Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Veterinary virology'

En el primer estudi de la present tesi, es van estudiar brots de malaltia respiratòria compatible amb virus de la influença de tipus A (IAV) així com granges que no mostraven simptomatologia clínica. Per a l'estudi dels brots, es van recollir mostres de hisops nasals d'animals amb signes respiratoris i febre (≥40 ° C), mentre que a les granges sense simptomatologia clínica, es van recollir hisops nasals de garrins de maternitat, transició i porcs d'engreix (20 per grup). Es va estudiar un total de 211 brots i 19 granges aparentment subclíniques. La presència i llinatge es van determinar per RT-qPCR, i es va fer l'aïllament de mostres seleccionades usant cèl·lules MDCK. Els aïllats van ser seqüenciats (genoma complet) mitjançant la tecnologia Illumina Miseq. Es va confirmar la presència de IAV en 145 casos de brots (68.7%), i en 15 granges aparentment subclíniques (78.9%). Els llinatges majorment detectats van ser H1avN2hu (33.6%), H1avN1av (24.3%) i H1huN2hu (18.7%). Es va obtenir un total de 60 aïllats, i els seus genomes van ser completament seqüenciats. Els genotips majoritàriament detectats van ser el tipus D i l'A, que es corresponen als llinatges H1avN2hu i H1avN1av, respectivament. Es van detectar un total de 14 genotips diferents, dels quals, 7 d'ells no havien estat prèviament reportados.En el segon estudi de la present tesi, es va estudiar la dinàmica de transmissió de IAV en les transicions d'una granja endèmica abans i després de l'aplicació de diferents esquemes de vacunació a les truges. Es van realitzar un total de tres estudis longitudinals: abans de la vacunació, després de la vacunació amb una vacuna comercial polivalent inactivada H1N1-H1N2-H3N2 i després de la vacunació amb una vacuna comercial monovalent pandèmica H1N1. Es van recollir mostres setmanals de hisops nasals dels garrins des de les 3-9 setmanes de vida, i mostres de sang a les 3, 6 i 9 setmanes de vida. En el primer longitudinal abans de la vacunació, es va avaluar la circulació vírica basal en 50 garrins de 4 lots consecutius. En el segon longitudinal, es va realitzar vacunació en llençol de truges usant la vacuna comercial polivalent (grup control) i la meitat d'aquestes van ser revacunades 3 setmanes abans de el part (grup tractament). Es va seleccionar un grup aleatori de 10 truges de cada grup i es va fer el seguiment setmanal de 5 garrins per truja. L'estudi va ser repetit en 4 lots consecutius. En el tercer estudi longitudinal, el procediment va ser el mateix que en l'anterior, però fent servir la vacuna inactivada pandèmica H1N1. Hisops nasals van ser examinats per RT-qPCR i els sèrums van ser analitzats utilitzant un ELISA comercial (CIVTEST ©-Suis Influenza). En el segon longitudinal després de l'aplicació de la primera vacuna, l'inici de la infecció es va retardar en dues setmanes, però no es van observar diferències significatives entre els dos grups; i en el tercer, l'inici de la infecció es va moure cap a l'esquerra en tots els grups, sense diferències significatives entre ells. En els tres estudis, es van detectar animals que excretaron virus en dos o fins a en tres mostrejos consecutius, així com alguns casos de re-infeccions. El llinatge present a la granja durant els dos primers estudis longitudinals es correspon a un H1avN1av. No obstant això, durant el tercer estudi, es va detectar circulant en tots els grups d'animals 1 H3huN2hu que portava un nou llinatge H3 humà derivat d'un virus de la grip estacional humana.
En el primer estudio de la presente tesis, se estudiaron brotes de enfermedad respiratoria compatible con virus de la influenza de tipo A (IAV) así como granjas que no mostraban sintomatología clínica. Para el estudio de los brotes, se recogieron muestras de hisopos nasales de animales con signos respiratorios y fiebre (≥40°C), mientras que en las granjas sin sintomatología clínica, se recogieron hisopos nasales de lechones de maternidad, transición y cerdos de engorde (20 por grupo). Se estudió un total de 211 brotes y 19 granjas aparentemente subclínicas. La presencia y linaje se determinaron por RT-qPCR, y se hizo el aislamiento de muestras seleccionadas usando células MDCK. Los aislados fueron secuenciados (genoma completo) mediante la tecnología Illumina Miseq. Se confirmó la presencia de IAV en 145 casos de brotes (68.7%), y en 15 granjas aparentemente subclínicas (78.9%). Los linajes mayormente detectados fueron H1avN2hu (33.6%), H1avN1av (24.3%) y H1huN2hu (18.7%). Se obtuvo un total de 60 aislados, y sus genomas fueron completamente secuenciados. Los genotipos mayoritariamente detectados fueron el tipo D y el A, que se corresponden a los linajes H1avN2hu y H1avN1av, respectivamente. Se detectaron un total de 14 genotipos diferentes, de los cuales, 7 de ellos no habían sido previamente reportados.En el segundo estudio de la presente tesis, se estudió la dinámica de transmisión de IAV en las transiciones de una granja endémica antes y después de la aplicación de diferentes esquemas de vacunación en las cerdas. Se realizaron un total de tres estudios longitudinales: antes de la vacunación, después de la vacunación con una vacuna comercial polivalente inactivada H1N1-H1N2-H3N2 y después de la vacunación con una vacuna comercial monovalente pandémica H1N1. Se recogieron muestras semanales de hisopos nasales de los lechones desde las 3-9 semanas de vida, y muestras de sangre a las 3, 6 y 9 semanas de vida. En el primer longitudinal antes de la vacunación, se evaluó la circulación vírica basal en 50 lechones de 4 lotes consecutivos. En el segundo longitudinal, se realizó vacunación en sábana de cerdas usando la vacuna comercial polivalente (grupo control) y la mitad de estas fueron revacunadas 3 semanas antes del parto (grupo tratamiento). Se seleccionó un grupo aleatorio de 10 cerdas de cada grupo y se hizo el seguimiento semanal de 5 lechones por cerda. El estudio fue repetido en 4 lotes consecutivos. En el tercer estudio longitudinal, el procedimiento fue el mismo que en el anterior, pero usando la vacuna inactivada pandémica H1N1. Hisopos nasales fueron examinados por RT-qPCR y los sueros fueron analizados usando un ELISA comercial (Civtest-Suis Influenza). En el segundo longitudinal después de la aplicación de la primera vacuna, el inicio de la infección se retrasó en dos semanas, pero no se observaron diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos; y en el tercero, el inicio de la infección se movió hacia la izquierda en todos los grupos, sin diferencias significativas entre ellos. En los tres estudios, se detectaron animales que excretaron virus en dos o hasta en tres muestreos consecutivos, así como algunos casos de re-infecciones. El linaje presente en la granja durante los dos primeros estudios longitudinales se corresponde a un H1avN1av. Sin embargo, durante el tercer estudio, se detectó circulando en todos los grupos de animales un H3huN2hu que llevaba un nuevo linaje de H3 humano derivado de un virus de la gripe estacional humana.
In the first study of the present thesis, we investigated outbreaks of respiratory disease (n=211) compatible with influenza A virus (IAV) as well as farms without overt respiratory disease (n=19) for the presence of IAV. In the outbreak investigations, nasal swabs were taken from animals with respiratory signs and fever (≥40°C) while in the farms with no evident respiratory disease, nasal swabs were randomly taken from suckling piglets, weaners and fatteners (20 animals per phase). Presence of IAV and lineage determination were assessed by RT-qPCR and isolation was attempted in selected samples using MDCK cells. Isolates were sequenced (full genome) by using Illumina Miseq technology. IAV participation was confirmed in 145 (68.7%) of the outbreaks, and in 15 (78.9%) of the farms without overt disease. The most commonly detected lineages were H1avN2hu (33.6%), H1avN1av (24.3%) and H1huN2hu (18.7%). Sixty IAV isolates were obtained and the genomes were fully sequenced. Genotypes D and A, H1avN2hu and H1avN1av, respectively, were predominant but up to 14 genotypes were identified, of which seven had not been previously reported. Four isolates containing a new H3hu lineage derived from a human seasonal virus were detected, and isolates containing genes from the pandemic virus represented a 31.7 % of the total. In the second study of the present thesis, the transmission dynamics of IAV in the nurseries from an endemic farm were assessed before and after the application of different vaccination schemes for sows. Three follow-up periods were examined: before vaccination, after vaccination with a commercial inactivated polyvalent H1N1-H1N2-H3N2 and after vaccination with a monovalent pandemic H1N1. Nasal swabs of piglets were taken weekly from 3-9 weeks of age and blood samples were taken at three, six and nine weeks of age. In the first follow-up before vaccination, the basal IAV circulation was assessed by sampling 50 piglets in 4 batches. In the second longitudinal study, sows were blanket vaccinated with the polyvalent vaccine (control group) and half of them received an extra dose 3 weeks pre-farrowing (treatment group). A random cohort of 10 sows in each group was selected and 5 piglets per sow were weekly followed. The trial was replicated in 4 consecutive batches. In the third follow-up period, the procedure was the same as in the second, but using a pandemic H1N1 inactivated vaccine. Nasal swabs were examined by RT-qPCR and serum samples were analysed using a commercial ELISA (Civtest-Suis Influenza). Incidences and beta values per week and pen were calculated after the RT-qPCR results. Before applying any vaccination scheme, the patterns of incidence were diverse in the examined pens but often viral circulation was detected as early as 4 weeks of age. At three weeks of age, most of the analysed animals were positive with high S/P ratios. In the second follow-up period after the application of the first vaccination scheme, the onset of infection was delayed by two weeks but there were no other significant differences between both groups, and in the third, the onset of infection shifted to the left for all groups, without significant differences among them. In all of the three studies, animals that shed virus in two and even three consecutive sampling times were detected, as well as some cases of re-infection. Interestingly, an H1avN1av virus was initially detected in the farm, but during the third study, a H3huN2hu was found circulating in the batches, carrying a new H3 human-like derived from human seasonal virus.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Programa de Doctorat en Medicina i Sanitat Animals

