Reassortant Clade 2.3.4.4 of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N6) Virus, Taiwan, 2017.

A highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N6) virus of clade 2.3.4.4 was detected in a domestic duck found dead in Taiwan during February 2017. The endemic situation and continued evolution of various reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Taiwan warrant concern about further reassortment and a fifth wave of intercontinental spread.

Lyssavirus in Japanese Pipistrelle, Taiwan.

A putative new lyssavirus was found in 2 Japanese pipistrelles (Pipistrellus abramus) in Taiwan in 2016 and 2017. The concatenated coding regions of the virus showed 62.9%-75.1% nucleotide identities to the other 16 species of lyssavirus, suggesting that it may be representative of a new species of this virus.

Postvaccination serosurveillance of foot-and-mouth disease through virus-neutralizing and nonstructural protein antibody tests on pig farms in Taiwan: 2009-2020.

The use of virus-neutralizing (VN) and nonstructural protein (NSP) antibody tests in a serosurveillance program for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) can identify pig herds that are adequately vaccinated, with a high percentage of pigs with VN positive antibody titers; these tests can also help identify pigs with NSP-positivity that have previously been or are currently infected even in vaccinated herds. To identify infected herds and manage infection, the combination of VN and NSP antibody tests was used in Taiwan's serosurveillance program implemented simultaneously with the compulsory FMD vaccination program. The result was the eradication of FMD: Taiwan was recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health as an FMD-free country without vaccination in 2020. Evaluation of the compulsory vaccination program incorporated in the FMD control program in Taiwan revealed that the vaccine quality was satisfactory and the vaccination program was effective during the period of compulsory vaccination (2010-2017). Sound immunological coverage was achieved, with 89.1% of pigs having VN antibody titers exceeding 1:16 in 2016. This level of immunological coverage would be expected to substantially reduce or prevent FMD transmission, which was borne out by the results of the NSP tests. We identified farms having positive NSP reactors (very low annual prevalence) before the cessation of FMD vaccination in July 2018; however, detailed serological and clinical investigations of pigs of all ages in suspect herds demonstrated that no farms were harboring infected animals after the second half of 2013. Thus, the results revealed no evidence of FMD circulation in the field, and Taiwan regained FMD-free status.

Development of a quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay for detecting Taiwan ferret badger rabies virus in ear tissue of ferret badgers and mice.

In 2013, the first case of Taiwan ferret badger rabies virus (RABV-TWFB) infection was reported in Formosan ferret badgers, and two genetic groups of the virus were distinguished through phylogenetic analysis. To detect RABV-TWFB using a sensitive nucleic acid-based method, a quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction targeting the conserved region of both genetic groups of RABV-TWFB was developed. This method had a limit of detection (LOD) of 40 RNA copies/reaction and detected viral RNA in brain and ear tissue specimens of infected and dead Formosan ferret badgers and mice with 100% sensitivity and specificity. The mean viral RNA load detected in the ear tissue specimens of ferret badgers ranged from 3.89 × 108 to 9.73 × 108 RNA copies/g-organ, which was 111-fold to 2,220-fold lower than the concentration detected in the brain specimens, but 2,000-fold to 5,000-fold higher than the LOD of the assay. This highly sensitive technique does not require facilities or instruments complying with strict biosafety criteria. Furthermore, it is efficient, safe, and labor-saving as only ear specimens need be sampled. Therefore, it is a promising technique for epidemiological screening of Taiwan ferret badger rabies.

Safety, efficacy and immunogenicity evaluation of the SAG2 oral rabies vaccine in Formosan ferret badgers.

Since 2013, rabies cases have been reported among Formosan ferret badgers in Taiwan, and they have been shown to be the major reservoirs for Taiwanese enzootics. To control and eradicate rabies, the authorities plan to implement a vaccination programme. Before distributing live vaccines in the field, this study assessed the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of SAG2 vaccine on ferret badgers by direct oral instillation. After application of 109 TCID50/dose, no virus was excreted into the oral cavity 1-7 days post-application, and safety was also satisfactorily verified over a 266-day period. Moreover, despite the low level of rabies virus neutralising antibodies induced after vaccination of a 108 TCID50/dose, the efficacy assessment revealed a 100% survival rate (15/15) of vaccinees and an 87.5% fatality rate (7/8) in control animals after a challenge on the 198th day post-vaccination. The immunisation and protection rates obtained more than 6 months after a single vaccination dose demonstrated that SAG2 is an ideal vaccine candidate to protect Formosan ferret badgers against rabies in Taiwan.

Survey of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in quarantined dogs in Taiwan.

Intestinal helminth and protozoan infection in the quarantined dogs in Taiwan were examined using fecal examination between January to December, 2004. Of the 376 dogs imported from 11 countries, 63 (16.8%) were found to be infected with at least one species of intestinal parasite. The parasites detected were oocysts of Isospora canis and eggs of Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis and hookworms. Of the 63 infected dogs, 11 were found to have a mixed infection of two different species of parasites. This paper illustrates that parasites are transmitted from one country to another through the transport of animals. Moreover, there is also a possibility of parasitic infection among quarantined dogs as well as the zoonotic potential for quarantine officers during the quarantine period.

Study on the porcinophilic foot-and-mouth disease virus I. production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against VP1.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) reported here were produced against the porcinophilic foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) that caused the devastating swine disease on 1997 in Taiwan. A panel (25) of MAbs were found to react with VP1 of O/Taiwan/97 (O/97) by ELISA with various potencies. The biological identities of these VP1 reacting MAbs, such as neutralization activity, isotype and capability to distinguish between two serotype O FMDVs, O/97 and O/Taiwan/KM1/99 (O/99), were further analyzed. Eleven out of the total eighteen O/97 neutralizing MAbs were able to neutralize heterologous O/99. Eight O/97 neutralizing and five non-neutralizing MAbs could differentiate two serotype O FMDVs by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) implied that these thirteen MAbs recognized O/97 specific epitope(s). Furthermore, reactivities of the VP1 reacting MAbs with a 29 amino acids synthetic peptide (P29) representing the betaG-betaH loop of VP1 were analyzed by ELISA and fourteen were found positive. MAb clone Q10E-3 reacting strongest with VP1 and P29, neutralizing both but not differentiating two serotype O viruses suggested that the antibody binding site might involve the RGD motif and its C terminal conserved region on betaG-betaH loop. MAbs with diverse characters presented in this study were the first raised against porcinophilic FMDV. The complete set of MAbs may be used for further studies of vaccine, diagnostic methods, prophylaxis, etiological and immunological researches on FMDV.