Abstract
Bluetongue is a vector-borne disease with epidemic potential. Recently, outbreaks of Bluetongue were reported across Greece, caused by the Bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 4. Regarding its pathogenesis, BTV infection involves various target organs with limited data referring to the kidneys. The objective of this study was to identify the possible impact of BTV infection on kidneys using common renal biomarkers. Urine and blood samples collected from 30 sheep with clinical signs of bluetongue (BTV sheep) and 30 clinically healthy sheep (normal sheep) from the same farms were finally selected and included in the study from an initial population of 47 sheep per group, based on the absence of active urine sediment. Complete urinalysis was performed and urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPC) and urine gamma-glutamyl transferase to creatinine (UGGTC) ratio were determined. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, total proteins, albumin (ALB), and inorganic phosphate (P) were determined in serum samples. UPC and UGGTC were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in BTV sheep compared to normal, whereas urine specific gravity (USG) was significantly lower (p < 0.05). Cylindruria was also detected in BTV sheep, and absence of azotemia in BTV and normal sheep. All these findings are indicative of renal tubular injury and/or dysfunction and suggestive of an association between BTV infection and acute damage of renal tissue.
Highlights
Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants caused by Bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of the Reoviridae family, which is mainly transmitted by Culicoides biting midges [1], but there is possibility that transplacental transmission may occur [2,3]
Urine pH wasUrine pH was, traces of protein were detected by dipstick
Since samples with active sediment were excluded from the analysis, all these findings are indicative of acute kidney injury (AKI)
Summary
Bluetongue (BT) is a vector-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants caused by Bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of the Reoviridae family (genus Orbivirus), which is mainly transmitted by Culicoides biting midges [1], but there is possibility that transplacental transmission may occur [2,3]. There are at least 28 serotypes of the BTV [4,5]. In Greece, the first incidence of BTV was in 1979, caused by the serotype 4. Serotypes 1, 4, 9, and 16 were isolated in the epidemic of 1998–2001 [6]. The incidence was caused by the BTV serotype 1 in 2008–2009. An outbreak with a huge number of cases took place in 2014 caused by the serotype 4 [7,8]. The latest bluetongue incursion in Greece started at the end of July 2020 from Western Macedonia and by the end of November 2020, 339 outbreaks were detected across the whole country. Bluetongue virus serotype 4 was identified as the causative agent [6]
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