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O estudo objetivou identificar efeitos do tratamento com ribavirina, prednisona e DMSO na cinomose; identificar a presença viral no sangue, medula óssea e líquor antes e após o tratamento, os efeitos colaterais dos fármacos experimentais e associações. Foram utilizados 60 cães apresentando sinais neurológicos da cinomose com evolução de dez dias. Animais foram internados para tratamento de suporte; avaliados diariamente e submetidos ao hemograma e dosagens bioquímicas. Os grupos 1 e 2 foram tratados com ribavirina associada ao DMSO; os grupos 3 e 4 foram tratados com DMSO e prednisona e os grupos 5 e 6 foram tratados com ribavirina e prednisona, ribavirina, prednisona e DMSO. Os animais foram anestesiados e colhidos líquor, medula óssea e sangue, antes e após o tratamento e realizada a RTPCR das amostras; as negativas foram analisadas pela técnica de hn-PCR. O vírus foi encontrado em 95% das amostras de sangue, 90% de medula óssea e 53,3% de líquor pré-tratamento. O efeito adverso da ribavirina quando associada com a prednisona foi anemia. A prednisona na dose imunossupressora causou aumento da dosagem de proteína e diminuição da celularidade liquórica, leucocitose. Já a dose antinflamatória causou diminuição de proteína no líquor. Baseado nos índices de sobrevida e melhora clínica, o tratamento mais efetivo foi o G2 (80%); seguido do G1, G5 e G3 (70%); o G6 (60%); o G4 com o pior índice (30%). Pós-tratamento, a frequência viral foi 97,7% no sangue, 86,4% na medula óssea e 27,3% no líquor
The present study aims at the identification of ribavirin, prednisone and DMSO’s treatment effects in dogs with canine distemper, at the identification of the viral presence in the blood, bone marrow and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) before and after the treatment and also at the identification of side effects of the experimental drugs and its combinations. Sixty dogs presenting canine distemper with neurological signs about ten days evolution were observed. The animals were hospitalized for the support treatment, assessed on daily basis and subjected to blood cells count and biochemical analysis. Groups 1 and 2 were treated with ribavirin and its combination with DMSO; Groups 3 and 4 treated with prednisone and DMSO, Group 5 treated with ribavirin and prednisone, while Group 6 with ribavirin, prednisone and DMSO. The animals were anesthetized for the cerebrospinal fluid, bone marrow and blood samples collection before and after the treatment, then the RT-PCR of the samples was proceeded. The negative were analysed according to the hn-PCR technique. The canine distemper virus were found in 95% of blood samples, 90% of bone marrow and 53,3% of CSF before the treatment. The adverse effect of ribavirin and its association with prednisone was anemia. Prednisone, at its immunosuppressive dose, led to the increase of protein and decrease of cellularity in CSF, and increase of leukocytes blood count. The antiinflammatory dose led to the CSF protein concentration’s decrease. Considering the survival and clinical improvement rates, the most successful treatment was the one applied to the G2 (80%); followed by G1 (70%); G5 (70%) and G3 (70%); G6 (60%); and the lowest rate G4 (30%). After the treatment, the virus frequency was 97,7% in the blood, 86,4% in the bone marrow and 27,3% in the CSF

O Vírus da influenza, apesar de todas as epidemias e pandemias referirem-se a infecções em seres humanos, não está restrita a espécie humana e é capaz de causar debilidade ou mortalidade em várias outras espécies, incluindo cavalos, suínos, mamíferos marinhos e aves, entre outros. Estudos ecológicos das viroses de influenza conduziram a hipótese que todas as que acometem mamíferos derivam de reservatórios destes vírus em aves. Mesmo com programas de monitoramento contínuo de aves silvestres em alguns países do mundo que possuem casos originados pelos vírus aviário H5N1, pouco foi feito na Antártica e por isso, o presente trabalho foi realizado nas estações de verão antártico de 2006, 2007 e 2008 em duas localidades no território Antártico, a Península Keller, localizada na Ilha Rei George e na ilha Elefante 61°08S, 55°07W, a primeira onde está situada a Estação Antártica Comandante Ferraz-EACF e a segunda onde está localizada uma base de apoio a estudos avançados. Para este estudo foi realizada a coleta de 283 amostras de quatro diferentes espécies de pinguins: Pygoscelis adeliae; P. papua; P. antarctica; Aptenodytes patagonicus. Para o diagnóstico das amostras colhidas, foi aplicada a detecção direta dos produtos amplificados pelo método de RT-PCR em gel de agarose confirmados pelo método de Real-Time PCR (Applied Biosystems) e pelo RT-PCR-GeneScan no laboratório de Virologia Clínica e Molecular, do Departamento de Microbiologia, da Universidade de São Paulo. Os resultados obtidos em nosso estudo foram 8 amostras positivas em pinguins para o vírus Influenza A. As amostras positivas por RT-PCR foram encaminhadas para o laboratório de Influenza do Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children\'s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA, para isolamento em ovos embrionados, não havendo crescimento de vírus da influenza A. Quatro destas amostras positivas puderam ser sequenciadas e comparadas com sequências de Influenza A depositadas no Genbank apresentando uma identidade de 96,8 % a 100 % entre elas e o controle tendo este último uma identidade de 100% com as do banco de dados, confirmando a presença do vírus nestas aves.
Epidemics and pandemics of influenza usually refer to infections in human beings. The influenza virus is not, however, restricted to humans and can cause infirmity and death in other species including horses, swine, marine mammals, birds, and others. Ecological studies of viral infections have led to the hypothesis that the influenza viruses that attack mammals have their origin in the accumulation of these viruses in birds (avian flu). In some countries with influenza cases caused by the avian H5N1 virus, there was monitoring of wild birds but little had been done in Antarctica. The present work was therefore carried out during the Antarctic summer seasons of 2006, 2007, and 2008 in two Antarctic locations: The Commander Ferraz Antarctic Station, on the Keller Peninsula of King George Island, and at the Base of Advanced Studies located on Elephant Island (61°08S, 55°07W). Two hundred eighty-three (283) samples from four different penguin species Pygoscelis adeliae, Pygoscelis papua, Pygoscelis antarctica; and Aptenodytes patagonicus were collected for this study. Diagnoses of the samples were performed not only by application of direct detection and amplification according to the RT-PCR method in agar-gel, but also by Real-Time PCR (Applied Biosystems), and by RT-PCR gene scan at the Laboratory of Clinical and Molecular Virology of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Sao Paulo. Eight of the penguin samples tested positive for the Influenza-A virus. The positive samples, as determined by RT-PCR, were sent to the Influenza Laboratory of the Department of Infectious Diseases of the St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, to be isolated in egg embryos where no further growth of the Influenza-A virus took place. Four of these positive samples could be sequenced and compared with those of Influenza-A on deposit at the Gene Bank and ranged from 96.85 to 100% when compared with the control samples (100% positive), thus confirming the presence of the virus in the tested birds.

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Nesse estudo, um isolado de campo do vírus da bronquite infecciosa (VBI) no Brasil (IBVPR-12), previamente classificado como um genótipo variante, foi caracterizado de forma comparativa com a estirpe M41 do VBI, sendo levantadas as características de patogenicidade em diferentes órgãos como a traqueia, o pulmão, os rins, as gônadas e as tonsilas cecais (patotipo) e a imunidade cruzada com relação à estirpe vacinal H120 do VBI (protectotipo), incluindo as respostas imunes humorais sistêmicas e locais induzidas. Para tanto, foram utilizados grupos experimentais de galinhas “specific pathogen free” (SPF) previamente vacinadas ou não com a estirpe H120 do VBI e depois desafiados com essa variante viral, ou com a estirpe M41. Para essas duas estirpes virais foram avaliadas a capacidade de replicação e as lesões produzidas em diferentes órgãos, a atividade inibidora do movimento ciliar no epitélio traqueal e as respostas imunes humorais desenvolvidas no soro sanguíneo e na secreção lacrimal dessas aves. Foram observadas diferenças marcantes na patogenicidade e no tropismo tecidual desses vírus, sendo que a estirpe M41 apresentou replicação mais intensa e lesões mais pronunciadas no trato respiratório, especialmente na traqueia, enquanto que a estirpe variante foi encontrada de forma mais distribuída em vários dos órgãos analisados, tendo-se replicado e provocado menos lesões na traqueia, mas alcançando maior replicação e tendo causado lesões mais severas nos rins e nos testículos. Nas regiões teciduais mais afetadas por lesões, a presença do VBI foi detectada por marcação específica com anticorpos policlonais contra a nucleoproteína do VBI pela técnica de imuno-histoquímica. As aves vacinadas com a estirpe H120 do VBI, revelaram proteção parcial contra a estirpe variante em órgãos como traqueia e...
In this study a Brazilian field isolate of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), previously classified as variant genotype, was characterized comparatively with the M41 strain of IBV, by evaluating the pathogenicity in different organs (trachea, lung, kidney, gonads and caecal tonsil) and the cross-immunity with H120 vaccine strain, including the systemic and local humoral immune responses. Experimental groups of specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were vaccinated or not with H120 strain of IBV and challenged with this variant isolate. The viral replication and histopathology in different tissues and organs, the ability to inhibit ciliar movement of tracheal epithelial cells, and local and systemic humoral immune responses were evaluated in these chickens. The pathogenicity and tissue tropism of these IBV strains showed marked differences, and while the M41 strain damaged more the respiratory tract, specially the trachea, the variant isolated has a wide tissue distribution, showing less replication and lesions in the trachea, but affecting more severely the kidney and the testicles. In the most affected tissue regions, the presence of IBV was detected by immunohistochemistry technique, using an anti-nucleoprotein polyclonal antibodies. The H120 vaccine induced against this variant isolate a partial protection with regard to the infection of trachea and kidney and no cross-protection to the infection of testicles. In conclusion, a new pathotype and a new protectotype of a variant genotype of a Brazilian IBV isolate were characterized in this study with regard to Massachusetts genotype and serotype strains of IBV, indicating the importance for... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Avian influenza viruses are considered to be key contributors to the emergence of human influenza pandemics. While aquatic birds and ducks are the major reservoir for influenza viruses, they are typically resistant to the effects of viral infection, in contrast to the frequently severe disease observed in chickens. In order to understand whether differences in receptors might contribute to this observation, anatomical distribution of influenza virus receptors (sialic acid SAα2,3-Gal and SA α2,6-Gal) in key organs of both species was studied using lectin histochemistry with linkage specific lectins, and receptor binding assays with swine H1N1 (classical A/sw/Iowa/15/30) and avian H2N3 (A/mallard duck/England/7277/06) influenza viruses. Widespread presence of both SAα 2,6-Gal and SAα2,3-Gal receptors were found in all major organs examined in both chickens and ducks. Interestingly, the predominant receptor type in chicken tracheal epithelium (TE) was SAα2,6-Gal whereas SAα2,3-Gal receptors were most abundant in duck TE. Paradoxically, infection of primary cell cultures (duck and chicken lung cells and embryo fibroblasts) with the swine H1N1, the low pathogenicity avian H2N3, and a highly pathogenic H5N1 (A/turkey/England/50-92/91) virus resulted in more extensive and rapid cell death in duck cells than in chicken cells. Infected duck cells displayed morphological features of apoptosis, increased DNA fragmentation and activation of caspase-3/7. Infected duck cells produced comparable levels of viral RNA but less infectious virus than infected chicken cells. Notably, such rapid cell death was not observed in duck cells infected with a contemporary Eurasian lineage H5N1 virus (A/turkey/Turkey/1/05) which has been shown to be fatal to ducks. Gene expression profiling of infected chicken and duck cells, 24hrs post-infection, with a chicken Affymetrix microarray platform revealed differential transcription of many genes between the two avian species. In particular, the array results suggested a possible role of BCoR, HSPA-9, STAT-3, AVEN, BCLAF1, IL-18, IFN-α, and TNF-α genes in mediating the contrasting species phenotypic response to influenza infections. In summary, rapid cell death in duck cells, mediated at least in part by apoptosis, results in reduced infective virus production and may well be an important protective host response of resistant ducks. By contrast, longer surviving infected chicken cells produce much higher infective virus load along with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines which could account for the susceptibility of chickens to influenza infections.

Influenza A viruses (IAVs) are common infections of certain avian reservoir species, and they periodically transfer to mammalian hosts. These cross-species jumps are usually associated with sporadic outbreaks, and on rare occasions lead to the establishment of a lineage in the new host species. The immune pressure exerted by the new host on the emergent virus forces it to evolve and adopt strategies to evade immunity in order to survive in nature. Understanding the biological mechanisms that allow successful inter-species transmission and adaptation to mammals is crucial to develop the theoretical tools required to predict and/or control emergence of new viruses in humans and animals. H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) represents an interesting model to study the dynamic of within-host variation of an avian-origin IAV. Indeed, this virus has emerged from birds in 1963 and has circulated in horse populations for more than fifty years despite the availability of vaccines. Evidence of evolution of EIV virulence factor non-structural protein 1 (NS1) also exists. NS1 is the main viral antagonist of the host interferon (IFN) response, and it relies on different strategies for overcoming these responses, which varies depending on the viral strain. While some NS1 proteins effectively block the induction of IFN and IFN stimulated genes (ISGs), others block general gene expression at a post-transcriptional level, and therefore reduce the synthesis of IFN and ISGs indirectly. Importantly, little is known about the contribution of these NS1 functions to EIV infection phenotype and adaptation to horses. In this work, we characterised NS1 proteins spanning the entire EIV lineage and showed that NS1s from different time periods after EIV emergence counteract the IFN response using different and mutually exclusive mechanisms. While EIVs circulating in the early 1960s blocked general gene expression by a NS1-mediated blockade of the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 30 (CPSF30), NS1s from contemporary EIVs specifically inhibit the induction of ISGs by interfering with the JAK/STAT pathway. These contrasting anti-IFN strategies are associated with two mutations that appeared sequentially during EIV evolution, E186K substitution and C-terminal truncation. These changes in NS1 allowed contemporary EIVs to replicate in the presence of high levels of IFN. The results shown here with EIV indicate that the interplay between virus evolution and immune evasion plays a key role in IAV mammalian adaptation.

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O mamastrovirus 5 (MAstV5) é classificado no gênero Mamastrovirus da família Astroviridae, sendo associado com surtos agudos de gastroenterite transitória em filhotes de cães ao redor do mundo. O objetivo desta dissertação foi detectar e analisar a variabilidade genética dos MAstV5 circulantes em cães no Brasil. Para isto, amostras de suabe retal foram coletadas de 269 cães de diferentes regiões do Brasil no período de 2008-2014, dos quais 26,39% foram positivos para MAstV5 através de RT-PCR convencional e de RT-Hemi-nested PCR, amplificando porção conservada do gene do capsídeo e do gene da polimerase, respectivamente. Quatro destas cepas tiveram seu genoma parcialmente sequenciado, caracterizado e analisado filogeneticamente. A caracterização dessas amostras revelou uma notável heterogeneidade genética entre as cepas de MAstV5. A baixa identidade entre as sequências do gene do capsídeo (<85%) indicaria uma possível nova classificação entre a espécie MAstV5 em dois genótipos. Conclue-se que o MAstV5 ocorre em cães no Brasil e as cepas circulantes possuem uma grande diversidade genética.
The Mamastrovirus 5 (MAstV5) is classified in the genus Mamastrovirus of the Astroviridae family, being associated with acute episodes of transient gastroenteritis in puppies around the world. The aim of this work was to detect and analyze the genetic variability of circulating MAstV5 in dogs in Brazil. For this, rectal swab samples were collected from 269 dogs from different regions of Brazil in the 2008-2014 period, of which 26.39% were positive for MAstV5 by conventional RT-PCR and RT-Hemi-nested PCR, amplifying conserved portion of the capsid gene and polymerase gene, respectively. Four of these strains had its genome sequenced partially characterized and analyzed phylogenetically. The characterization of these samples revealed a remarkable genetic heterogeneity among strains of MAstV5. The low identity between the sequences of capsid gene (<85%) indicate a possible new classification between the two genotypes MAstV5 species. We conclude that the MAstV5 occurs in dogs in Brazil and circulating strains have a high genetic diversity.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a naturally occurring lentivirus of domestic cats, which shares many similarities with its human counterpart, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). FIV infects its main target cell, the CD4+ T lymphocyte, via interactions with its primary receptor CD134 (an activation marker expressed on activated CD4+ T lymphocytes), and, the chemokine receptor CXCR4. According to the different ways in which FIV isolates interact with CD134, FIV may be categorised into two groups. The first group contains strains that tend to dominate during the earlier phase of infection, such as GL8 and CPG41. These strains are characterized by their requirement for an additional interaction with the second cysteine rich domain (CRD2) of the CD134 molecule and are classified as “CRD2-dependent” strains. The second group, on the other hand, contains either laboratory-adapted isolates or isolates that emerge after several years of infection, such as PPR or the GL8 variants that emerged in cats 6 years post experimental infection and were studied in this thesis. These isolates are designated “CRD2-independent” as they can infect target cells without interacting with CRD2 of the CD134 molecule. This study provides the first evidence that FIV compartmentalisation is related to FIV-CD134 usage and the tissue availability of CD134+ target cells. In tissue compartments containing high levels of CD134+ cells such as peripheral blood and lymph nodes, CRD2-dependent viruses predominated, whereas CRD2-independent viruses predominated in compartments with fewer CD134+ cells, such as the thymus. The dynamics of CD4+CD134+ T lymphocytes at different stages of FIV infection were also described. The levels of CD4+CD134+ T lymphocytes, which were very high in the early phase, gradually decreased in the later phase of infection. The dynamics of CD4+CD134+ T lymphocyte numbers appeared to correlate with FIV tropism switching, as more CRD2-independent viruses were isolated from cats in the late phase of infection. Moreover, it was observed that pseudotypes bearing Envs of CRD2-dependent variants infected CD134+ target cells more efficiently than pseudotypes bearing Envs of CRD2-independent variants, confirming the selective advantage of CRD2-dependent variants in environments with high levels of CD134+ target cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that target cell types and numbers, as well as their dynamics, play important roles in the selection and expansion of FIV variants within the viral quasispecies. Improved understanding of the roles of target cells in FIV transmission and pathogenesis will provide important information required for the development of an improved, more successful protective FIV vaccine and will provide insight into the development of effective vaccines against other lentiviral infections such as HIV.

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is an important pathogen of domestic cats which in some cases can lead to feline AIDS. It shares many similarities with its human counterpart and is studied to understand correlates of immune-protection and mechanisms of disease progression in cats, both to improve the welfare of infected cats and as an animal model for the pathogenesis of HIV infection in humans. FIV is believed to evolve during the course of infection as a result of the error prone nature of reverse transcriptase and recombination between viral variants, but relatively little is known about this process in naturally occurring infection. Ultimately, it remains unknown why some infected cats remain healthy while others progress to AIDS rapidly. The studies reported in this thesis addressed this lack of knowledge by examining sequential blood samples obtained during the course of natural FIV infection in a population of 44 privately owned domestic cats. Employing Bayesian coalescent framework, it was demonstrated that the FIV env gene is relatively stable genetically. Although not necessary a prerequisite, this is likely to explain why many naturally infected cats can remain healthy and do not progress to AIDS. By determining the cell tropism of isolated viral variants, it was shown that sick cats were more likely to harbour viruses of the “late” phenotype than healthy animals, similar to the co-receptor switch observed during the progression of HIV infection. Intra-host diversity analyses highlighted a likely role for the leader region of the env gene in viral pathogenesis. Furthermore, recombination was demonstrated to be abundant in natural infection, indicating a requirement for the current phylogenetic classification of FIV to be revised. By assessing the strength and breadth of neutralising antibodies (NAbs), it was shown that NAbs did not appear to influence the course of natural FIV infection, arguing against a role in controlling infection and disease progression. Following an examination of samples collected from a group of privately owned Australian vaccinates, it was shown that the Fel-O-Vax FIV vaccine did not induce cross-reactive neutralising antibodies. Furthermore, in the country where commercial FIV vaccine is licenced, we identified and characterised the virus strain which was likely able to establish infection in vaccinated cat and raised concerns of vaccine’s efficacy. Overall this study broadens our understanding of natural FIV infection, and highlights that much can be learned, not from the similarities but rather by studying the differences between the feline and human lentiviruses. Such comparative studies are likely to contribute to design of highly desirable, safe and fully efficacious lentiviral vaccines.

Strong adaptive evolutionary forces shape the interactions between pathogens and their hosts and typically lead to a stable co-existence. In this process of co-evolution, mammals have developed restriction factors that limit retrovirus infectivity, replication or assembly and narrow the spectrum of potential host species. These restriction factors are either constitutively expressed, such as APOBEC3 proteins, cytidine deaminases that interfere with reverse transcription, or form part of the type I interferon-induced innate immunity, such as TRIM5, a member of the tripartite motif protein family that induces degradation of retroviral capsid, blocks reverse transcription, or tetherin (BST-2, CD317), which inhibits release of nascent viral particles from infected cells. Conversely, viruses have evolved antagonists of restriction factors or proteins that limit IFN-induced gene expression, thus evading immune surveillance. The interaction between host and viral components is delicately balanced and has a significant impact on disease outcome. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a lentivirus closely related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is a recent introduction into domestic cats and causes an immunodeficiency syndrome analogous to human AIDS. Interestingly, non-domestic cats such as lion or pumas have co-existed with lentiviruses for prolonged periods of time and FIV infections are largely benign. Although plasma viral and proviral loads are high in both domestic and non-domestic cats, in vitro studies have shown that FIV infection of non-domestic cat T lymphocytes is significantly less efficient than that of domestic cat T cells. Thus, this thesis tests the hypothesis that the differential disease outcome of FIV infections in felids is caused by differences in lentiviral restriction factor activities or their sensitivities to FIV restriction factor antagonists. Data presented in this study show for the first time that feline APOBEC3 proteins are expressed in tissues and cell types relevant for FIV infection. The APOBEC3 proteins A3H and A3CH exhibited a high antiviral activity against FIV lacking the APOBEC3 antagonist Vif in single-cycle replication assays, with no difference in activity being detected between domestic and non-domestic cat proteins. However, domestic cat A3CH was significantly more sensitive to antagonism by FIV Vif than lion or puma A3CH, which would allow efficient viral replication in domestic cat T lymphocytes and subsequently lead to T cell loss and immunodeficiency. Furthermore, this thesis provides evidence that felid tetherins can prevent FIV particle release from producer cells in single-cycle replication assays; however, stable expression of domestic and non-domestic cat tetherins in feline cell lines did not abrogate FIV replication. Indeed, syncytium formation indicative of viral cell-to-cell spread was significantly enhanced in type I interferon-treated feline cells infected with CD134-independent strains of FIV which often arise in chronic (late) stages of FIV infections in vivo. Finally, this work reports the generation of a synthetic domestic cat TRIM5α-cyclophilin A fusion protein which was highly efficient at preventing FIV pseudotype and productive infection. This novel feline restriction factor represents a potent antiviral defence agent with very low potential for toxicity and could in future be used in gene therapy approaches to treat FIV-infected cats.

There is a delicate evolutionary balance between viruses and their hosts. The host has evolved the intrinsic, innate and adaptive immunity to fight viral infections. However, viruses have acquired several counteracting measures to evade host defences. Ovine Betaretroviruses, including the exogenous and pathogenic Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) and the highly related endogenous enJSRVs are a unique model system to investigate virus-host interaction over long evolutionary periods. Sheep have co-opted some defective enJSRV loci to (i) counteract infection by exogenous viruses and likely (ii) to cope with the continuous retroviral invasion of their genome. In addition, various genes of the innate and intrinsic immunity of the host have evolved to block viral replication. The work presented in this thesis focuses on the ovine bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2 (Bst-2)/ tetherin, a recently identified cellular restriction factor with a broad antiviral activity, and its interaction with sheep Betaretroviruses. In sheep, the BST-2 gene is duplicated into two paralogs termed oBST-2A and -2B. Studies presented in this thesis show that oBST-2B possesses several biological properties distinct from the paralog oBST-2A and from all the other BST-2 orthologs. oBST-2A prevents the release of JSRV/enJSRV viral particles by ‘tethering’ them at the cell membrane similarly to what observed by human BST-2. On the other hand, oBST-2B, does not reach the cell membrane but remains within the Golgi stacks and the trans-Golgi network. Several lines of evidence obtained in this thesis suggest that oBST-2B reduces significantly Env incorporation into viral particles. Therefore, oBST-2B possesses a unique antiviral activity that complements the classical tethering restriction provided by oBST-2A.

Orientador: Antonio Carlos Paes
Banca: Marcio Garcia Ribeiro
Banca: Hélio Langoni
Banca: Christian Hirsch
Banca: Osimar de Carvalho Sanches
Resumo: O estudo objetivou identificar efeitos do tratamento com ribavirina, prednisona e DMSO na cinomose; identificar a presença viral no sangue, medula óssea e líquor antes e após o tratamento, os efeitos colaterais dos fármacos experimentais e associações. Foram utilizados 60 cães apresentando sinais neurológicos da cinomose com evolução de dez dias. Animais foram internados para tratamento de suporte; avaliados diariamente e submetidos ao hemograma e dosagens bioquímicas. Os grupos 1 e 2 foram tratados com ribavirina associada ao DMSO; os grupos 3 e 4 foram tratados com DMSO e prednisona e os grupos 5 e 6 foram tratados com ribavirina e prednisona, ribavirina, prednisona e DMSO. Os animais foram anestesiados e colhidos líquor, medula óssea e sangue, antes e após o tratamento e realizada a RTPCR das amostras; as negativas foram analisadas pela técnica de hn-PCR. O vírus foi encontrado em 95% das amostras de sangue, 90% de medula óssea e 53,3% de líquor pré-tratamento. O efeito adverso da ribavirina quando associada com a prednisona foi anemia. A prednisona na dose imunossupressora causou aumento da dosagem de proteína e diminuição da celularidade liquórica, leucocitose. Já a dose antinflamatória causou diminuição de proteína no líquor. Baseado nos índices de sobrevida e melhora clínica, o tratamento mais efetivo foi o G2 (80%); seguido do G1, G5 e G3 (70%); o G6 (60%); o G4 com o pior índice (30%). Pós-tratamento, a frequência viral foi 97,7% no sangue, 86,4% na medula óssea e 27,3% no líquor
Abstract: The present study aims at the identification of ribavirin, prednisone and DMSO's treatment effects in dogs with canine distemper, at the identification of the viral presence in the blood, bone marrow and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) before and after the treatment and also at the identification of side effects of the experimental drugs and its combinations. Sixty dogs presenting canine distemper with neurological signs about ten days evolution were observed. The animals were hospitalized for the support treatment, assessed on daily basis and subjected to blood cells count and biochemical analysis. Groups 1 and 2 were treated with ribavirin and its combination with DMSO; Groups 3 and 4 treated with prednisone and DMSO, Group 5 treated with ribavirin and prednisone, while Group 6 with ribavirin, prednisone and DMSO. The animals were anesthetized for the cerebrospinal fluid, bone marrow and blood samples collection before and after the treatment, then the RT-PCR of the samples was proceeded. The negative were analysed according to the hn-PCR technique. The canine distemper virus were found in 95% of blood samples, 90% of bone marrow and 53,3% of CSF before the treatment. The adverse effect of ribavirin and its association with prednisone was anemia. Prednisone, at its immunosuppressive dose, led to the increase of protein and decrease of cellularity in CSF, and increase of leukocytes blood count. The antiinflammatory dose led to the CSF protein concentration's decrease. Considering the survival and clinical improvement rates, the most successful treatment was the one applied to the G2 (80%); followed by G1 (70%); G5 (70%) and G3 (70%); G6 (60%); and the lowest rate G4 (30%). After the treatment, the virus frequency was 97,7% in the blood, 86,4% in the bone marrow and 27,3% in the CSF
Doutor

