Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Generation And Screening Of A Comprehensive Mycobacterium Avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis Transposon Mutant Bank, Govardhan Rathnaiah, Elise A. Lamont, N. Beth Harris, Robert J. Fenton, Denise K. Zinniel, Xiaofei Liu, Josh Sotos, Zhengyu Feng, Ayala Livneh-Kol, Nahum Y. Shpigel, Charles J. Czuprynski, Srinand Sreevatsan, Raul G. Barletta

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of Johne’s Disease in ruminants. This enteritis has significant economic impact and world wide distribution. Vaccination is one of the most cost effective infectious disease control measures. Unfortunately, current vaccines reduce clinical disease and shedding, but are of limited efficacy and do not provide long-term protective immunity. Several strategies have been followed to mine the MAP genome for virulence determinants that could be applied to vaccine and diagnostic assay developent. In this study, a comprehensive mutant bank of 13,536 MAP K-10 Tn5367 mutants (P>95% )was constructed and screened in …

Intricacies Of Cardiac Damage In Coxsackievirus B3 Infection: Implications For Therapy, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in humans, and myocarditis is one predominant cause of heart failure in young adults. Patients affected with myocarditis can develop dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a common reason for heart transplantation, which to date is the only viable option for combatting DCM. Myocarditis/DCM patients show antibodies to coxsackievirus B (CVB)3 and cardiac antigens, suggesting a role for CVB-mediated autoimmunity in the disease pathogenesis; however, a direct causal link remains to be determined clinically. Experimentally, myocarditis can be induced in susceptible strains of mice using the human isolates of CVB3, and the disease pathogenesis of …

Direct Staining With Major Histocompatibility Complex Class Ii Dextramers Permits Detection Of Antigen- Specific, Autoreactive Cd4 T Cells In Situ, Chandirasegaran Massilamany, Arunakumar Gangaplara, Ting Jia, Christian Elowsky, Guobin Kang, Jean-Jack Riethoven, Qingsheng Li, You Zhou, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

We report here the utility of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II dextramers for in situ detection of self-reactive CD4 T cells in two target organs, the brain and heart. We optimized the conditions for in situ detection of antigen-specific CD4 T cells using brain sections obtained from SJL mice immunized with myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) 139–151; the sections were costained with IA^s/PLP 139–151 (specific) or Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) 70–86 (control) dextramers and anti-CD4. Analysis of sections by laser scanning confocal microscope revealed detection of cells positive for PLP 139–151 but not for TMEV 70–86 dextramers …

Influence Of Iron And Aeration On Staphylococcus Aureus Growth, Metabolism, And Transcription, Nagender Ledala, Bo Zhang, Javier Seravalli, Robert Powers, Greg Somerville

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Staphylococcus aureus is a prominent nosocomial pathogen and a major cause of biomaterial-associated infections. The success of S. aureus as a pathogen is due in part to its ability to adapt to stressful environments. As an example, the transition from residing in the nares to residing in the blood or deeper tissues is accompanied by changes in the availability of nutrients and elements such as oxygen and iron. As such, nutrients, oxygen, and iron are important determinants of virulence factor synthesis in S. aureus. In addition to influencing virulence factor synthesis, oxygen and iron are critical cofactors in enzymatic and …

Why American Higher Education Needs Parasitologists, John J. Janovy Jr.

John J. Janovy, Jr. Publications

Addresses four topics that characterize the discipline of parasitology and are largely missing from our national conversation in the United States about education, especially at the college and university level. Those topics are the production of transferable skills; our perceptions of the world, especially the natural world; access to reasonably difficult problems in natural settings; and intellectual epidemiology, or the movement of ideas, innovations, and cultural items through populations. These topics have been a part of the author's discussions with fellow parasitologists for at least half a century, beginning with his choice to pursue a graduate degree under the supervision …

Varestrongylus Eleguneniensis Sp. N. (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae): A Widespread, Multi-Host Lungworm Of Wild North American Ungulates, With An Emended Diagnosis For The Genus And Explorations Of Biogeography, Guilherme G. Verocai, Susan J. Kutz, Manon Simard, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Background: A putative new species of Varestrongylus has been recently recognized in wild North American ungulates based on the ITS-2 sequences of larvae isolated from feces during a wide geographic survey. No taxonomic description was provided, as adult specimens were not examined. Methods: Lungworm specimens were collected in the terminal bronchioles of muskoxen from Quebec, and a woodland caribou from central Alberta, Canada. The L3 stage was recovered from experimentally infected slugs (Deroceras spp.). Description of specimens was based on comparative morphology and integrated approaches. Molecular identity was determined by PCR and sequencing of the ITS-2 region of …

