title: Genetic characterization of ovine herpesvirus 2 strains involved in water buffaloes malignant catarrhal fever outbreaks in Southern Italy.
abstract: Ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) was responsible for two outbreaks of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) on two water buffalo farms in Southern Italy. In this study, the presence of this virus in the nasal swabs from sick animals as well as in the organs of dead buffaloes was ascertained by a Real-time PCR assay. Positive samples also underwent a relative quantitative analysis of the viral DNA in them. All the dead animals had the highest relative viral quantities, while buffaloes recovering from the virus had intermediate quantities, and asymptomatic OvHV-2-positive sheep had the lowest relative quantities (as compared with the calibrator). The strains involved in the MCF outbreaks underwent genetic characterization by sequencing segments of their ORF50, ORF75 and Ov9.5 genes. The results showed that the outbreaks were caused by two specific genetic variants of OvHV-2, and that these variants exhibit nucleotide differences at the loci analysed. Sheep living in the surrounding farms, as well as sheep kept with buffaloes, were also investigated as possible transmitters of the virus. In this regard, local strategies for the control of MCF should consider separating reservoir species from susceptible animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Via Salute, 2, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy. Electronic address: mamoroso@izsmportici.it.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Amoroso
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Via Salute, 2, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galiero
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Health, Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Southern Italy, Via Salute, 2, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy. Electronic address: giovanna.fusco@cert.izsmportici.it.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fusco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008304:Malignant Catarrh / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D058889:Molecular Typing; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000821:virology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: Malignant catarrhal fever; Real-time PCR; Relative quantitation; Water buffalo