Orientador: Hélio José Montassier
Banca: Antônio Carlos Paulillo
Banca: Ricardo Luís Moro de Sousa
Resumo: Nesse estudo, um isolado de campo do vírus da bronquite infecciosa (VBI) no Brasil (IBVPR-12), previamente classificado como um genótipo variante, foi caracterizado de forma comparativa com a estirpe M41 do VBI, sendo levantadas as características de patogenicidade em diferentes órgãos como a traqueia, o pulmão, os rins, as gônadas e as tonsilas cecais (patotipo) e a imunidade cruzada com relação à estirpe vacinal H120 do VBI (protectotipo), incluindo as respostas imunes humorais sistêmicas e locais induzidas. Para tanto, foram utilizados grupos experimentais de galinhas "specific pathogen free" (SPF) previamente vacinadas ou não com a estirpe H120 do VBI e depois desafiados com essa variante viral, ou com a estirpe M41. Para essas duas estirpes virais foram avaliadas a capacidade de replicação e as lesões produzidas em diferentes órgãos, a atividade inibidora do movimento ciliar no epitélio traqueal e as respostas imunes humorais desenvolvidas no soro sanguíneo e na secreção lacrimal dessas aves. Foram observadas diferenças marcantes na patogenicidade e no tropismo tecidual desses vírus, sendo que a estirpe M41 apresentou replicação mais intensa e lesões mais pronunciadas no trato respiratório, especialmente na traqueia, enquanto que a estirpe variante foi encontrada de forma mais distribuída em vários dos órgãos analisados, tendo-se replicado e provocado menos lesões na traqueia, mas alcançando maior replicação e tendo causado lesões mais severas nos rins e nos testículos. Nas regiões teciduais mais afetadas por lesões, a presença do VBI foi detectada por marcação específica com anticorpos policlonais contra a nucleoproteína do VBI pela técnica de imuno-histoquímica. As aves vacinadas com a estirpe H120 do VBI, revelaram proteção parcial contra a estirpe variante em órgãos como traqueia e... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract: In this study a Brazilian field isolate of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), previously classified as variant genotype, was characterized comparatively with the M41 strain of IBV, by evaluating the pathogenicity in different organs (trachea, lung, kidney, gonads and caecal tonsil) and the cross-immunity with H120 vaccine strain, including the systemic and local humoral immune responses. Experimental groups of specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were vaccinated or not with H120 strain of IBV and challenged with this variant isolate. The viral replication and histopathology in different tissues and organs, the ability to inhibit ciliar movement of tracheal epithelial cells, and local and systemic humoral immune responses were evaluated in these chickens. The pathogenicity and tissue tropism of these IBV strains showed marked differences, and while the M41 strain damaged more the respiratory tract, specially the trachea, the variant isolated has a wide tissue distribution, showing less replication and lesions in the trachea, but affecting more severely the kidney and the testicles. In the most affected tissue regions, the presence of IBV was detected by immunohistochemistry technique, using an anti-nucleoprotein polyclonal antibodies. The H120 vaccine induced against this variant isolate a partial protection with regard to the infection of trachea and kidney and no cross-protection to the infection of testicles. In conclusion, a new pathotype and a new protectotype of a variant genotype of a Brazilian IBV isolate were characterized in this study with regard to Massachusetts genotype and serotype strains of IBV, indicating the importance for... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
Mestre

The under-reporting of cases of infectious diseases is a substantial impediment to the control and management of infectious diseases in both epidemic and endemic contexts. Information about infectious disease dynamics can be recovered from sequence data using time-varying coalescent approaches, and phylodynamic models have been developed in order to reconstruct demographic changes of the numbers of infected hosts through time. In this study I have demonstrated the general concordance between empirically observed epidemiological incidence data and viral demography inferred through analysis of foot-and-mouth disease virus VP1 coding sequences belonging to the CATHAY topotype over large temporal and spatial scales. However a more precise and robust relationship between the effective population size (N_e) of a virus population and the number of infected hosts (or 'host units') (N) has proven elusive. The detailed epidemiological data from the exhaustively-sampled UK 2001 foot-and-mouth (FMD) epidemic combined with extensive amounts of whole genome sequence data from viral isolates from infected premises presents an excellent opportunity to study this relationship in more detail. Using a combination of real and simulated data from the outbreak I explored the relationship between N_e, as estimated through a Bayesian skyline analysis, and the empirical number of infected cases. I investigated the nature of this scaling defining prevalence according to different possible timings of FMD disease progression, and attempting to account for complex variability in the population structure. I demonstrated that the variability in the number of secondary cases per primary infection R_t and the population structure greatly impact on effective scaling of N_e. I further explored how the demographic signal carried by sequence data becomes imprecise and weaker when reducing the number of samples are described, including how the extent of the size and structure of the sampled dataset impact on the accuracy of a reconstructed viral demography at any level of the transmission process. Methods drawn from phylodynamic inference combine powerful epidemiological and population genetic tools which can provide valuable insights into the dynamics of viral disease. However, the strict and sensitive dependency of the majority of these models on their assumptions makes estimates very fragile when these assumptions are violated. It is therefore essential that for these methods to be applied as reliable tools supporting control programs, more focused theoretical research is undertaken to model the epidemiological dynamics of infected populations using sequence data.

Master of Science
Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology
Juergen A. Richt
Influenza A virus is an important respiratory pathogen with the potential to affect both humans and animals, thereby creating the conditions for public health disasters, especially during pandemic episodes. At present, two primary strategies to combat influenza are vaccination and antiviral drugs. Since influenza viruses mutate rapidly and constantly via antigenic drift and shift, vaccines can become quickly outdated; and resistance to antiviral drugs can readily result. Interferon alpha (IFN-[alpha]) plays an important role as a first line of innate antiviral immunity. To investigate the antiviral potential of exogenously applied IFN-[alpha] on the replication of different subtypes of influenza A viruses, three subtypes of influenza A virus, i.e. swine H3N2, pandemic H1N1 and avian H9N2 were chosen. Their replication kinetics in the presence of Alferon N (human Interferon alpha) on human epithelium (A549) cells and swine testis (ST) cells was evaluated. In these tests of the three subtypes of influenza A viruses, it was found that the replication ability of all three viruses was inhibited when ST cells were treated with Alferon for four hours before infection. The ability of Alferon to inhibit influenza A viruses replication was found to be dose-dependent. Similar results were obtained when A549 cells were used; however, pretreatment of A549 cells with Alferon for more than 16 hours was necessary before infection. Furthermore, the expression of some ISGs (Interferon stimulated genes) between ST and A549 cells was also investigated. The differences in response of the ISGs between the two cell lines provided an explanation of the disparity towards exogenous interferon treatment. In summary, these results demonstrated that Alferon N has the ability to inhibit replication of different subtypes of influenza A viruses in cell cultures. This study provides a foundation for future in vivo studies using exogenous IFN-[alpha] treatment as an alternative approach to combat influenza A virus infection.

A Doença de Newcastle (DN) é uma enfermidade de etiologia viral e de rápido poder de disseminação. Um grande número de espécies aviárias é susceptível ao Vírus da Doença de Newcastle (VDN). Entre estas aves, o pombo doméstico (Columba livia), tem sido incriminado como hospedeiro e disseminador da DN. Este estudo foi realizado para avaliar o comportamento de pombos frente ao VDN. Foram avaliadas a patogenia da doença e a cinética da RIH de pombos submetidos à vacinação com estirpes vivas (LaSota) e a infecção experimental com estirpe patogênica (São João do Meriti) para galinhas (Gallus gallus), para avaliar os papéis desempenhados por estas como possíveis reservatórios do VDN. A resposta sorológica foi mensurada com a técnica de HI e a eliminação do genoma viral avaliada com a técnica de RT-PCR. Foi observado que as estirpes vacinas produziram títulos elevados de anticorpos, tanto nas aves vacinadas como nas sentinelas. Na infecção experimental, demonstramos que a estirpe patogênica não produziu a doença clínica em pombos, porém promoveu a formação de anticorpos, bem como a eliminação do genoma viral. Também foi comprovada a alta infectividade do agente, tendo em vista que aves sentinelas apresentaram níveis de anticorpos elevados, nos mesmos patamares das aves infectadas.
Newcastle Disease (ND), is a highly contagious disease of viral etiology and several bird species are susceptible this disease. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia), has been regarded as a host and disseminating agent of ND. Therefore, a study was carried out in order to evaluate the responses of pigeons naturally or experimentally infected with this pathogen and the possible role of these birds as potential reservoirs of NDV. The disease pathogenesis and the kinetics of the host humoral immune response were studied in pigeons subjected to vaccination with live NDV strains (LaSota) and to experimental infection with a NDV strain (São João do Meriti) that affects domestic chickens (Gallus gallus). The serological response was measured by HI and the elimination of the viral genome was evaluated by RT-PCR. Vaccine strains induced high antibody levels, both in vaccinated and in sentinel birds. Clinical signs of the disease were not induced by the pathogenic strain in experimentally infected pigeons, although there was antibody production, as well as elimination of the viral genome. The high infectivity of the agent was also confirmed, since the sentinels birds presented high antibody levels, which were similar to the levels produced by infected birds.

