Experimental infection of cows with newly isolated Akabane virus strain (AKAV-7) causing encephalomyelitis.
Akabane virus (AKAV), an arthropod-transmitted bunyavirus, is a major cause of congenital abnormalities and encephalomyelitis in ruminants. In 2010, there was a major outbreak of encephalomyelitis in Korea and fifteen AKAV strains, including AKAV-7, were isolated from cows. To identify the neuropathogenicity of AKAV-7, we performed experimental infection of cows. Six-month-old female Korean Holstein dairy cattle were inoculated with AKAV-7 by various routes, including intracerebral (IC), intrasubarachnoid space (IS), subcutaneous (SC) and intravenous (IV); a separate group was vaccinated before intravenous infection. Five of the six cows in the IC group and two of the six cows in the IS group showed clinical signs such as locomotor ataxia and paralysis of the hind limbs. Three of six cows died after IC infection 9-12 days post infection (dpi). Histopathologic changes such as nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis were confirmed in various parts of the central nervous system in the IC, IS and SC groups. Early onset of neutralizing antibodies in the serum and lower viral mRNA levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and various tissues in the vaccinated group was noticeable compared to the unvaccinated group (IV group). We suggest that the AKAV vaccine currently used in Korea may be partially effective for protection against AKAV-7 in cows.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Hyeyeoun
H
Lee
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Hansol
H
Jeong
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Surim
S
Park
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Myeon-Sik
MS
Yang
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Jongwon
J
Kim
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Jaehyun
J
Bae
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Yonghwan
Y
Kwon
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Min-Su
MS
Kim
National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of environment, Incheon, 22689, Korea.
Jae-Ku
JK
Oem
Division of Animal Diseases Diagnosis, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon, 39660, Korea.
Myoung-Heon
MH
Lee
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea.
Chae-Woong
CW
Lim
College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan, 54596, Korea. bskims@jbnu.ac.kr.
Bumseok
B
Kim
D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology; D002043:Bunyaviridae; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D014766:Viremia / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology
D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing