ABSTRACT
The Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) have been detected in several species of animals from different countries worldwide, including in South America. The host range of these viruses has increased in recent years; thus, in order to contribute to the knowledge in this topic we analyzed samples from captivity animals from Uruguay. We found the presence of PBVs in four species of animals, Panthera leo, Panthera onca, Puma concolor and Oncifelis geoffroyi, representing new PBV-susceptible hosts. All strains belonged to genogroup I.
Subject(s)
Felidae/virology , Host Specificity , Picobirnavirus/isolation & purification , Animals , Genotype , Panthera/virology , Phylogeny , Picobirnavirus/genetics , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , Puma/virology , UruguayABSTRACT
A study aimed to determine the infection model that picobirnavirus (PBV) established in birds was conducted in a farm of greater rheas in Córdoba, Argentina. Analysis of stools collected during a longitudinal study involving seven birds provided evidence that PBV is acquired very early in life and establishes a persistent infection in the host, which is characterized by intermingled periods of high, low and silent viral activity. Genomic analysis indicated that the rheas excreted virus with nucleotide sequence identity between 90.5-100 % and that more than one PBV strain with different electropherotype profiles could be involve in the infection. This report provides the first evidence of persistent infection of PBV in birds. The natural history of PBV infection has begun to be understood, and it appears that asymptomatic PBV-infected mammals and birds could persistently excrete the virus in stool samples, contributing to wide circulation of the virus in the environment.
Subject(s)
Bird Diseases/pathology , Bird Diseases/virology , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , RNA Virus Infections/veterinary , Rheiformes/virology , Animals , Argentina , Coinfection/veterinary , Coinfection/virology , Feces/virology , Genotype , Longitudinal Studies , Picobirnavirus/classification , Picobirnavirus/genetics , Picobirnavirus/isolation & purification , RNA Virus Infections/virology , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
Sequence-independent amplification and specific reverse transcription PCRs identified genogroup I and II picobirnaviruses in respiratory tracts of pigs. These data expand knowledge of picobirnavirus diversity and tropism. Genetic relationships between porcine respiratory and human enteric picobirnaviruses suggest cross-species transmission of picobirnaviruses between pigs and humans.
Subject(s)
Picobirnavirus/classification , Picobirnavirus/genetics , Respiratory System/virology , Sus scrofa/virology , Animals , Base Sequence , China/epidemiology , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/epidemiology , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/transmission , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/veterinary , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/virology , DNA, Viral/genetics , Genetic Variation , Hong Kong/epidemiology , Humans , Phylogeny , Picobirnavirus/isolation & purification , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , RNA Virus Infections/epidemiology , RNA Virus Infections/transmission , RNA Virus Infections/veterinary , RNA Virus Infections/virology , Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology , Respiratory Tract Infections/transmission , Respiratory Tract Infections/veterinary , Respiratory Tract Infections/virology , Species Specificity , Sri Lanka/epidemiology , Swine , Swine Diseases/epidemiology , Swine Diseases/virology , Zoonoses/epidemiology , Zoonoses/transmission , Zoonoses/virologyABSTRACT
Picobirnavirus is named after the small birnavirus which contains two double-stranded RNA segments as a genome. However, their properties are quite different to each other. Although the virus has been detected mainly from the stools of gastroenteritis patients and several mammals and birds, the pathogenicity of the virus has not been established. Characterizations of the virus are hampered due to the lack in the system for multiplication of the virus in cultured cells or experimental animals. Recently, complete nucleotide sequences of two RNA segments of a human picobirnavirus detected in Thailand were determined.
Subject(s)
Picobirnavirus , Animals , Base Sequence , Gastroenteritis/virology , Genome, Viral/genetics , Humans , Picobirnavirus/genetics , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , RNA, Double-Stranded/genetics , VirionABSTRACT
Acute gastroenteritis is one of the most common diseases in humans worldwide. Viruses are recognized as important causes of this disease, particularly in children. Since the Norwalk virus was identified as a cause of gastroenteritis, the number of viral agents associated with diarrheal disease in humans has steadily increased. Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhea in children under 5 years of age. Astrovirus, calicivirus and enteric adenovirus are also important etiologic agents of acute gastroenteritis. Other viruses, such as toroviruses, coronaviruses, picobirnaviruses and pestiviruses, are increasingly being identified as causative agents of diarrhea. In recent years, the availability of diagnostic tests, mainly immunoassays or molecular biology techniques, has increased our understanding of this group of viruses. The future development of a safe and highly effective vaccine against rotavirus could prevent, at least, cases of severe diarrhea and reduce mortality from this disease.
