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Title: Whole genome sequence analysis of recently circulating Bluetongue virus serotype 11 strains from the United States including two domestic canine isolates

Author
item Gaudreault, Natasha
item Jasperson, Dane
item DUBOVI, EDWARD - Cornell University
item JOHNSON, DONNA - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item OSTLUND, EILEEN - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Wilson, William

Submitted to: Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/9/2015
Publication Date: 6/11/2015
Citation: Gaudreault, N.N., Jasperson, D.C., Dubovi, E.J., Johnson, D.J., Ostlund, E.N., Wilson, W.C. 2015. Whole genome sequence analysis of recently circulating Bluetongue virus serotype 11 strains from the United States including two domestic canine isolates. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. 27(4):442-448.

Interpretive Summary: Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an insect-transmitted pathogen that that typically infects and causes disease in domestic and wild ruminants. BTV has been reported in domestic dogs after vaccination with a contaminated vaccine. The recent report of BTV serotype 11 (BTV-11) from two separate domestic canine abortion cases in the states of Texas in 2011 and Kansas in 2012 were apparently unrelated to BTV-contaminated vaccination or consumption of BTV-contaminated raw meat as had been previously speculated. To elucidate the origin and relationship of these two recent domestic canine BTV-11 isolates, the whole-genome was sequenced as well as six additional BTV-11 field isolates from Texas, Florida and Washington, submitted for diagnostic investigation during 2011 and 2013. The analysis indicates that the BTV-11 domestic canine isolates are virtually identical, and both share high identity with two BTV-11 isolates identified from white-tailed deer in Texas in 2011. The results of the current study further support the hypothesis that a BTV-11 strain circulating in the Mid-western states could have been transmitted to the dogs by the infected insect vector. The current study also expands the short list of available BTV-11 sequences, which may aid BTV surveillance and epidemiology.

Technical Abstract: Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a vector-transmitted pathogen that that typically infects and causes disease in domestic and wild ruminants. BTV is also known to infect domestic canines as discovered when dogs were vaccinated with a BTV-contaminated vaccine. Canine BTV infections have been documented through serological surveys, and natural infection by the Culicoides vector has been suggested. The recent report of isolation of BTV serotype 11 (BTV-11) from two separate domestic canine abortion cases in the states of Texas in 2011 and Kansas in 2012, were apparently unrelated to BTV-contaminated vaccination or consumption of BTV-contaminated raw meat as had been previously speculated. To elucidate the origin and relationship of these two recent domestic canine BTV-11 isolates, whole-genome sequencing was performed. Six additional BTV-11 field isolates from Texas, Florida and Washington, submitted for diagnostic investigation during 2011 and 2013, were also fully sequenced and analyzed. The phylogenetic analysis indicates that the BTV-11 domestic canine isolates are virtually identical, and both share high identity with two BTV-11 isolates identified from white-tailed deer in Texas in 2011. The results of the current study further support the hypothesis that a BTV-11 strain circulating in the Midwestern states could have been transmitted to the dogs by the infected Culicoides vector. The current study also expands the short list of available BTV-11 sequences, which may aid BTV surveillance and epidemiology.