Master of Science
Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
Ying Fang
The Porcine Disease Complex (PDC) results in major economic problems for swine producers. PDC outbreaks result in increased mortality, decreased feed efficiency, higher cull rates, prolonged days to market and increased treatment costs. This disease involves the interaction and participation of many multifactorial etiologies including both bacterial and viral organisms playing a role in disease initiation and progression. The most common viral pathogens associated with the PDC include porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine circovirus (PCV2) and swine influenza virus (swIV). The recent outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in the US swine herd has made the PDC even more complicated. In aid of the prevention and control of the PDC, veterinarians and producers require fast and efficient diagnostic tests for controlling the disease. In this study, we have generated recombinant nucleocapsid antigens to these viruses for use in a Luminex™ technology-based fluorescent microsphere immunoassay (FMIA). Utilizing these recombinant nucleocapsid antigens, the FMIA was developed to simultaneously detect antibodies in serum from animals infected with PEDV, PRRSV, SwIV and PCV2. The FMIA was developed based on testing experimentally derived standard positive and negative control sera, and the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity were compared to that generated from the classical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. Based on an evaluation of 4147 serum samples with known serostatus, the multiplex FMIAs reached greater than 97.5% sensitivity and 92.3 % specificity. Results showed that multiplexing did not affect the diagnostic sensitivity or specificity of each individual assay. This work provides a platform for the development of multiplex assays for detecting various swine pathogens simultaneously and aids in preventing and controlling the PDC.

Conservation efforts to prevent the extinction of the endangered western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville (WBB) are currently hindered by a debilitating progressive papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome. Now extinct on mainland Australia, wild populations of the WBB are known only to exist on Bernier and Dorre Islands in Shark Bay, Western Australia. This thesis describes and analyses the pathological (gross, histological, ultrastructural) and immunohistochemical features of a papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome in the WBB. The detection and characterisation of a novel virus, the bandicoot papillomatosis carcinomatosis virus type 1 (BPCV1), found in association with cutaneous and muco-cutaneous papillomas and carcinomas, is described. BPCV1 was found to exhibit genomic and morphological features of both the Papillomaviridae and the Polyomaviridae, and may represent the first member of a new family of viruses. The findings of this study provide evidence that BPCV1 is the causative agent of the papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome. Clinical, pathological and molecular evidence of the syndrome and BPCV1 were found in the Bernier Island WBB population at Red Cliff and in captive populations comprising all or a proportion of founder WBBs from this site, but not at all in the WBB population on Dorre Island or Heirisson Prong. The papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome in the western barred bandicoot is a pertinent example of a disease process hampering efforts to prevent the extinction of an endangered species.

Conservation efforts to prevent the extinction of the endangered western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville (WBB) are currently hindered by a debilitating progressive papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome. Now extinct on mainland Australia, wild populations of the WBB are known only to exist on Bernier and Dorre Islands in Shark Bay, Western Australia. This thesis describes and analyses the pathological (gross, histological, ultrastructural) and immunohistochemical features of a papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome in the WBB. The detection and characterisation of a novel virus, the bandicoot papillomatosis carcinomatosis virus type 1 (BPCV1), found in association with cutaneous and muco-cutaneous papillomas and carcinomas, is described. BPCV1 was found to exhibit genomic and morphological features of both the Papillomaviridae and the Polyomaviridae, and may represent the first member of a new family of viruses. The findings of this study provide evidence that BPCV1 is the causative agent of the papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome. Clinical, pathological and molecular evidence of the syndrome and BPCV1 were found in the Bernier Island WBB population at Red Cliff and in captive populations comprising all or a proportion of founder WBBs from this site, but not at all in the WBB population on Dorre Island or Heirisson Prong. The papillomatosis and carcinomatosis syndrome in the western barred bandicoot is a pertinent example of a disease process hampering efforts to prevent the extinction of an endangered species.

Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
Wenjun Ma
Influenza A virus (IAV) is an enveloped, segmented, negative-sense RNA virus that infects avian species and mammals. Its segmented feature enables antigenic shift which can generate novel IAVs that pose a threat to animal and public health due to lack of immunity to these viruses. Pigs have been considered the “mixing vessels” of influenza A viruses to generate novel reassortant viruses that may threaten animal and public health. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the pathogenicity and transmissibility of newly emerged reassortant viruses in swine. Adding to this complexity is the newly identified bat influenza A-like viruses which have roused interest in understanding the evolutionary history and pandemic potential of bat influenza. At least 10 different genotypes of novel reassortant H3N2 IAVs with gene(s) from 2009 pandemic H1N1 [A(H1N1)pdm09] have been identified in pigs in the United States. To date, only three genotypes of these viruses have been evaluated in animal models leaving the pathogenicity and transmissibility of the other seven genotype viruses unknown. We showed that reassortant viruses with genes from A(H1N1)pdm09 are pathogenic and transmissible in pigs. Further studies showed that avian-like glycine at position 228 of the HA receptor binding site is responsible for inefficient transmission of the reassortant H3N2 IAV with five A(H1N1)pdm09 genes. Studying the recently discovered IAV-like sequences from bats has been hindered by the lack of live virus isolation or culturing. Using synthetic genomics, we successfully rescued modified bat influenza viruses that had the HA and NA coding regions replaced with two classical IAVs. Additional studies were performed with truncations on NS1 protein and substitution of a putative virulence mutation in bat influenza PB2. Virus reassortment experiments demonstrated that bat influenza has limited genetic and protein compatibility with other influenza viruses; however, it readily reassorts with another divergent bat influenza virus. Taken together, our results provide insights into the pathogenicity and transmissibility of novel reassortant H3N2 IAVs in pigs. It also indicates that the bat influenza viruses recently identified are viable viruses that pose little pandemic threat to humans. Moreover, they provide new insights into the evolution and basic biology of influenza viruses.

Master of Science
Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
Richard Hesse
Bovine Coronavirus (BCoV) is known to cause enteric and respiratory diseases, such as calf diarrhea, winter dysentery, calf respiratory disease, and bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD). All of these diseases are believed to be caused by the same genotype of BCoV. BCoV exhibits tissue tropism for both the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. This tropism is due to 9-O-acetylated sialic acid receptor on both epithelial cells in the respiratory and enteric tract. Currently, the only vaccine available for BCoV targets the enteric form of the disease. This study addresses the hypothesis that antibodies from the enteric form of the disease can cross neutralize the respiratory form of the virus. Data from surveillance studies suggest that BCoV is one of the major contributors to BRD, for which there is no currently approved vaccine for the respiratory form of the disease. Our approach to answering this question is to sequence and analyze the complete genome of 11 respiratory and enteric coronavirus isolates using next generation sequencing (NGS). Following the NGS, viruses were selected based on phylogenetic analysis and ability to grow and be maintained in cell culture. These viruses were then be used as serum neutralization indicator viruses in SN assays. 147 bovine serums submitted to KSVDL were used to determine if there are any serological differences between the immune response to respiratory versus enteric viruses based on the antibodies produced by the animal. The overall results show that there are few differences between the enteric and respiratory isolates at the genomic level and the serological response from the animal to these viruses. The differences between enteric and respiratory virus will need to be further addressed and analyzed to conclude if there is a noteworthy difference between the viruses with different tropisms. Other factors, such as host immune response and environment, are believed to be involved in the virus tropism to certain areas of the body.

Master of Science
Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
Weiping Zhang
Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes acute diarrhea to pigs at all ages, resulting in high mortality rate of 80-100% in piglets less than one week old. Within one year after the outbreak in April 2013, PEDV has rapidly spread in the US and causes the loss of over 10% of the US pig population. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) is a key reagent for rapid diagnosis of PEDV infection. In this study, we produced a panel of mAbs against nonstructural protein 8 (nsp8), spike(S) protein, and nucleocapsid (N) protein of PEDV. Four mAbs were selected, which can be used in various diagnostic assays, including indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), Western Blot, immunoprecipitation (IP), immunohistochemistry (IHC) test and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The mAb 51-79 recognizes amino acid (aa) 33-60 of nsp8, mAb 70-100 recognizes aa1371-1377 of S2 protein, and mAb 66-155 recognizes aa 241-360 of N protein, while mAb 13-519 is conformational. Using the mAb70-100, the immunoprecipitated S2 fragment was examined by protein N-terminal sequencing, and cleavage sites between S1 and S2 was identified. In addition, this panel of mAbs was further applied to determine the infection site of PEDV in the pig intestine. IHC test result showed that PEDV mainly located at the mid jejunum, distal jejunum and ileum. Results from this study demonstrated that this panel of mAbs provides a useful tool for PEDV diagnostics and pathogenesis studies.