Air Sac Nematode Monopetalonema Alcedinis In A Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle Alcyon) In Maryland, Usa, Ellen Bronson, Kathleen Kelly, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Sporadic and geographically widespread reports of parasites affecting the Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) have been published but few have described details of the pathology. A female, adult kingfisher was found dead in a heavily wooded area of a zoo in Maryland, USA. At necropsy, numerous sexually dimorphic, 4.4–40.5-cm adult Monopetalonema alcedinis nematodes were found tightly wound within the coelomic cavity between organs and completely filling the caudal thoracic and abdominal air sacs. Abundant, 30–60-mm diameter, larvated, thick-walled ova were found in the bronchi and parabronchi, within the mesentery, and in the serosa of multiple coelomic organs. Monopetalonema alcedinis …

In Memoriam: Robert Lloyd Rausch—A Life In Nature And Field Biology, 1921–2012, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

During his distinguished career, Robert Rausch, a man of great integrity and principles, served in his lifetime as a singular ambassador for parasitology in a broad international arena. Robert was a friend to many, was honored to be considered an equal among the nomadic bands of Nunamiut traversing the Brooks Range 60 years ago, and will be long remembered for the strength of his science and his perceptive views of the natural world.

Levisunguis Subaequalis N. G., N. Sp., A Tongue Worm (Pentastomida: Porocephalida: Sebekidae) Infecting Softshell Turtles, Apalone Spp. (Testudines: Trionychidae), In The Southeastern United States, Stephen S. Curran, Robin M. Overstreet, David E. Collins, George W. Benz

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

A new tongue worm (Pentastomida) belonging to the Sebekidae Sambon, 1922 (Porocephaloidea Sambon, 1922) is described based on exemplars collected from softshell terrapins Apalone spinifera aspera (Agassiz) and Apalone ferox (Schneider) in the southeastern United States; a new genus is erected to accommodate the new species. The new species belongs in the Sebekidae because adults possess four simple hooks arranged in a trapezoid pattern on the ventral surface of the cephalothorax, a mouth opening between the anterior and posterior pairs of hooks, a terminal anus, an elongated uterus with preanal uterine pore, and a Y-shaped seminal vesicle. Nymphs possess geminate …

Characterizing Dsrna Production In Virus-Infected Fish Cells, Amal Brek Aloufi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Viral dsRNA is produced by almost all viruses sometime during their replicative cycle. These viral nucleic acids are potent inducers of both innate and adaptive immune responses, and are therefore considered important immuno-modulators. Previous studies have shown that viruses produce dsRNA when replicating in mammalian cells; however, to date no one has demonstrated viral dsRNA production in virus infected fish cells. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate dsRNA production by fish viruses in fish cells, verifying production and performing initial characterization of the dsRNA molecules being produced. Three different rainbow trout cell lines were used in this …

Ehrlichia And Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae Surveillance In Amblyomma Americanum In Virginia Through Use Of A Novel Six-Plex Real-Time Pcr Assay, David N. Gaines, Darwin J. Operario, Suzanne Stroup, Ellen Stromdahl, Chelsea Wright, Holly Gaff, James Broyhill, Joshua Smith, Douglas E. Norris, Tyler Henning, Agape Lucas, Eric Houpt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The population of the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum has expanded in North America over the last several decades. It is known to be an aggressive and nondiscriminatory biter and is by far the most common human-biting tick encountered in Virginia. Few studies of human pathogen prevalence in ticks have been conducted in our state since the mid-twentieth century. We developed a six-plex real-time PCR assay to detect three Ehrlichia species (E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Panola Mountain Ehrlichia) and three spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR; R. amblyommii, R. parkeri, and R. rickettsii …

Single-Tube Real-Time Pcr Assay For Differentiation Of Ixodes Affinis And Ixodes Scapularis, Chelsea L. Wright, Wayne L. Hynes, Breanna T. White, Mindy N. Marshall, Holly D. Gaff, David T. Gauthier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ixodes affinis Neumann (1899) and Ixodes scapularis Say (1821) are tick vectors of the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Ixodes affinis and I. scapularis are morphologically very similar, and as they are sympatric in the mid- and south-Atlantic U.S. coastal states, their accurate identification is crucial to studies of disease and vector ecology in this area. This work describes a rapid, single-tube SYBR® Green-based real-time PCR assay for differentiation of I. affinis and I. scapularis at all life stages. The assay employs 2 pairs of species specific primers directed against the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) …

