Detection and Genetic Characterization of Bovine Torovirus in Uruguay.

Bovine torovirus (BToV) is an enteric pathogen that may cause diarrhea in calves and adult cattle, which could result in economic losses due to weight loss and decreased milk production. This study aimed to report the presence, the genetic characterization and the evolution of BToV in calves in Uruguay. BToV was detected in 7.9% (22/278) of fecal samples, being identified in dairy (9.2%, 22/239) but not beef (0.0%, 0/39) calves. BToV was detected in both diarrheic (14%, 6/43) and non-diarrheic (13.2%, 5/38) dairy calves. In addition, BToV was detected in the intestinal contents of 14.9% (7/47) of naturally deceased dairy calves. A complete genome (28,446 nucleotides) was obtained, which was the second outside Asia and the first in Latin America. In addition, partial S gene sequences were obtained to perform evolutionary analyses. Nucleotide and amino acid substitutions within and between outbreaks/farms were observed, alerting the continuous evolution of the virus. Through Bayesian analysis using BEAST, a recent origin (mid-60s) of BToV, possibly in Asia, was estimated, with two introductions into Uruguay from Asia and Europe in 2004 and 2013, respectively. The estimated evolutionary rate was 1.80 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year. Our findings emphasize the importance of continued surveillance and genetic characterization for the effective management and understanding of BToV's global epidemiology and evolution.

A novel spike subunit 1-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reveals widespread porcine torovirus infection in eastern China.

Toroviruses (ToVs), closely related but genetically distinct from coronaviruses, are known to infect horses, cows, pigs, goats and humans, mainly causing enteritic disorders. However, due to the lack of an adaptive culture system, porcine ToV (PToV) has received less attention. In this study, we developed a novel serological detection method based on the PToV envelope spike subunit 1 (S1) protein for the first time, and compared it to an existing indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the nucleocapsid protein. By using the S1-based ELISA, we carried out the first seroepidemiological survey of PToV in China, assaying both specific IgG and IgA responses in 1,037 serum samples collected from diarrheic pigs in eastern China. There was a relatively high incidence of seropositivity in pigs of different ages, especially one-week-old piglets and sows (78% and 43%), the former probably reflecting maternal antibodies. Furthermore, 3/20 (15%) of faecal samples collected from one PToV-seropositive swine herd in Zhejiang province tested positive by RT-PCR. The complete PToV genome was sequenced from one of these samples, and its phylogenetic relationship with other full-length PToV sequences available in GenBank was determined. Our data provide the first serological evidence for PToV infection in pigs from China, which will help elucidate the potential pathogenicity of PToV in pigs.

First report and genetic characterization of bovine torovirus in diarrhoeic calves in China.

BACKGROUND: Coronaviruses are notorious pathogens that cause diarrheic and respiratory diseases in humans and animals. Although the epidemiology and pathogenicity of coronaviruses have gained substantial attention, little is known about bovine coronavirus in cattle, which possesses a close relationship with human coronavirus. Bovine torovirus (BToV) is a newly identified relevant pathogen associated with cattle diarrhoea and respiratory diseases, and its epidemiology in the Chinese cattle industry remains unknown. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 461 diarrhoeic faecal samples were collected from 38 different farms in three intensive cattle farming regions and analysed. Our results demonstrated that BToV is present in China, with a low prevalence rate of 1.74% (8/461). The full-length spike genes were further cloned from eight clinical samples (five farms in Henan Province). Phylogenetic analysis showed that two different subclades of BToV strains are circulating in China. Meanwhile, the three BToV strains identified from dairy calves, 18,307, 2YY and 5YY, all contained the amino acid variants R614Q, I801T, N841S and Q885E. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report to confirm the presence of BToV in beef and dairy calves in China with diarrhea, which extend our understanding of the epidemiology of BToVs worldwide.

Full-length and defective enterovirus G genomes with distinct torovirus protease insertions are highly prevalent on a Chinese pig farm.

Recombination occurs frequently between enteroviruses (EVs) which are classified within the same species of the Picornaviridae family. Here, using viral metagenomics, the genomes of two recombinant EV-Gs (strains EVG 01/NC_CHI/2014 and EVG 02/NC_CHI/2014) found in the feces of pigs from a swine farm in China are described. The two strains are characterized by distinct insertion of a papain-like protease gene from toroviruses classified within the Coronaviridae family. According to recent reports the site of the torovirus protease insertion was located at the 2C/3A junction region in EVG 02/NC_CHI/2014. For the other variant EVG 01/NC_CHI/2014, the inserted protease sequence replaced the entire viral capsid protein region up to the VP1/2A junction. These two EV-G strains were highly prevalent in the same pig farm with all animals shedding the full-length genome (EVG 02/NC_CHI/2014) while 65% also shed the capsid deletion mutant (EVG 01/NC_CHI/2014). A helper-defective virus relationship between the two co-circulating EV-G recombinants is hypothesized.

Detection and molecular characterisation of bovine corona and toroviruses from Croatian cattle.

BACKGROUND: Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) together with bovine torovirus (BToV), both members of the Coronaviridae family, order Nidovirales are the most common viral enteric pathogens. Although studied separately, their joint occurrence and the molecular diversity in cattle in Croatia have not been investigated. METHODS: A survey is carried out on 101 fecal samples from diarrheic young and adult cattle during the 3-year period from i) one large dairy herd, ii) four small herds and iii) three nasal and paired fecal samples from calves with symptoms of respiratory disease. Samples were submitted to RT-PCR and sequencing for BCoV Nucleocapsid gene, BCoV Spike gene and BToV Spike gene. RESULTS: BCoV was detected in 78.8 % of fecal samples from symptomatic cattle and three nasal and paired fecal samples from calves with respiratory symptoms. BToV was detected in 43.2 % of fecal samples from symptomatic cattle and a fecal sample from calves with respiratory symptoms. Molecular characterisation of those viruses revealed some nucleotide and aminoacid differences in relation to reference strains. CONCLUSIONS: BToV should be regarded as a relevant pathogen for cattle that plays a synergistic role in mixed enteric infections.

Molecular epidemiology of Porcine torovirus (PToV) in Sichuan Province, China: 2011-2013.

BACKGROUND: Porcine torovirus (PToV) is a member of the genus Torovirus which is responsible for gastrointestinal disease in both human beings and animals with particular prevalence in youth. Torovirus infections are generally asymptomatic, however, their presence may worsen disease consequences in concurrent infections with other enteric pathogens. METHODS: A total of 872 diarrheic fecal samples from pigs of different ages were collected from 12 districts of Sichuan Province in the southwest of China. RT-PCR was done with PToV S gene specific primers to detect the presence of PToV positive samples. M gene specific primers were used with the PToV positive samples and the genes were sequenced. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the M gene nucleotide sequences from the 19 selected novel Sichuan strains and 21 PToV and BToV M gene sequences from GenBank. RESULTS: A total of 331 (37.96%, 331/872) samples were found to be positive for PToV and the highest prevalence was observed in piglets aged from 1 to 3 weeks old. Through phylogenetic inference the 40 PToV M gene containing sequences were placed into two genotypes (I & II). The 19 novel Sichuan strains of genotype I showed strong correlations to two Korean gene sequences (GU-07-56-11 and GU-07-56-22). Amino-acid sequence analysis of the 40 PToV M gene strains revealed that the M gene protein was highly conserved. CONCLUSIONS: This study uncovered the presence of PToV in Sichuan Province, and demonstrated the need for continuous surveillance PToV of epidemiology.

Detection of bovine torovirus in fecal specimens from calves with diarrhea in Turkey.

Bovine torovirus (BToV), a member of the family Coronaviridae, is an established gastrointestinal infectious agent in cattle. In this study, we performed a survey to detect BToV in Turkey between 2009 and 2011 using 235 fecal samples from neonatal calves with diarrhea that were analyzed by the nested reverse transcription (RT) PCR method using primers located in the consensus sequences of the BToV membrane (M) gene. The BToV M gene was detected in 4.7 % (11/235) of the samples using the nested RT-PCR method. The nucleotide sequences of partial M fragments from the BToV isolates, including the newly identified Turkish isolates, showed more than 96 % identity. The result indicates that BToV is one of the pathogens that contribute to neonatal calf diarrhea cases in Turkey.