The endangered population of Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in the Russian Far East (RFE) faces an increasing risk of extinction due to infection with canine distemper virus (CDV). Short-lasting CDV infections are unlikely to be maintained in small populations of species with limited connectivity like tigers, where viruses fade out as susceptible hosts are depleted. Multi-host pathogens can persist in more abundant host species that can act as reservoirs of infection for threatened populations. This study combines assessments of host demography, serology and viral phylogeny to establish the relative contribution of domestic dogs and small bodied wild mesocarnivores to the maintenance of CDV, and as sources of infection for tigers. No antibodies were detected among tigers sampled prior to 2000 (n=19), but were measured in 35.7% of tigers in subsequent years (n=56), with at least five discrete transmission events occurring in one well-monitored population. Viral sequences from three tigers and one Far Eastern leopard (P. pardus orientalis) aligned within the Arctic-like clade of CDV, and shared recent common ancestry with viruses from 22 other wild carnivores from the region. Extensive spatial mixing of wild carnivore lineages suggested long chains of transmission consistent with a maintenance population. The exposure of tigers following 2000 coincides with increases in sable (Martes zibellina) numbers and hunting pressure, which could lead to greater pathogen prevalence and potential for spill over from a wild reservoir. The ratio of humans to dogs in rural areas in the RFE are among the lowest in the world (1.73), but the overall number of dogs has been stable during the period of increased CDV exposure in tigers. The only CDV sequence obtained from dogs shared high identity with Asia-4 clade viruses from dogs in Thailand, and was distantly related to wildlife sequences from the RFE. Serum antibodies were detected in dogs in all 26 communities where households were surveyed, but seroprevalence was higher in remote, less densely populated areas, suggesting possible transmission from wildlife. Although the maintenance of CDV in Russian dogs remains unconfirmed, the strong support for a wildlife reservoir limits options for managing the impact of CDV on tiger populations. The high turnover of large and often inaccessible populations of mesocarnivores combines with limitations in vaccine safety, efficacy and delivery, to render the control of CDV in a wildlife reservoir untenable. Managing the impact of CDV on Amur tigers must therefore focus on restoring the size and integrity of remaining tiger populations to withstand future outbreaks. The safety and efficacy of vaccine products for tigers should also be investigated, for use in low coverage vaccination strategies that could enhance the long-term persistence of tiger populations.

Influenza virus is one of the major respiratory pathogens of humans as well as animals, including equines. There is an increasing evidence that bacterial infections are the most common cause of the death during influenza. In horses also, secondary bacterial pneumonia can lead to death, and surviving horses may take up to six months for the complete recovery resulting in heavy economic loss to the equine industry. Interleukin (IL)-23 mediated innate immune response has been shown to protect the host from various respiratory bacterial infections. However, studies to investigate the role of host and viral factors in the regulation of IL-23 are limited. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced transcription factor CHOP-10 and IFN-β has been shown to participate in the regulation of IL-23. Primary hypothesis for the current study was that influenza A virus (IAV) NS1 protein downregulates the IL-23 expression via inhibition of CHOP-10. In order to test our hypothesis, we infected the RAW264.7 cells - a murine macrophage cell line, and primary murine alveolar macrophage cells either with the wild type Influenza A virus (PR/8/34, PR8) or isogenic mutant virus lacking NS1 (delNS1). Quantitative analysis of mRNA expression revealed a significantly higher mRNA expression of IL23p19, IFN-β and CHOP-10 in delNS1 virus infected cells as compared the PR8 virus infected cells. Additionally, overexpression of CHOP-10 partially restored the expression of IL-23p19 in PR8 virus infected cells and knockdown of CHOP-10 resulted in downregulated expression of IL-23p19 in delNS1 infected cells. Taken together, these results suggest that IAV NS1 protein mediated inhibition of CHOP-10 expression leads to downregulation of IL-23 expression in macrophage cells in-vitro. Similar results were also observed in-vivo using IAV and Streptococcus zoooepidemicus (S. ze) co-infection model. In a co-infection mouse model delNS1 virus co-infection resulted in significantly higher expression of the IL-23 and IL-17. Considering the role of IL-23 in protection against respiratory bacterial pathogens, effect of exogenous supplementation of IL-23 was also investigated in the influenza and S. ze co-infection mouse model. We found that a single intranasal dose of recombinant murine IL-23 significantly improved the survival of mice co-infected with PR8 and S .ze. Overall, our study suggests that IAV infection subverts the IL-23 mediated respiratory innate immune response and restoration of IL-23 could protect from influenza-associated respiratory bacterial infections.

The first aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of IBV in broilers within the Canterbury province, New Zealand, in late winter and to search for associations with management or environmental factors. The second aim was to study how ambient stressors affect the immune system in birds, their adaptive capacity to respond, and the price that they have to pay in order to return to homeostasis. In a case control study, binary logistic regression analyses were used to seek associations between the presence of IBV in broilers and various risk factors that had been linked in other studies to the presence of different avian pathogens: ambient ammonia, oxygen, carbon dioxide, humidity and litter humidity. Pairs of sheds were selected from ten large broiler farms in Canterbury. One shed (case) from each pair contained poultry that had a production or health alteration that suggested the presence of IBV and the other was a control shed. Overall, IBV was detected by RT-PCR in 50% of the farms. In 2 of the 5 positive farms (but none of the control sheds) where IBV was detected there were accompanying clinical signs that suggested infectious bronchitis (IB). Ambient humidity was the only risk factor that showed an association (inverse) with the prevalence of IBV (p = 0.05; OR = 0.92). It was concluded within the constraints of the totally enclosed management systems described, that humidity had an influence on the presence of IBV, but temperature, ammonia, carbon dioxide, oxygen or litter humidity had no effect. In another study environmental temperatures were changed in order to affect the biological function and adaptive capacity of chickens following infection with IBV. The 'affective states' of the animal were assessed by measuring levels of corticosterone (CORT) in plasma and tonic immobility (TI). It was found that low (10 +/- 2°C) and high (30 +/- 2°C) temperatures exacerbated the respiratory signs and lesions in birds infected with IBV as compared to those housed at moderate (20 +/- 2°C) temperatures. The chickens housed at high temperatures showed significantly decreased growth, a higher proportion of hepatic lesions (principally haemorrhages) and a longer tonic immobility period, but there was no significant alteration in the plasma levels of CORT. The birds housed at low temperatures developed a higher proportion of heart lesions (hydropericardium, ventricular hypertrophy) and had significantly higher levels of plasma CORT than birds housed under moderate and/or high temperatures. The specific antibody response to IBV decreased in birds housed under high temperatures. Interestingly the birds housed at high temperatures developed significantly higher levels of haemagglutinin antibodies to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) than those birds housed under low or moderated temperatures. Cell mediated immunity was not significantly affected by heat or cold stress in the first 13 days of treatment but at 20 days the levels of interferon gamma in the birds subjected to low temperatures were lower than in the high temperature group. In other trials, the exogenous administration of low physiological doses of oral CORT (as compared to high pharmacological doses typically used in such experiments) to birds resulted in suppression or enhancement of the immune response depending on duration of treatment and/or dose and nature of the antigen. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that exogenous CORT can produce an enhancement in the immune response in chickens. iv In conclusion, environmental stressors such as high or low temperatures do affect the physiology of the fast-growing broiler. The adjustments the birds have to make to maintain homeostasis impacts on the course of common infectious diseases, such as IB, that normally is mild in the New Zealand poultry industry. The administration of exogenous CORT showed that this hormone may be part of the physiological stress response and acts as a messenger to prepare the immune system for potential challenges (e.g., infection).

Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
Raymond R. R. Rowland
Mechanisms for mutations in RNA viruses include random point mutations, insertions, deletions, recombination and re-assortment. Most viruses have more than one of these mechanisms operating during their life cycle. Impact of sequence divergence is seen in the areas of evolution, epidemiology and ecology of these viruses. Immediate negative consequences of genetic diversity include failure of vaccination, resistance to anti-virals, emergence and re-emergence of novel virus isolates with increased virulence or altered tropism. To identify specific sequence features that influence recombination, a new in-vitro system was developed using an infectious cDNA clone of PRRS virus that expressed fluorescent proteins. The in-vitro experimental system involved the co-transfection of a pair of closely related PRRSV infectious clones: a fully functional non-fluorescent PRRS virus infectious clone that possessed a single mutation in a green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a second infectious clone that contained a defective fluorescent virus. The readout for successful recombination was appearance of a fully functional fluorescent virus. The model system creates the opportunity to study several aspects of recombination, including the requirement for sequence homology between viruses undergoing recombination.

Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology
Raymond R. R. Rowland
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is the most costly virus to the swine industry, worldwide. This study explored the application of deep sequencing techniques to understand better the virus-host interaction. On the virus side, PRRSV exists as a quasispecies. The first application of deep sequencing was to investigate amino acid substitutions in hypervariable regions during acute infection and after virus rebound. The appearance and disappearance of mutations, especially the generation of a new N-glycosylation site in GP5, indicated they are likely the result of immune selection. The second application of deep sequencing was to investigate the quasispecies makeup in pigs with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) that lack B and T cells. The results showed the same pattern of amino acid substitutions in SCID and normal littermates and no different mutations were identified between SCID and normal littermates. This suggests the mutations that appear during the early stages of infection are the product of the virus becoming adapted to replication in pigs. The third application of deep sequencing was to investigate the locations of recombination events between GFP-expressing PRRSV infectious clones. The results identified different cross-over occurred within three conserved regions between EGFP and GFPm genes. And finally, the fourth goal was applied to develop a set of sequencing tools for analyzing the host antibody repertoire. A simple method was developed to amplify swine VDJ repertoires. Shared and abundant VDJ sequences that are likely expressed by PRRSV-activated B cells were determined in pigs that had different neutralization activities. These sequences are potentially correlated with different antibody responses.

Doctor of Philosophy
Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology
Raymond R. R. Rowland
Emerging viral diseases cause significant and widespread economic losses to U.S. swine production. Over the last 25 years, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) have emerged or re-emerged, costing the industry billions through increased mortality and clinical or subclinical reductions in growth. Nursery pigs are greatly affected by these viruses due to high susceptibility to primary and secondary infections after weaning. However, clinical disease occurs in only a subpopulation of infected pigs and can vary drastically from sudden death to poor growth performance. This thesis documents a series of 4 studies where nursery pigs were challenged with either PRRSV/PCV2 or PEDV; the associations between clinical outcome and several factors affecting viral pathogenesis were investigated. In the first study, the administration of PRRS modified live virus vaccine prior to co-challenge with PRRSV/PCV2 was shown to protect against PRRS but enhance PCV2 replication and pathogenesis. This study provides insight into the role that PRRS vaccination has in both the control and potentiation of clinical disease. In the second study, microbial populations were compared between pigs with the best and worst clinical outcome following PRRSV/PCV2 co-infection. Increased fecal microbiome diversity was associated with improved clinical outcome; however, worst clinical outcome pigs had prolonged and greater virus replication, highlighting the host response to viral challenge as a primary determinant of clinical outcome. In the third study, 13 clinical phenotypes were compiled for >450 pigs after PRRSV/PCV2 co-infection. Duration of dyspnea and the presence of muscle wasting had the strongest associations with reduced weight gain. This study highlights the opportunity to improve animal welfare and production through improvements in clinical health. In the fourth study, clinical disease was mild to moderate and occurred within the first week after pigs were challenged with PEDV. However, PEDV was detected weeks after clinical disease had resolved and may implicate nursery pigs as an important source of viral carriage and transmission. Overall, the goal of this thesis was to develop models for understanding the impact of emerging and re-emerging viruses to improve recognition and control of disease.

Footrot is a contagious hoof disease of ruminants. It is endemic in New Zealand and throughout sheep and goat farming regions of the world. The disease results from a mixed bacterial infection, but the essential agent is Dichelobacter nodosus, a Gram-negative, anaerobic bacterium that possesses type-IV fimbriae on its surface. Genetic variation in the fimbriae of D. nodosus was investigated in this study. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the variable region of the gene encoding the fimbrial subunit (fimA) was amplified from bacterial DNA extracted from footrot lesions. Different fimA amplimers were differentiated by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. In conjunction with DNA sequencing, 15 unique sequences of D. nodosus fimA were obtained from 14 footrot samples taken from 6 farming regions throughout New Zealand. When these sequences were compared to fimA of known serogroups, it revealed that there were at least 15 D. nodosus strains, representing 8 serogroups, present on New Zealand farms. The predominant serogroup was B which contained 6 strains, followed by serogroups F, H and G. No strains from serogroups D and I were detected in this investigation. Twelve out of the 15 New Zealand D. nodosus strains had fimbriae different to those previously reported and the presence of multiple strains on a single hoof was common (86% of samples). The fimA sequences from the 12 D. nodosus strains incorporated into the footrot vaccine currently available in New Zealand were determined. A primer set targeting the relatively conserved fimA regions and based on the published sequence of serogroup M Nepalese isolates (designated M-Nep), failed to amplify fimA from the vaccine serotype M strain (designated as M-SPAHL). When the downstream primer was substituted with a primer that was specific for other serogroups of D. nodosus, the fimA gene was successfully amplified. Cloning followed by DNA sequencing, revealed that M-SPAHL fimA was different to M-Nep fimA. The predicted amino acid sequence of M-SPAHL fimA did not show homology to any known serogroups or serotypes. The most similar sequence was from serotype F1, and not M-Nep. The sequence difference between M-SPAHL and M-Nep was larger than that expected within a serogroup. The consequences of serological relatedness and sequence dissimilarity are discussed. Only eight of the 15 New Zealand field strains had fimbriae identical to those of the vaccine strains, while the remaining seven strains possessed different fimbriae. In addition, the vaccine contained two more D. nodosus strains, representing two sera groups, that were not found on the New Zealand farms investigated in this study. This may, to some extent, explain why the current footrot vaccine is at times less efficient in New Zealand. Another 17 footrot samples were screened for new or additional D. nodosus strains. Two PCR amplimers (designated X and Y) derived from footrot samples generated SSCP patterns different to those of previously identified strains. DNA sequencing revealed that these two fragments possessed novel sequences. The upstream of X (nt 1-183) was identical to serotype M1 while its downstream (nt 223-414) was identical to serotype F1; the upstream of Y (nt 1-116) was identical to serotype E1 whereas its downstream (nt 148-423) was identical to serotype F1. A 14-mer sequence consisting of two partially overlapping Chi-like sequences, 5'-GCTGGTGCTGGTGA-3', was also found in these fragments. Two primer sets with the downstream primer specific for serotype Fl and the upstream primer specific for serotype M1 or E1, produced PCR products of the expected sizes from the footrot samples from which fragments X and Y were isolated, respectively. These primer sets did not appear to amplify artificially mixed genomic DNA from serotypes M1 and F1 or E1 and F1. However, when the reactions were re-amplified, PCR recombination artefacts were observed, suggesting that PCR recombination does occur, but at a low frequency. It therefore seems more likely that fragments X and Y reflect genuine fimA sequences of D. nodosus which have resulted from in vivo DNA recombination, than from a PCR recombination artifact. The genetic capability for recombination at the fimbrial subunit locus may therefore endow D. nodosus with the ability to alter its antigenic appearance. D. nodosus strains present in footrot lesions can be genotyped using a PCR-SSCP/sequencing technique. However, this typing technique requires cloning and screening of D. nodosus fimA sequences, which is both laborious and costly. A rapid molecular typing system for D. nodosus was therefore developed in this study. A close examination of available D. nodosus fimA sequences revealed regions that appear to be specific for serogroups and serotypes. These regions were used to design a panel of sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOPs), and a rapid and accurate D. nodosus typing system using PCR and reverse dot-blot hybridisation (PCR/oligotyping) was subsequently developed. The variable region of D. nodosus fimA, amplified and labelled with digoxigenin (DIG) in a single multiplex PCR amplification, was hybridised to a panel of group- and type-specific, poly-dT tailed oligonucleotides that were immobilised on a nylon membrane strip. A mixture of positive control poly-dT tailed oligonucleotides was also included on the membrane. After hybridisation the membrane was washed to a defined specificity, and DIG-labelled fragments that had hybridised were detected. The specificity of the oligonucleotides was verified by the lack of cross-reactivity with D. nodosus fimA sequences that had a single base difference. DNA from 14 footrot samples previously genotyped by PCR-SSCP/sequencing, was assayed using the PCR/oligotyping technique. All types of D. nodosus which had been detected previously with a PCR-SSCP/sequencing method were detected by this procedure. However, for three of the 14 footrot samples, PCR/oligotyping detected additional types of D. nodosus. Further PCR amplification using type-specific primers, confirmed that these types were present in the original footrot samples. These results indicate that PCR/oligotyping is a specific, accurate, and useful tool for typing footrot samples. In combination with a rapid DNA extraction protocol, D. nodosus present in a footrot sample can be accurately genotyped in less than two days. Individual animals from the same farm, or the same paddock, were often infected by different strains of D. nodosus. This suggests a host role in mediating footrot infection, or that the interaction between the pathogen and the host is important. In order to better understand the interaction between the bacterium and the host, two polymorphic ovine class II MHC genes DQA1 and DQA2, which have been previously shown to be important in footrot infection, were also investigated in this study. PCR-SSCP/sequencing analysis of the DQA1 locus revealed ten unique ovine DQA1 sequences, with five of them being newly identified. This increases the number of known ovine DQA1 alleles from 8 to 13 (including a null allele), implying a high level of polymorphism at the ovine DQA1 locus. D. nodosus present on 20 footrot infected sheep from the same flock were genotyped, together with the ovine DQA1 and DQA2 genotypes of their hosts. Preliminary results showed that sheep with the same DQA1 and DQA2 genotypes tended to be infected by similar types of D. nodosus. Different types of D. nodosus were generally found on sheep with different genotypes at either the DQA1 or the DQA2 locus. This suggests the diversity in D. nodosus infection may be associated with the heterogeneity in the host MHC. However, as only a small number of animals from the same sire were analysed, further investigation is needed to gain a better understanding of the interaction between D. nodosus and the host MHC.