Potential outbreak by herpesvirus in equines: detection, clinical, and genetic analysis of equid gammaherpesvirus 2 (EHV-2).

BACKGROUND: Equid herpesvirus (EHV) commonly affects horses causing neurologic and respiratory symptoms beside spontaneous abortions, meaning huge economic losses for equine industry worldwide. In foals, the virus can facilitate secondary infections by Rhodococcus equi, important in morbidity and mortality in equines. A total of five genotypes of EHV were previously described in Brazil including EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-3, EHV-4, and EHV-5. EHV-2 genotype had only been previously described in Brazil in asymptomatic animals. We report the investigation of the dead of 11 foals in Middle-west region of Brazil showing respiratory and neurological symptoms, as well as several abortions in mares from the same farm. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory exams were performed in this case study. Lung, whole blood, serum, and plasma samples were analyzed by necroscopic and histopathologic techniques followed by molecular assays (conventional and qPCR and Sanger sequencing). RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Laboratory exams revealed neutrophilia leukocytosis. Necroscopic and histopathologic findings were suppurative bronchopneumonia and ulcerative enteritis. Molecular assays point to the absence of the bacteria Rhodococcus equi and other viruses (including other EHV). The presence of EHV-2 DNA was confirmed by sequencing in serum sample from one foal. This is the first confirmed outbreak of EHV-2 causing disease in Brazilian horses with confirmed presence of the virus, and which highlight the important role of EHV-2 in equine respiratory disease and spontaneous abortions in equid in Brazil.

SARS-CoV-2 infection impacts carbon metabolism and depends on glutamine for replication in Syrian hamster astrocytes.

COVID-19 causes more than million deaths worldwide. Although much is understood about the immunopathogenesis of the lung disease, a lot remains to be known on the neurological impact of COVID-19. Here, we evaluated immunometabolic changes using astrocytes in vitro and dissected brain areas of SARS-CoV-2 infected Syrian hamsters. We show that SARS-CoV-2 alters proteins of carbon metabolism, glycolysis, and synaptic transmission, many of which are altered in neurological diseases. Real-time respirometry evidenced hyperactivation of glycolysis, further confirmed by metabolomics, with intense consumption of glucose, pyruvate, glutamine, and alpha ketoglutarate. Consistent with glutamine reduction, the blockade of glutaminolysis impaired viral replication and inflammatory response in vitro. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in vivo in hippocampus, cortex, and olfactory bulb of intranasally infected animals. Our data evidence an imbalance in important metabolic molecules and neurotransmitters in infected astrocytes. We suggest this may correlate with the neurological impairment observed during COVID-19, as memory loss, confusion, and cognitive impairment.

Phylogenetic analysis of near full-length sequences of the Desmodus rotundus genetic lineage of rabies virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO), reports that rabies causes tens of thousands of deaths every year killing humans, non-human primates and other animals. Rabies continues to be a public health issue, despite the existence of effective vaccines. The dogs remain the primary reservoir and transmitter of rabies to humans globally. In the Americas, bats are regarded as the second most common source of rabies virus to humans. The vampire bat Desmodus rotundus has been identified as a natural reservoir of rabies virus (RABV) in this region. The complete genome of the RABV variant maintained by populations of vampire bats D. rotundus has rarely been reported. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the genome of a RABV variant detected in D. rotundus. The sample, collected from an endemic area in São Paulo State, was phylogenetically compared with the genome of the standard sample for species Rabies virus as well as other samples belonging to terrestrial and bat-associated cycles of rabies transmission, available in GenBank. Distinct patterns linked to the genetic lineage were identified. These data can aid in the understanding of the molecular epidemiology of this virus and the epidemiological importance of this species in the transmission of the RABV.