal of General Virology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2009
Publication Date: 2/1/2010
Citation: Allison, A.B., Goekjian, G.H., Potgieter, C., Wilson, W.C., Johnson, D., Mertens, P.P., Stallknecht, D.E. 2010. Detection of a Novel Reassortant Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus in the United States Containing RNA Segments Derived from Both Exotic and Endemic Serotypes.

Interpretive Summary: Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) is an insect-transmitted virus that infects domestic and wild ruminants and is provisionally distributed throughout Africa, North America, Australia, East Asia, and the Middle East. Historically, only two types of the virus have been reported from North America. In 2006, EHDV isolates were recovered from dead white-tailed deer in Indiana and Illinois that was not identified as one of these types. Additional testing indicated that it was a type that, although originally described from Australia, has recently been recognized as an emerging pathogen of cattle in Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, and Reunion Island. In 2007 and 2008, this new virus type was isolated again from white-tailed deer; this time in Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, suggesting that the virus may have become, or already is, endemic in a geographically widespread region of the United States. Genetic characterization of the virus indicates that the new virus has exchanged genetic material with material from indigenous EHDV-2 (Alberta) that further supports that the new virus type has become endemic.

Technical Abstract: Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) is a Culicoides-transmitted orbivirus that infects domestic and wild ruminants and is provisionally distributed throughout Africa, North America, Australia, East Asia, and the Middle East. Historically, of the seven proposed serotypes of EHDV, only EHDV-1 and EHDV-2 have been reported from North America. In 2006, EHDV isolates were recovered from moribund or dead white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Indiana and Illinois that could not be identified as either EHDV-1 or EHDV-2 by virus neutralization tests or by serotype-specific RT-PCR. Additional serological and genetic testing identified the isolates as EHDV-6, a serotype that, although originally described from Australia, has recently been recognized as an emerging pathogen of cattle in Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, and Reunion Island. In 2007 and 2008, EHDV-6 was isolated again from white-tailed deer; this time in Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, suggesting that the virus is capable of overwintering and that it may become, or already is, endemic in a geographically widespread region of the United States. Genetic characterization of the virus indicates that it is a reassortant, such that the outer capsid proteins determining serotype specificity (VP2 and VP5) are derived from exotic EHDV-6, while the remaining structural and nonstructural proteins were apparently obtained from indigenous EHDV-2 (Alberta).