First detection and molecular diversity of Brazilian bovine torovirus (BToV) strains from young and adult cattle.

Bovine torovirus (BToV) is an established enteric pathogen of cattle, but its occurrence in Brazilian cattle had not been reported until now. This article describes a survey on BToV in Brazil carried out on 80 fecal samples from diarrheic young and adult cattle, using a nested-RT-PCR targeting the nucleocapsid (N) gene. BToV was detected in 6.25% (5/80) of stool samples from three different geographic regions. Sequences analysis showed that Brazilian BToVs have a high degree of identity with European and Japanese BToVs and a lower degree of identity with North American Breda 1 strain. These results show that, albeit its low frequency and the scarce number of research on the field, BToV is still present amongst cattle populations.

[A review of porcine torovirus research: etiology and epidemiology].

Porcine Torovirus (PToV) is widely distributed in the world with high prevalence rate in swinery. Due to the high detection rate in diarrhea pigs, PToV is thought to be a potential pathogen of swine diarrhea. In recent years, epidemic outbreaks of diarrhea with high morbidity and mortality in China have caused great economic losses. Intertypic recombination events and antigenic cross-reactivity among toroviruses implies potential zoonotic transmission of PToV. The review represented the development history of PToV and made a brief summary of the features in genome and protein epidemiology and laboratory diagnosis of the PToV, and so on.

Seroprevalence of porcine torovirus (PToV) in Spanish farms.

BACKGROUND: Torovirus infections have been associated with gastroenteritis and diarrhea in horses, cows, pigs and humans, especially in young animals and in children. Although asymptomatic in a large percentage of cases, however toroviruses may pose a potential threat to worsen disease outcome in concurrent infections with other enteric pathogens. Previous studies based on the analysis of limited numbers of samples indicated high seroprevalences against porcine torovirus (PToV) in various European countries. The aim of this work was to perform a seroepidemiological survey of PToV in Spanish farms in order to define the seroprevalence against this virus. RESULTS: Serum samples (n = 2664) from pigs of different ages were collected from 100 Spanish farms coming from 10 regions that concentrate 96.1% of the 3392 farms with 80 or more sows censused in Spain. Samples were screened by means of an indirect enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) based on a recombinant PToV nucleocapsid protein as antigen. The analysis of the whole serum collection yielded a total of 95.7% (2550/2664) seropositive samples. The highest prevalence (99.6%, 1382/1388) and ELISA values (average O.D. ± standard deviation) were observed in the sows (1.03±0.36) and the lowest prevalence (59.4%, 98/165) and anti-PToV IgG levels (0.45±0.16) were found amongst 3-week-old piglets. Both ELISA reactivity values and seroprevalence percentages rose quickly with piglet's age from 3 to 11 weeks of age; the seroprevalence was 99.3% (2254/2270) when only the samples from sows and pigs over 11-weeks of age were considered. Antibodies against PToV were detected in all analyzed farms. CONCLUSIONS: This report describes the results of the largest torovirus seroepidemiological survey in farmed swine performed so far. Overall, the seroprevalence against PToV in animals older than 11 weeks of age was >99%, indicating that this virus is endemic in pig herds from Spain.

Characterization of epidemic diarrhea outbreaks associated with bovine torovirus in adult cows.

