Location: Foreign Arthropod Borne Animal Disease Research
Project Number: 3022-32000-025-037-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2026
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
The Long-term goal of this project is determine the role of various livestock species in the arbovirus transmission cycle. This Agreement has 3 primary objectives:
1) Examine the pathogenesis of goats to Rift Valley fever virus (RVfV).
2) Examine the role of sheep in the transmission cycle of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV).
3) Characterize JEV infection of pregnant Sows/Gilts.
Approach:
For Objectives 1 and 2: The ARS and KSU collaborative team will examine arbovirus (JEV and RVFV) infection in targeted livestock species. The natural progressions of the disease will be examined following infection via needle inoculation or the more natural route of infection by feeding infected mosquitoes on the animals. Over the course of the study, the animals will be observed, and samples will be collected to characterize the disease pathophysiology and host response. In addition, lactating goats will be used to examine if RVFV can be transmitted through milk (Objective 1). For objective 2, sheep will be infected with 2 different genotypes of JEV to examine the genotype effects on the viral pathogenesis. For Objective 3: Pregnant sows/gilts will be obtained and infected at various points of gestation. The timing and susceptibility for the development of reproductive disease during pregnancy will be examined. Samples will be collected over time to characterize pathobiology, disease progression and host response of the pregnant sows. The fetuses will be examined using various parameters to determine fetal development and infection status.