Prevalence Of Ehrlichia Chaffeensis And Ehrlichia Ewingii In Amblyomma Americanum And Dermacentor Variabilis Collected From Southeastern Virginia, 2010-2011, Chelsea L. Wright, Holly D. Gaff, Wayne L. Hynes

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Amblyomma americanum is the most commonly-encountered tick species in southeastern Virginia, representing approximately 95% of the human-biting tick population in this area. Here we investigated the prevalence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii in questing Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis ticks collected from multiple sites in southeastern Virginia from 2010–2011. Although both Ehrlichia species were detected in Amblyomma americanum, no evidence of either pathogen was found in Dermacentor variabilis. Prevalence of E. chaffeensis varied by location, ranging from 0 – 5.08% among Amblyomma americanum populations. Ehrlichia ewingii prevalence was slightly higher, ranging from 0 – 8.20% among A. …

Ticks And Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae Of Southeastern Virginia, Robyn M. Nadolny, Chelsea L. Wright, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Wayne L. Hynes, Holly D. Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The incidence of tick-borne rickettsial disease in the southeastern United States has been rising steadily through the past decade, and the range expansions of tick species and tick-borne infectious agents, new and old, has resulted in an unprecedented mix of vectors and pathogens. The results of an ongoing 4-year surveillance project describe the relative abundance of questing tick populations in southeastern Virginia. Since 2009, more than 66,000 questing ticks of 7 species have been collected from vegetation in a variety of habitats, with Amblyomma americanum constituting over 95% of ticks collected. Other species represented included Ixodes scapularis, Dermacentor variabilis …

Comparison Of Phenology And Pathogen Prevalence, Including Infection With The Ehrlichia Muris-Like (Eml) Agent, Of Ixodes Scapularis Removed From Soldiers In The Midwestern And Northeastern United States Over A 15 Year Period (1997-2012), Ellen Stromdahl, Sarah Hamer, Sarah Jenkins, Lynne Sloan, Phillip Williamson, Erik Foster, Robyn Nadolny, Chad Elkins, Mary Vince, Bobbi Pritt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Since 1997, human-biting ticks submitted to the Department of Defense Human Tick Test Kit Program (HTTKP) of the US Army Public Health Command have been tested for pathogens by PCR. We noted differences in the phenology and infection prevalence among Ixodes scapularis ticks submitted from military installations in different geographic regions. The aim of this study was to characterize these observed differences, comparing the phenology and pathogen infection rates of I. scapularis submitted from soldiers at two sites in the upper Midwest ( Camp Ripley, MN, and Ft. McCoy, WI) and one site in the northeastern US (Ft. Indiantown …

Microsporidia Biological Control Agents And Pathogens Of Beneficial Insects, Susan Bjornson, David Oi

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Structure-Function Analysis Of Zapc, An Ftsz-Ring Stabilizer, In Escherichia Coli Cytokinesis, Lukasz Tchorzewski

Dissertations and Theses

In Escherichia coli, cell division is defined by the polymerization and constriction of a cytokinetic ring (Z ring) formed by FtsZ, a tubulin-like GTPase, at midcell. Division also involves the formation of a multi-protein complex at midcell known as the divisome. Several divisome proteins promote the assembly/disassembly processes of FtsZ, thereby exercising spatiotemporal control over division. Among FtsZ regulatory proteins are the FtsZ ringassociated proteins (Zap), which either directly or indirectly stabilize the Z-ring by increasing lateral interactions amongst FtsZ protofilaments in the Z-ring. ZapA-D are recruited during early cytokinesis and have overlapping functions in stabilizing FtsZ at midcell, but …

The Effect Of Fluvastatin On Mast Cell Function: Genotype Dependence, Elizabeth M. Kolawole

Theses and Dissertations

Fluvastatin, the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor known for its role in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease, has more recently been shown to play a role in the immune response. Given the critical role that mast cells play in allergy and inflammatory diseases such as asthma, which effects one third of America’s population, we assessed the effect of fluvastatin on mast cell and basophils function. We demonstrate that fluvastatin downregulated IgE-mediated cytokine production. Additionally, in vivo studies showed that fluvastatin suppressed IgE-mediated anaphylaxis. Interestingly, the effects of fluvastatin showed dependence on genetic background, as C57BL/6 mast cells were sensitive, while …

