[Heterogeneity of ruminant pestiviruses: academic interest or important basis for the development of vaccines and diagnostics?].
Pestiviruses cause economically important diseases of farm animals. Members of the Pestiviruses are bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 (BVDV-1), BVDV-2, classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and border disease virus (BDV). Phylogenetic analyses based on the entire nucleic acid sequence encoding the Npro allow a statistically significant segregation of established species and of subgroups within the species. BVDV-1 strains isolated in Germany can be associated with at least five different subgroups. In contrast all BVDV-2 isolates detected in Germany so far are closely related, belonging to one subgroup. A group of virus isolates from sheep and zoo animals is clearly different from established pestivirus species and can be designated as BDV-2. Antigenetic relatedness of pestiviruses was studied using defined virus isolates and antisera in cross-neutralization assays. Six antigenic groups were distinguished corresponding to the genetic clusters BVDV-1, BVDV-2, CSFV, BDV-1, BDV-2 and Giraffe-1. A significant antigenic difference was also observed between members of subgroups 1a and 1b of BVDV-1. Studies on the genetic and antigenic heterogeneity of pestiviruses are important for the development of new vaccines, diagnostic tests and for eradication programs.
König
Matthias
M
Institut für Virologie (FB10), Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 107, 35392 Giessen.
Cedillo Rosales
Sibilina
S
Becher
Paul
P
Thiel
Heinz-Jürgen
HJ
D000818:Animals; D010576:Pestivirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018182:Pestivirus Infections / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012418:Ruminants; D014765:Viral Vaccines
D014765:Viral Vaccines