Bovine torovirus (BToV) is recognized as an enteric pathogen of calves, but its etiological role in diarrhea and epidemiological characterization in adult cows remain unclear. In 2007-2008, three outbreaks of epidemic diarrhea occurred in adult cows at three dairy farms in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. BToV was the only enteric pathogen detected in these outbreaks, as determined by electron microscopy, reverse transcription-PCR, bacteria and parasite tests of fecal samples, and antibody tests with paired sera. The epidemiological features of the three outbreaks were similar to those of bovine coronavirus infection, except for the absence of bloody diarrhea, with diarrhea spreading among most adult cows, but not in calves, within several days and diarrhea lasting for 3-5 days with anorexia. Decreased milk production and mild respiratory symptoms were also observed in two of the outbreaks. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the BToV nucleocapsid, spike, and hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) genes revealed a close relatedness among the detected BToV strains from each outbreak and those of Japanese BToV strain Aichi/2004. Furthermore, we isolated a BToV strain, designated Niigata (TC), from a fecal sample using a human rectal tumor cell line. Sequence analysis of this isolate and Aichi/2004 indicated that both strains have truncated HE genes with deletions in the 3' region that occurred through cell culture-adaptation. The short projections that are believed to be formed by the HE protein on virus particles were not observed in these cultured strains by electron microscopy. Taken together, these results suggest that BToV causes epidemic diarrhea in adult cows and should be included in the differential diagnosis of diarrhea in adult cows. In addition, our findings indicate that the HE protein of BToV may not be necessary for viral replication.

Longitudinal serological and virological study on porcine torovirus (PToV) in piglets from Spanish farms.

A study was performed to evaluate porcine torovirus (PToV) seroprevalence and infection in three multi-site farms from the North-eastern region of Spain. Serum samples from 120 piglets and faecal samples from 36 piglets were longitudinally collected at 1, 3, 7, 11 and 15 weeks of age. Serum samples from their dams (n=30) were also taken 1-week post-farrowing. PToV antibodies in serum were monitored by ELISA, while viral infection was assessed by real-time RT-PCR in faeces. A high seroprevalence (about 100%) was observed in animals older than 11 weeks and in adult sows. Moreover, all 1-week-old animals were seropositive, indicating maternal antibody transference through colostrum. The antibody titers declined to close to or below the ELISA cut-off value by the age of weaning (3 weeks of age). Development of a significant antibody response to PToV occurred before 7 weeks of age in about 50% of piglets, and the remaining animals developed the response by weeks 11 or 15. These results indicate that PToV infection occurred soon after weaning. Although the prevalence of infection in suckling piglets varied among the studied farms, PToV prevalences in 7 and 11-week-old pigs were between 50-67% and 58-75%, respectively, in all farms. Sequencing results indicated that more than one PToV strains were circulating in the studied farms. Present data suggest that PToV was endemic on the studied farms, and provide new insights on the epidemiology of PToV.

Detection and molecular characterization of porcine toroviruses in Korea.

This study examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of the porcine torovirus (PToV) in Korea. Of 295 samples, 19 (6.4%) samples tested positive for PToVs by RT-PCR. A low nucleotide sequence identity of the partial S gene was detected among the Korean PToVs (73.5%) and between the Korean and European PToVs (74.0%). Phylogenetic analysis of the spike and nucleocapsid genes showed that the Korean PToVs form distinct branches with clusters corresponding to the farm of origin, which were separate from the other known foreign PToVs. These findings suggest that genetically diverse Korean PToV strains cause sporadic infections in Korea.

Molecular characterization of a new PToV strain. Evolutionary implications.

Toroviruses are emergent viruses, belonging to the Nidovirales order, that remain mostly ignored, despite they are able to infect different species of domestic animals and humans, causing enteric diseases and diarrhea. Thus far, only five variants of porcine torovirus (PToV) have been identified. In this report we describe the identification and partial characterization of a new strain of porcine torovirus (PToV-BRES) that was detected by RT-PCR in a swine faecal specimen from a farm in Brescia (Italy). The complete genes coding for the nucleocapsid (N), hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) and membrane (M) proteins were amplified, and sequence analysis showed that PToV-BRES is a new PToV strain that, based on the HE gene sequence, is phylogenetically related to P4 strain, that was up to now the only member of a distinct PToV lineage. The nucleocapsid protein from PToV-BRES was expressed in insect cells as a his-tagged protein, purified by affinity chromatography and used to develop an ELISA method to detect antibodies against PToV. This assay was evaluated using a serum collection including 45 samples from three commercial farms from Spain. High antibody prevalence against PToV was observed in the three farms, both in adult animals and in piglets, which could suggest that PToV might be endemic in Spanish porcine population. The ELISA method developed in this work could be useful in future epidemiological surveys about toroviruses.

Molecular epidemiology of bovine toroviruses circulating in South Korea.

The prevalence of the bovine torovirus (BToV) and its genetic characterization have been reported in North America, Europe and Japan. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of the BToV in a total of 645 diarrheic fecal samples from 629 Korean native beef calf herds using RT-PCR and nested PCR with the primer pairs specific to a part of the BToV membrane (M) gene. Overall, 19 (2.9%) out of 645 diarrheic samples from 19 herds (6.9%) tested positive for BToVs by either RT-PCR or nested PCR. A comparison of the nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) sequences of a part of the BToV M gene (409bp) among the BToVs showed the Korean BToVs to have comparatively higher sequence homology to the Japanese and Dutch BToVs than to the American and Italian BToVs. Generally, the Korean BToV strains clustered with the Japanese and Dutch BToV strains. However, the American and Italian BToV strains clustered on a separate major branch, suggesting that these are more distantly related to other known BToV strains. These results suggest that the BToV infections are sporadic in diarrheic calves in South Korea, and the Korean BToV strains are more closely related to the Japanese and Dutch BToVs than to the American and Italian BToVs.

First isolation of cytopathogenic bovine torovirus in cell culture from a calf with diarrhea.

A cytopathogenic virus (designated the Aichi/2004 strain) was isolated in a human rectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HRT-18) from the ileum contents of a calf with diarrhea. Oval and elongated particles, approximately 100 to 170 nm in diameter, with club-shaped projections were seen in the infected culture supernatant, and torovirus-like (tubular and torus nucleocapsid) structures were seen in the infected cells by electron microscopy. An antiserum against bovine torovirus (BToV) reacted with the infected cells by immunofluorescence and neutralized the isolate. However, antisera against bovine coronavirus (BCV) failed to react with the infected cells by immunofluorescence or did not neutralize the isolate. Further, the isolate was positive for BToV by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) targeting fragments of the nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and spike (S) genes. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the PCR products with those of the published N, M, and S genes (476 to 497, 672, and 687 to 690 nucleotides, respectively) of toroviruses showed high sequence identities (up to 99.4%, 98.7%, and 94.9% for the N, M, and S genes, respectively) between the isolate and BToVs. In contrast, the isolate was negative for BCV by RT-PCR. In a serological survey of serum samples from 355 calves at 33 farms, 92% of calves were positive for neutralizing antibodies to the isolate. These results indicate that the isolate in this study was BToV and that BToV infection might be common in cattle in Japan. To our knowledge, this is the first isolation of BToV in tissue culture.

Epidemiological analysis of bovine torovirus in Japan.

Bovine torovirus (BToV), a member of the Coronaviridae family, is an established gastrointestinal infectious agent in cattle. No epidemiological research on BToV has been reported from Japan. In this study, we performed a survey to detect BToV in Japan in 2004 and 2005 using 231 fecal samples (167 from diarrheic cattle and 64 from asymptomatic cattle) that were analyzed by nested reverse transcription (RT) PCR using primers located in the consensus sequences of the reported BToV nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and spike (S) genes. BToV N, M, and S genes were detected in 6.5% (15/231), 6.1% (14/231), and 5.6% (13/231) of samples by nested-RT-PCR, respectively. In conclusion, detectability was improved compared to the results of the first round of RT-PCR. BToV was detected at a significantly higher rate in diarrheic samples than in asymptomatic samples (14/167 diarrheic samples [8.4%] and 1/64 asymptomatic samples [1.6%]), suggesting that BToV may act as a risk factor for diarrhea in Japanese cattle. The nucleotide sequence of M fragments from the BToV isolates including the newly identified Japanese isolates showed more than 97% identity. A similar degree of homology was observed in the N gene fragment among BToV isolates with the exception of BRV-1 and BRV-2. Domestic samples were classified into three clusters by phylogenetic analysis of the S gene fragment, which were considerably correlated with the geographic origin of the samples. BToV positive areas did not adjoin each other but were spread across a wide range, suggesting that BToV exists conventionally in Japan and is geographically differentiated. We also developed an RFLP method to distinguish these clusters using two restriction enzymes, HaeIII and AccI. This method should be useful for comparing newly acquired BToV-positive samples with the reported BToVs.

Detection of bovine torovirus in neonatal calf diarrhoea in Lower Austria and Styria (Austria).

Faeces of 230 calves with and without diarrhoea collected during the winter period 2004/2005 in 100 Austrian farms (Styria and Lower Austria) were examined for viral, bacterial and parasitic enteropathogens. Torovirus-specific nucleic acid confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was found in 12 of 230 calves (5.2%). Ten of these calves were clinically ill, several of them showing signs of dehydration and abnormal faecal consistency at the time of sampling. Computer assisted analysis of two nucleotide sequences obtained from Austrian bovine samples revealed 93% similarity to Breda strain, but only 71% or 52% similarity to Equine Berne or Porcine Markelo torovirus strains respectively. Phylogenetic analysis grouped Austrian torovirus samples into the Bovine torovirus cluster indicating the first detection of Bovine torovirus in Austria. In addition, the following agents were detected in bovine faecal samples: Bovine coronavirus, 25.7%; Escherichia coli, 17%; Cryptosporidium spp., 11.7%; Eimeria spp., 10.4%; Rotavirus, 9.1%; Clostridium perfringens, 9.1% and Giardia spp., 6.1%. Salmonella spp. was not detected.

Phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships among torovirus field variants: evidence for multiple intertypic recombination events.

Toroviruses (family Coronaviridae, order Nidovirales) are enveloped, positive-stranded RNA viruses that have been implicated in enteric disease in cattle and possibly in humans. Despite their potential veterinary and clinical relevance, little is known about torovirus epidemiology and molecular genetics. Here, we present the first study into the diversity among toroviruses currently present in European swine and cattle herds. Comparative sequence analysis was performed focusing on the genes for the structural proteins S, M, HE, and N, with fecal specimens serving as sources of viral RNA. Sequence data published for animal and human torovirus variants were included. Four genotypes, displaying 30 to 40% divergence, were readily distinguished, exemplified by bovine torovirus (BToV) Breda, porcine torovirus (PToV) Markelo, equine torovirus Berne, and the putative human torovirus. The ungulate toroviruses apparently display host species preference. In phylogenetic analyses, all PToV variants clustered, while the recent European BToVs mostly resembled the New World BToV variant Breda, identified 19 years ago. However, we found ample evidence for recurring intertypic recombination. All newly characterized BToV variants seem to have arisen from a genetic exchange, during which the 3' end of the HE gene, the N gene, and the 3' nontranslated region of a Breda virus-like parent had been swapped for those of PToV. Moreover, some PToV and BToV variants carried chimeric HE genes, which apparently resulted from recombination events involving hitherto unknown toroviruses. From these observations, the existence of two additional torovirus genotypes can be inferred. Toroviruses may be even more promiscuous than their closest relatives, the coronaviruses and arteriviruses.

Detection of bovine torovirus and other enteric pathogens in feces from diarrhea cases in cattle.

The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of bovine torovirus (BoTV) in bovine fecal samples from diarrhea cases submitted to the Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) and to assess if a relationship exists between BoTV and the other enteric pathogens detected. From November 1999 to May 2001, 259 specimens from 53 calves (< or = 6 months old), 27 young adults (52 years), 125 adults (> or = 2 years), and 54 animals of unknown age were examined by an antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay developed to detect BoTV. Testing for other enteric pathogens was performed by ADDL, and the results were analyzed with the BoTV data. The BoTV was detected using ELISA or RT-PCR in 9.7% (25/259) of the clinical samples, 56% (14/25) of which were from calves (P < 0.001) representing 26.4% (14/53) of the calves tested. Of the BoTV-positive calves, 71% (10/14) were less than 3 weeks of age. In 11/25 positive specimens, BoTV was the only pathogen detected among those examined. Other enteric organisms detected alone or in combination with BoTV in calf samples were rotavirus, coronavirus, Salmonella spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia spp.; but no consistent association between BoTV and these organisms was observed. In summary, BoTV was detected in fecal samples from cattle with diarrhea, principally in young calves less than 3 weeks of age. Future studies of infectious diarrhea in cattle should also include assays for this etiologic agent.