Orthobunyaviruses (genus Orthobunyavirus; family Bunyaviridae) are arthropod-borne (arbo-) viruses transmitted by mosquitoes and Culicoides biting midges. Several orthobunyaviruses, typified as Akabane and Aino viruses (AKAV and AINOV), are known to be teratogenic in ruminants, such as cattle and sheep. Since 2011, the novel orthobunyavirus, tentatively named as Schmallenberg virus (SBV), has caused large outbreaks of congenital malformations in ruminants in European countries. Recently, two newly emerged orthobunyaviruses, Sathuperi and Shamonda viruses (SATV and SHAV) were repeatedly isolated in Japan. Genetic characterisation and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of all three (S, M and L) genomic RNA segments has suggested that SBV is a reassortant with the M RNA segment from SATV and the S and L RNA segments from SHAV. We report a new RT-PCR assay for easy and rapid detection of the SHAV and SATV, which was developed with primers designed on the basis of the conserved region of the S RNA segment of orthobunyaviruses. This RT-PCR assay detected with high sensitivity, the viral RNA of five orthobunyaviruses, SATV, SHAV, AKAV, AINOV and Peaton virus, which were already confirmed in Japan. Our detection system may be useful for field surveillance and animal quarantine, and could help clarify the reality of epidemics of congenital malformation caused by the orthobunyaviruses.
(Subtropical Disease Research Division)
References:
- Yanase T. et al. (2012) Arch. Virol. 157: 1611-1616
- Kato T. et al. (2013) Bull. Natl. Inst. Anim. Health 119: 47-52