Subject(s)
Gastroenteritis/virology , Virus Diseases/virology , Viruses/pathogenicity , Acute Disease , Caliciviridae/isolation & purification , Caliciviridae/pathogenicity , Coronavirus/isolation & purification , Coronavirus/pathogenicity , Diarrhea/diagnosis , Diarrhea/epidemiology , Diarrhea/prevention & control , Diarrhea/virology , Gastroenteritis/pathology , Gastroenteritis/prevention & control , Humans , Mamastrovirus/isolation & purification , Mamastrovirus/pathogenicity , Picobirnavirus/isolation & purification , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , Rotavirus/isolation & purification , Rotavirus/pathogenicity , Torovirus/isolation & purification , Torovirus/pathogenicity , Virus Diseases/epidemiology , Virus Diseases/pathology , Virus Diseases/prevention & control , Viruses/classification , Viruses/isolation & purification , Viruses/ultrastructureABSTRACT
Picobirnavirus, a novel group of viruses recently detected in children and several species of animals including chickens, are different from the existing members of the family Birnaviridae. Picobirnavirus (PBV) is the tentatively proposed name for the group of these viruses. These viruses are 30-40 nm in diameter and have icosahedral symmetry with triangulation number (T) equal to 3. Their buoyant density in CsCl is 1.4 g/ml. Their genome is bi- or trisegmented double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with segment lengths of 2.6 and 1.9 kbp for bisegmented and 2.9, 2.4 and 0.9 kbp for trisegmented genomes. The electrophoretic migration profile has considerable heterogeneity. PVBs are detected in diarrhoeic as well as non-diarrhoeic animals, hence, their potential needs further investigation.
Subject(s)
Picobirnavirus , Animals , Birds , Genome, Viral , Humans , Mammals , Picobirnavirus/genetics , Picobirnavirus/isolation & purification , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , Virulence , Virus Cultivation , Virus Diseases/etiology , Virus Diseases/immunologyABSTRACT
Picobirnavirus (PBV) which has been included in the list of viruses causing enteric infection in animals is highly versatile because of its broad host range and genetic diversity. PBVs are among the most recent and emerging small, nonenveloped viruses with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome, classified under a new family "Picobirnaviridae." PBVs have also been detected from respiratory tract of pigs, but needs further close investigation for their inhabitant behavior. Though, accretion of genomic data of PBVs from different mammalian species resolved some of the ambiguity, quite a few questions and hypotheses regarding pathogenesis, persistence location, and evolution of PBVs remain unreciprocated. Evolutionary analysis reveals association of PBVs with partitiviruses especially fungi partitiviruses. Although, PBVs may have an ambiguous clinical implication, they do pose a potential public health concern in humans and control of PBVs mainly relies on nonvaccinal approach. Based upon the published data, from 1988 to date, generated from animal PBVs across the globe, this review provides information and discussion with respect to genetic analysis as well as evolution of PBVs of animal origin in relation to human strains.
Subject(s)
Phylogeny , Picobirnavirus/genetics , RNA Virus Infections/epidemiology , RNA Virus Infections/genetics , Animals , Biological Evolution , Feces/virology , Genetic Variation , Genome, Viral , Humans , Picobirnavirus/pathogenicity , RNA Virus Infections/virology , SwineABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of the recently developed picobirnavirus (PBV) sets of primers and to establish the phylogenetic relationships of Argentine strains with PBV strains isolated in China and the USA. METHODS: Thirteen fecal specimens tested as positive for PBV by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays using primers target to the genomic segments 2 of PBV strains isolated in China and the USA. The amplicons were sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS: Primers derived from the China strain produced amplicons in only 4 of the 13 specimens (30.76%). No sample was revealed as positive with the primers derived from the US strain. DNA sequencing of polymerase chain reaction products differed in nucleic acid and amino acid sequences by 13.9-42.28% and 18.1-51.1%, respectively. Despite this strain diversity, three domains of conserved nucleotide sequences as well as the amino acid motif D-S-D typical of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene of double-strand RNA viruses were identified. Comparatively, these conserved regions were also identified in homologous PBV strains from the USA and China. Phylogenetic analysis showed no time or geographic clustering. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence that PBV may represent an emerging heterogeneous group of viruses.