Abstract
Small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) infections are widespread in Poland and circulation of subtypes A1, A12, A13, B1 and B2 was detected. The present work aimed at extending previous study based on the analysis of a larger number of animals from single-species flocks. Animals were selected for genetic analysis based on serological reactivity towards a range of recombinant antigens derived from Gag and Env viral proteins. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of subtypes B2 and A12 in both goats and sheep and subtypes A1 and B1 in goats only. In addition, two novel subtypes, A16 and A17, were found in goats. Co-infections with strains belonging to different subtypes within A and B groups were detected in 1 sheep and 4 goats originating from four flocks. Although the reactivity of serum samples towards the recombinant antigens confirmed immunological relatedness between Gag epitopes of different subtypes and the cross-reactive nature of Gag antibodies, eleven serum samples failed to react with antigens representing all subtypes detected up-to-date in Poland, highlighting the limitations of the serological diagnosis. These data showed the complex nature of SRLV subtypes circulating in sheep and goats in Poland and the need for improving SRLV-related diagnostic capacity.
Highlights
Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) and Maedi Visna virus (MVV) are small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) infecting goats and sheep respectively
While infection leads to mastitis and painful enlargement of the carpal joints in adult goats and encephalitis in goatlings [1], respiratory disorders such as dyspnea, as well as progressive weight loss and indurative mastitis are more common in sheep [2]
In a previous study [18]we showed that SRLV strains found in mixed flocks in Poland belonged to the well-known subtypes B1, B2 and A1 as well as to the more recently established subtypes A12 and A13
Summary
Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) and Maedi Visna virus (MVV) are small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) infecting goats and sheep respectively. In the course of infection the majority of animals remains clinically healthy, a fraction of them develops clinical manifestations. While infection leads to mastitis and painful enlargement of the carpal joints (arthritic form) in adult goats and encephalitis in goatlings [1], respiratory disorders such as dyspnea, as well as progressive weight loss and indurative mastitis are more common in sheep [2]. To other complex retroviruses, the genome of SRLV contains the gag, pol and env genes and additional open reading frames encoding regulatory proteins (vpr-like, vif and rev). The provirus genome is flanked by non-coding long terminal repeat regions (LTRs) composed.
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