Diversity of viruses detected by deep sequencing in pigs from a common background.
Although advances in nucleic acid sequencing have enabled the discovery of many infectious agents, challenges remain for scientists and veterinary diagnosticians trying to design animal studies with a minimum of variables and to interpret laboratory results. To evaluate pyrosequencing technology as a potential screening method to estimate the virome in pigs, fecal samples were collected from 4 pigs out of a group of 175 that had been raised together since birth. A number of viruses were detected, demonstrating the application of this technology to determine the background "noise" in the pigs. However, pyrosequencing also demonstrated the diversity of viruses within a group of animals and how that can confound experimental design and obscure a definitive diagnosis.
Virus and Prion, Research Units, National Animal Disease Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, IA, USA.
Kelly M
KM
Lager
Terry F
TF
Ng
Darrell O
DO
Bayles
David P
DP
Alt
Eric L
EL
Delwart
Andrew K
AK
Cheung
D000818:Animals; D014644:Genetic Variation; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics*