Location: Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research
2017 Annual Report
Accomplishments
1. Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is often associated with respiratory disease in cattle. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as indicators of exposure to respiratory pathogens. A study was conducted by ARS researchers at Ames, Iowa to identify miRNAs in Holstein cattle that had been challenged with a field strain of BVDV. This study identified two miRNAs that could potentially be used as indicators for exposure to BVDV. These results are important for future studies where the utility of these indicators is determined. Markers identified here could potentially find use in rapid screening tests and in eradication programs for BVDV where determining differences between vaccinated and naturally infected animals is important.
2. No evidence of HoBi virus infection in U.S. cattle. Four species of ruminant pestiviruses are present in the United States; bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 and 2 (infect primarily cattle), border disease virus and pronghorn virus (infect sheep and deer). The HoBi virus has not been found in the United States. ARS researchers at Ames, Iowa examined 2000 cattle sera to determine if antibodies against any of these pestiviruses were present. This study showed that 92.4% of the sera had antibodies against pestiviruses. Because of the possibility of antibodies recognizing more than one pestivirus, it was not possible to determine the pestivirus that caused the infection. Additionally, it was found that a significant number of animals did not have what was considered a protective level of antibodies. This study showed that infection with pestiviruses is a common occurrence; however, antibodies produced by infection by HoBi virus were not present indicating that the HoBi virus is not present in the United States.
3. Primary cell lines from different breeds of cattle equally support growth of two bovine pestiviruses. Bovine respiratory disease complex is very common and potentially detrimental to the health of afflicted cattle. Host factors appear to play a role in susceptibility to respiratory disease as breed differences appear to have an effect on disease outcome. ARS researchers at Ames, Iowa examined the growth of bovine viral diarrhea viruses and HoBi virus in testicular cells isolated from different breeds of cattle. The growth of each virus used in the study was compared after one passage in the different testicular cells. The results of this study demonstrated that there was not a difference in growth between the different breeds of cattle but rather differences in growth was shown between different animals. This showed that other factors in the host response to infection impact disease outcome in infected animals and that individual animals can respond differently to infection.
4. Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes economic loss through reduced productivity, especially reduced milk production. Earlier studies showed this virus to be widespread, especially in dairy cattle. ARS researchers in Ames, Iowa conducted a study examining 2000 sera from all regions of the United States for the presence of antibodies against BLV. This study revealed that 38.6% of the sera tested was positive for BLV antibodies. Breaking the data down by region, 32.5% of the positive sera came from the Pacific Northwest and 54.3% were from the northeastern states. This study showed that BLV infections are widespread through the United States and there indicates a higher rate of infection in dairy cattle than in beef cattle. This study showed which cattle populations were at greater risk for infection with BLV.
Review Publications
Pecora, A., Perez-Aguirreburuald, E.S., Malacari, D.A., Zabal, O., Bauermann, F.V., Ridpath, J.F., Dus-Santos, M.J. 2016. Hobi emergent pestivirus: Its impact in animal health and importance as a contaminant in biotechnological products. Agricultural Research Journal. http://ria.inta.gov.ar/?p=8668.
Downey-Slinker, E.D., Ridpath, J.F., Sawyer, J.E., Skow, L.C., Herring, A.D. 2016. Antibody titers to vaccination are not predictive of level of protection against a BVDV type 1b challenge in Bos indicus - Bos taurus steers. Vaccine. 34:5053-5059. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.08.087.
Hause, B.M., Huntimer, L., Falkenberg, S.M., Henningson, J., Lechtenberg, K., Halbur, T. 2016. An inactivated influenza D virus vaccine partially protects cattle from respiratory disease caused by homologous challenge. Veterinary Microbiology. 199(2017):47-53.
Weber, M.N., Bauermann, F.V., Canal, C.W., Bayles, D.O., Neill, J.D., Ridpath, J.F. 2016. Temporal dynamics of ‘HoBi’-like pestivirus quasispecies in persistently infected calves generated under experimental conditions. Journal of Virology. 227(2017):23-33: doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2016.09.018.
Newcomer, B.W., Neill, J.D., Galik, P., Riddell, K.P., Zhang, Y., Passler, T., Velayudhan, B., Walz, P.H. 2017. Serologic survey for antibodies against three genotypes of bovine parainfluenza 3 virus in unvaccinated ungulates in Alabama. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 78(2):239-243.
Bauermann, F.V., Ridpath, J.F., Dargatz, D.A. 2017. Bovine leukemia virus seroprevalence among cattle presented for slaughter in the United States. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. doi: 10.1177/1040638717702183.
Bauermann, F.V., Ridpath, J.F., Dargatz, D.A. 2017. A serosurvey for ruminant pestivirus exposure conducted using cattle sera collected for brucellosis surveillance in the United States. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. 29(1):76-82. doi: 10.1177/1040638716680251.
Gomez-Romero, N., Basurto-Alcantara, F.J., Verdugo-Rodriguez, A., Bauermann, F.V., Ridpath, J.F. 2017. Genetic diversity of bovine viral diarrhea virus in cattle from Mexico. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. 29(3):362–365. doi: 10.1177/1040638717690187.
Stanton, J.B., Swanson, B., Orozco, E., Munoz-Gutierrez, J.F., Evermann, J.F., Ridpath, J.F. 2017. Immortalized sheep microglial cells are permissive to a diverse range of ruminant viruses. The Veterinary Quarterly. 37(1):52-56. doi: 10.1080/01652176.2017.1297550.
Weber, M.N., Bauermann, F.V., Romero, N.E., Herring, A.D., Canal, C.W., Neill, J.D., Ridpath, J.F. 2017. Variation in pestivirus growth in testicle primary cell culture is more dependent on the individual cell donor than cattle breed. Veterinary Research Communications. 41(1):1-7. doi: 10.1007/s11259-016-9666-5.
Casas, E., Kehrli Jr., M.E. 2016. A review of selected genes with known effects on performance and health of cattle. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 3(113). doi: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00113.
Taxis, T.M., Bauermann, F.V., Ridpath, J.F., Casas, E. 2017. Circulating microRNAs in serum from cattle challenged with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus. Frontiers in Genetics. doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2017.00091.
Ridpath, J.F., Neill, J.D., Palmer, M.V., Bauermann, F.V., Falkenberg, S.M., Wolff, P.L. 2017. Isolation and characterization of a novel cervid adenovirus from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns in a captive herd. Virus Research. 238:198-203. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2017.06.020.
Pecora, A., Perez-A, M.S., Malacari, D.A., Zabal, O., Sala, J.M., Konrad, J.L., Caspe, S.G., Bauermann, F.V., Ridpath, J.F., Dus Santos, M.J. 2017. Serological evidence of Hobi-like virus circulation in Argentinean water buffalo. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation. 1(4). doi: 10.1177/1040638717720246.
