title: Discovery of a novel Torque teno sus virus species: genetic characterization, epidemiological assessment and disease association.
abstract: The study describes a novel Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV) species, provisionally named Torque teno sus virus k2b (TTSuVk2b), originally found in commercial pig sera by applying the rolling-circle amplification technique. Full-length sequences of TTSuVk2b were obtained, annotated and used in the phylogenetic analyses, which revealed that TTSuVk2b is a novel Anellovirus species within the genus Kappatorquevirus of the family Anelloviridae. Quantitative PCR techniques were developed to determine total TTSuV DNA quantities as well as the prevalence and viral DNA quantities of TTSuV1, TTSuVk2a and TTSuVk2b. The mean total TTSuV load in seven commercial sera was determined at 6.3 log(10) DNA copies ml(-1) of serum, with TTSuVk2b loads being the lowest at 4.5 log(10) DNA copies ml(-1) of serum. Subsequently, prevalence and loads of TTSuVs were determined in pig sera from 17 countries. TTSuVk2b prevalence ranged from 0 to 100 % with viral loads from 3.3 to 4.6 log(10) copies ml(-1) of sera. TTSuVk2a, so far the only species in the genus Kappatorquevirus, has been linked to an economically important swine disease, namely post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). Considering the grouping of TTSuVk2b in the same genus as TTSuVk2a, TTSuVk2b prevalence and viral DNA load were determined in PMWS-affected animals and healthy counterparts. This revealed that TTSuVk2a and TTSuVk2b are not only genetically related, but also that their viral loads in serum are elevated in PMWS animals compared with those of healthy pen mates. In summary, the present work describes a novel TTSuV species including its genetic characterization, epidemiological assessment and potential disease association.
authors.affiliation: MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, P.O. Box 31, 5830 AA Boxmeer, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cornelissen-Keijsers
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Spain.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Melsió
authors.affiliation: MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, P.O. Box 31, 5830 AA Boxmeer, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Denny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sonnemans
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Spain.
authors.forename: Martí
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cortey
authors.affiliation: Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Spain.|Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Spain.
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Segalés
authors.affiliation: MSD Animal Health, Wim de Körverstraat 35, P.O. Box 31, 5830 AA Boxmeer, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van den Born
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB-IRTA, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Spain.
authors.forename: Tuija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kekarainen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D053570:Porcine Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D013045:Species Specificity; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000821:virology*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D022783:Torque teno virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D019562:Viral Load / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral