Benefit of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication in Cattle on Pestivirus Seroprevalence in Sheep

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and Border disease virus (BDV) are closely related pestiviruses of cattle and sheep, respectively. Both viruses may be transmitted between either species, but control programs are restricted to BVDV in cattle. In 2008, a program to eradicate bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) in cattle was started in Switzerland. As vaccination is prohibited, the cattle population is now widely naïve to pestivirus infections. In a recent study, we determined that nearly 10% of cattle are positive for antibodies to BDV. Here, we show that despite this regular transmission of BDV from small ruminants to cattle, we could only identify 25 cattle that were persistently infected with BDV during the last 12 years of the eradication program. In addition, by determining the BVDV and BDV seroprevalence in sheep in Central Switzerland before and after the start of the eradication, we provide evidence that BVDV is transmitted from cattle to sheep, and that the BVDV seroprevalence in sheep significantly decreased after its eradication in cattle. While BDV remains endemic in sheep, the population thus profited at least partially from BVD eradication in cattle. Importantly, on a national level, BVD eradication does not appear to be generally derailed by the presence of pestiviruses in sheep. However, with every single virus-positive cow, it is necessary to consider small ruminants as a potential source of infection, resulting in costly but essential investigations in the final stages of the eradication program.

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Molecular analysis of bovine viral diarrhoea virus isolates from South Africa

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v70i4.292 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 70 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

N. Kabongo ◽

C. Baule ◽

M. Van Vuuren

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Calf Serum ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Border Disease Virus ◽

Foetal Calf Serum ◽

Type I ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Border Disease ◽

Diarrhoea Virus

The presence of bovine viral diarrhoea virus in South Africa has been confirmed by several serological surveys. However, little is known about its biological properties. Twenty five isolates obtained by isolation in tissue culture and detected by means of the antigen capture ELISA from clinically sick cattle and from foetal calf serum in South Africa were characterized on the basis of analysis of the 5' non-translated (NTR) region of the genome. A reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to amplify specific sequences from the 5'NTR of the genome. The oligonucleotide primers corresponding to positions 105-125 and 399-378, respectively, in the sequence of BVDV strain NADL were used to generate the PCR products. Both strands were sequenced directly with these primers and fluorescence-labelled dideoxynucleotides in an automated nucleic acid sequencer. Reference strains of pestiviruses [(BVDV type I, BVDV type II, border disease virus (BDV) and hog cholera virus (HCV)] and isolates from a previous investigation on BVDV in southern Africa were included for comparative purposes. All the BVDV strains obtained during this study belong to subgroups of BVDV genotype I. No association could be demonstrated between the geographic origin of the isolates. A number of isolates formed another branch separate from the existing branches Ia, Ib and Ic. These findings suggest that extensive genetic diversity can be found within BVDV type I isolates from southern Africa. Isolates that group with the classical BVDV type I strains, particularly of American origin, coexist with variants that appear to represent a local genetic pool and or variants evolving from the classical strains.

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Eradication of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) in Cattle in Switzerland: Lessons Taught by the Complex Biology of the Virus

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2021.702730 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Matthias Schweizer ◽

Hanspeter Stalder ◽

Anja Haslebacher ◽

Martin Grisiger ◽

Heinzpeter Schwermer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Horizontal Transmission ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Control Programme ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Border Disease Virus ◽

Cattle Population ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Main Challenge ◽

Border Disease ◽

Diarrhoea Virus

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and related ruminant pestiviruses occur worldwide and cause considerable economic losses in livestock and severely impair animal welfare. Switzerland started a national mandatory control programme in 2008 aiming to eradicate BVD from the Swiss cattle population. The peculiar biology of pestiviruses with the birth of persistently infected (PI) animals upon in utero infection in addition to transient infection of naïve animals requires vertical and horizontal transmission to be taken into account. Initially, every animal was tested for PI within the first year, followed by testing for the presence of virus in all newborn calves for the next four years. Prevalence of calves being born PI thus diminished substantially from around 1.4% to <0.02%, which enabled broad testing for the virus to be abandoned and switching to economically more favourable serological surveillance with vaccination being prohibited. By the end of 2020, more than 99.5% of all cattle farms in Switzerland were free of BVDV but eliminating the last remaining PI animals turned out to be a tougher nut to crack. In this review, we describe the Swiss BVD eradication scheme and the hurdles that were encountered and still remain during the implementation of the programme. The main challenge is to rapidly identify the source of infection in case of a positive result during antibody surveillance, and to efficiently protect the cattle population from re-infection, particularly in light of the endemic presence of the related pestivirus border disease virus (BDV) in sheep. As a consequence of these measures, complete eradication will (hopefully) soon be achieved, and the final step will then be the continuous documentation of freedom of disease.

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Serological survey of British sheep flocks for evidence of exposure to ovine pestiviruses

Veterinary Record ◽

10.1136/vr.104977 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 183 (7) ◽

pp. 220-220 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Jennings ◽

Emily Gascoigne ◽

Alastair Macrae ◽

Elizabeth Burrough ◽

James Patrick Crilly

Keyword(s):

Great Britain ◽

Metabolic Profiling ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Border Disease Virus ◽

Serological Survey ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Sheep Flock ◽

Seropositive Animal ◽

Border Disease ◽

Diarrhoea Virus

Ovine pestiviruses have the potential to reduce productivity in the British sheep flock. However, their prevalence and impact are currently poorly understood. This study aimed to estimate the exposure to pestiviruses in adult breeding ewe stock. Blood samples collected for metabolic profiling before lambing were tested using an ELISA that detected antibodies raised to both bovine viral diarrhoea virus and Border disease virus. A group of 15 animals were tested per flock. A total of 34 farms were tested, of which 13 had at least one seropositive animal. In those positive flocks between one and nine of the animals tested antibody-positive. Positive flocks were identified in all regions of Great Britain. This work suggests that exposure to ovine pestiviruses is widespread, and that it is timely to investigate flock-level prevalence and possible production impacts of endemic infection.

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Cytopathogenicity markers in the genome of Hungarian cytopathic isolates of bovine viral diarrhoea virus

Acta Veterinaria Hungarica ◽

10.1556/avet.53.2005.1.12 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 53 (1) ◽

pp. 125-136 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Á. Bálint ◽

Claudia Baule ◽

S. Kecskeméti ◽

I. Kiss ◽

S. Belák

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Genetic Recombination ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Amino Acid Position ◽

Border Disease Virus ◽

Nucleotide Position ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Border Disease ◽

Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Genomic Regions

Since genetic recombination is a major factor in the evolution of the cytopathogenic (cp) bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) biotypes, in this study the cytopathogenicity markers were investigated in the genomes of two cp BVDV strains recently isolated from mucosal disease (MD) cases in Hungary. In the genome of strain H4956, a Jiv-like insertion was found similar to those described in reference strain NADL and in other BVDV 1, BVDV 2 and border disease virus (BDV) strains. The 133 amino acid Jiv-like sequence is inserted at nucleotide position 4984 (amino acid position 1533), 9 nucleotides upstream of that of strain NADL. The insertion showed 96% amino acid sequence identity with the cellular Jiv protein. In the genome of cp BVDV strain H115/PCR, an ubiquitin-containing duplication was found. The duplicated sequence started at nucleotide position 7978 (amino acid 2531) in the NS4B gene. The duplication contained a complete ubiquitin monomer of 76 amino acids and the complete NS3 gene starting at nucleotide position 5153 (amino acid 1589), which corresponds to the first N-terminal amino acid of NS3. The duplication was located further downstream of the known ubiquitin-containing genomic regions of cp BVDV strains, and it consisted of the shortest inserted nucleotide sequence. The insertions and duplication of strains H4956 and H115/PCR further confirmed that recombinations occurring at positions A and B are the most common mechanisms leading to the development of BVDV cytopathogenicity.

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Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora caninum and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus in smallholder dairy cattle in Kenya

East African Journal of Science, Technology and Innovation ◽

10.37425/eajsti.v3i1.391 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

John VanLeeuwen ◽

Joan Muraya ◽

George Gitau ◽

Dennis Makau ◽

Bronwyn Crane ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Dairy Cattle ◽

Neospora Caninum ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Border Disease Virus ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Border Disease ◽

Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Smallholder Dairy

Little is known of the risk factors associated with occurrence of Neospora caninum and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) infection in Kenya. This cross-sectional study hypothesized that there are significant biosecurity measures associated with N. caninum and BVDV infections on smallholder dairy farms in Kenya that could be adopted to reduce seroprevalence and impacts. From 158 randomly selected farms in Meru County, Kenya, 470 serum samples were collected from dairy cattle (over six months of age and unvaccinated for these two pathogens). Sera were analyzed for antibodies to N. caninum and antibodies and antigens to BVDV. Data on risk factors were obtained through face-to-face interviews with the farmers. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify significant risk factors associated with seropositivity for the pathogens. The apparent seroprevalence of N. caninum, BVDV antibody, BVDV antigen, and co-infection with N. caninum and BVDV antibody and/or antigen were 35.1%, 47.1%, 36.2% and 18.5%, respectively. Risk factors associated with N. caninum antibody included: introducing milking cows into the farm, lending of cattle between farms, farm dogs having access to bovine aborted fetuses, and dogs whelping in the farm compound, with an interaction between the last two variables. BVDV antigen was associated with cattle having contact with pigs, and an interaction between cattle age and whether farms introduced new calves onto farms, and cattle age and whether visiting dairy farmers have access to the cow shed. Cows had higher odds of having BVDV antibodies compared to heifers. Factors associated with co-infection included cow parity, direct contact between dairy cattle, dogs and goats, and introducing new milking cows into the farms. Antibody and antigen results may be partly a function of classical swine fever virus or border disease virus interactions. Farmer education on these biosecurity measures is recommended, along with introduction of BVDV vaccination.

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Prevalence of Antibodies to Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus and/or Border Disease Virus in Domestic Ruminants

Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series B ◽

10.1111/j.1439-0450.1998.tb00803.x ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 45 (1-10) ◽

pp. 345-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

A. Zaghawa

Keyword(s):

Disease Virus ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Border Disease Virus ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Domestic Ruminants ◽

Border Disease ◽

Diarrhoea Virus

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Viral shedders in a herd vaccinated against infection with bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) without prior testing for the presence of persistently infected animals

Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.1515/jvetres-2016-0056 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 379-384 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mirosław P. Polak ◽

Aleksandra Antos ◽

Jerzy Rola ◽

Jan F. Żmudziński

Keyword(s):

Dairy Herd ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Serological Screening ◽

Adult Cattle ◽

Persistently Infected ◽

Source Of Infection ◽

Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Antibody Titres ◽

Term Basis

Abstract Introduction: Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), caused by the bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), is one of the most important diseases of cattle worldwide. The purpose of the study was to determine the BVDV infection status in a dairy herd vaccinated against BVD. Before vaccination started in 2008, there had been no prior identification or the removal of the possible source of infection (persistently infected animals). It was expected that vaccination itself would enable the elimination of viral shedders on a long term basis. Material and Methods: Serological screening for antibodies against BVDV with determination for antibodies titres, BVDV antigen, and the presence of the viral genome with phylogenetic analysis of positive samples in the herd were performed, despite the lack of any clinical problems indicating possible presence of BVDV infection. Results: 19 individuals persistently infected with BVDV were identified among calves and heifers but not in adult cattle. All virus shedders were antibody negative and the genotype of isolated virus was BVDV-1b, indicating a single source of infection. The vaccine used in the herd was composed of BVDV-1a strain. In each of the tested cowsheds, antibody titres against BVDV-1b were higher than against BVDV-1a (median values). Conclusion: Despite a long-lasting vaccination programme and relatively high sequence homology of vaccinal and field strains of BVDV (83.6%), it was not possible to avoid transplacental infections of foetuses and the birth of persistently infected calves from vaccinated heifers although the protection against clinical disease was accomplished.

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A computer simulation of the transmission dynamics and the effects of duration of immunity and survival of persistently infected animals on the spread of bovine viral diarrhoea virus in dairy cattle

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268897007723 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 119 (1) ◽

pp. 91-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

G. INNOCENT ◽

I. MORRISON ◽

J. BROWNLIE ◽

G. GETTINBY

Keyword(s):

Computer Simulation ◽

Infected Animal ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Transmission Dynamics ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Persistently Infected ◽

Source Of Infection ◽

Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Spread Of Infection

This paper describes a computer model that mimics the spread of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infection through a closed herd. The model is able to simulate the spread of infection when a persistently infected (PI) animal is introduced into an infection-free herd, and it is used to investigate the role of persistently infected animals, seroconverting animals, loss of PI calves and duration of immunity on the level of infection within the herd. Under typical management conditions one persistently infected animal poses a real threat to a herd, and the prospect of the herd becoming infection free in a 10-year period without intervention is remote. Seroconverting animals are found to be an important source of infection in herds with few immune animals. The increased loss of PI calves is likely to restrict the numbers of PI animals in a herd, and loss of immunity is important since it increases the possibility of a PI calf being born.

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The Principles of the Voluntary Programme for the Control and Elimination of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) From Infected Herds in Slovenia

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2021.676473 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Ivan Toplak ◽

Peter Hostnik ◽

Danijela Černe ◽

Janko Mrkun ◽

Jože Starič

Keyword(s):

Preventive Measures ◽

National Level ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus ◽

Bovine Viral Diarrhoea ◽

Antibody Testing ◽

Negative Results ◽

Diarrhoea Virus ◽

The Cost ◽

Free Status ◽

Voluntary Programme

In Slovenia, the control of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infections started in 1994. Since 2014, a voluntary programme has been running according to the national rules that prescribe the conditions for recognising, acquiring, and maintaining a BVDV-free status for an individual herd. The principle is based on periodical laboratory testing and preventive measures that need to be strictly implemented in a herd. Between 2014 and 2020, a total of 348 herds were included in BVDV antibody testing, and 25.0% of tested herds were detected to be BVDV antibody positive. To recognise the BVDV-free status of the herd, the breeder should provide two consecutive tests with intervals of at least 6 months in all animals in the age from 7 to 13 months, with negative results for BVDV antibodies in ELISA. The BVDV-free status of the herd can be maintained by implementing preventive measures and can be renewed each year with one laboratory test in the age group of animals from 7 to 13 months for antibodies in ELISA. During the 7 years of the voluntary programme, 236 herds were included in the detection of BVDV in individual herds by real-time RT-PCR method and the elimination of positive animals from herds. In 71 (31.3%) herds, at least one BVDV-positive animal was detected, with the identification of a total of 267 persistently infected (PI) animals, representing an average of 2.9% of tested animals. The cost of testing for an average herd, recognised as BVDV-negative, and maintaining its BVDV-free status within the implemented voluntary programme, was €97.64/year, while for the average positive herd, the laboratory costs for elimination of BVDV were €189.59/year. Only limited progress towards eradication at the national level has been achieved in Slovenia since 2014.

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