Abortions, stillbirths, premature births, and congenital abnormalities in cattle caused by arthropod-borne viruses such as Akabane and Aino (Bunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus) have been recognised as major problems in the production of beef and dairy cattle, particularly in southwestern Japan. In addition to these well-known viruses, the Peaton virus from the same genus is apparently involved in teratogenesis in cattle. Molecular detection of these teratogenic orthobunyaviruses has been performed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with primers based on the serogroup-specific gene S RNA segment. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of PCR fragments is necessary to identify the species of these orthobunyaviruses. Therefore, a single-tube multiplex RT-PCR assay was developed for their rapid detection and identification. Three primer sets were newly designed through analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the M RNA segment, which encodes a species-specific neutralizing antigen of the field strains of Akabane, Aino, and Peaton viruses isolated from 1959 through the present. Multiplex RT-PCR can readily identify viruses by discriminating the size of their amplified gene products. This method may facilitate the molecular diagnosis of these diseases and surveillance of orthobunyaviruses in the field.
(Subtropical Disease Research Division)
References:
Yamakawa M. (2012) Anim. Hyg. Wkly. 3189:47-48