The Role Of Toll-Like Receptor 9 In Periodontitis, Paul Kim

Theses and Dissertations

Periodontitis is a biofilm-initiated inflammatory disease, resulting in soft tissue damage and alveolar bone loss. A nucleic acid sensor, toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), has been recently implicated in periodontal inflammation. This study utilized an in vivo periodontitis model using TLR9 knockout (TLR9-/-) mice to assess the role of TLR9 in periodontitis. Significant bone loss was observed in wild type, but not in TLR9-/- mice. Further experiments using ex vivo assays revealed significantly higher IL-6 production in splenocytes of wild type mice compared to knockout cells in response to Porphyromonas gingivalis (a keystone pathogen for periodontitis) challenge. In conclusion, TLR9 contributes …

Identification Of Peptidases In Highly-Pathogenic Versus Weakly-Pathogenic Naegleria Fowleri Amebae, Ishan Vyas

Theses and Dissertations

Naegleria fowleri, a free-living ameba, is the causative agent of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis. Highly-pathogenic mouse-passaged amebae (Mp) and weakly-pathogenic axenically-grown (Ax) N. fowleri were examined for peptidase activity. Zymography and azocasein peptidase activity assays demonstrated that Mp and Ax N. fowleri exhibited a similar peptidase pattern. Prominent for whole cell lysates, membranes and conditioned medium from Mp and Ax amebae were the presence of an activity band of approximately 58kDa and 100 kDa bands susceptible to the action of cysteine and metallopeptidase inhibitors, respectively. Further roles of the peptidases during the invasion process were examined by in vitro invasion assays …

Role Of The Intestinal Microbiota In Gut Barrier Dysfunction Following Burn Injury, Zachary Earley

Master's Theses

Burn injury represents a major medical problem with half a million cases requiring medical attention and 4,000 deaths reported annually. Sepsis and multiple organ failure remain the leading causes of death following injury, and may be brought on by bacterial infections or toxins. The gastrointestinal tract contains approx. 100 trillion microbes; therefore, the indigenous commensal microbiota may play a role in leading to these complications or infections in burn patients. The overall objective of this project is to identify a potential mechanism whereby changes in gut bacteria may lead to intestinal inflammation or bacterial translocation--key factors which may lead to …

Characterizing The Mechanisms By Which Community Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Influences Keratinocyte Innate Immune Responses During Recurrent Infection, Ashley Lynn Larm

Master's Theses

Community associated–methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA–MRSA) infection has become a major health concern. In human epidermal keratinocytes, S. aureus is mainly recognized through toll–like receptor 2 (TLR2) and its co–receptor, CD14. We hypothesize that CA–MRSA isolates cause recurrent infections by interrupting TLR2–mediated inflammation in keratinocytes. Recurrent CA–MRSA bacterial culture supernatant exposure to keratinocytes in vitro resulted in significant decreases in pro and anti–inflammatory cytokine and HMGB1 secretion from keratinocytes as assessed by ELISAs. Recurrent CA–MRSA live infection did not result in significant changes in cytokine or HMGB1 secretion, surface receptor expression, or NFκB activation post infection as assessed by ELISA …

Identification And Analysis Of Omentum Derived Suppressor Cells In Regards To Th17 Inhibition, Nick Huang

Dissertations

Omentum has been harnessed by surgeons for hundreds of years, providing an ideal environment for graft healing and acceptance. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms that promote the tolergenic environment of the omentum. We examined the cellular composition and role of activated omentum in regards to T-cell immunomodulation. We then tested activated omentum as a cellular therapy in a mouse allogenic lung transplantation model.

Our findings demonstrated activated omentum is mostly comprised of non-hematopoietic cells resembling mesenchymal stem-like cells (MSCs) and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Activated omentum exhibited anti-inflammatory properties through suppression of Th1 and Th17, while …

Noninvasive Assessment Of Cardiac Abnormalities In Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis By Magnetic Resonance Microscopy Imaging In The Mouse, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Vahid Khalilzad-Sharghi, Arunakumar Gangaplara, David Steffen, Shadi F. Othman, Jay Reddy

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the myocardium, but only ~10% of those affected show clinical manifestations of the disease. To study the immune events of myocardial injuries, various mouse models of myocarditis have been widely used. This study involved experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) induced with cardiac myosin heavy chain (Myhc)-α 334-352 in A/J mice; the affected animals develop lymphocytic myocarditis but with no apparent clinical signs. In this model, the utility of magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) as a non-invasive modality to determine the cardiac structural and functional changes in animals immunized with Myhc-α 334-352 is shown. EAM and healthy mice …

Sjl Mice Infected With Acanthamoeba Castellanii Develop Central Nervous System Autoimmunity Through The Generation Of Cross-Reactive T Cells For Myelin Antigens, Jay Reddy, Chandirasegaran Massilamany, Francine Marciano-Cabral, Bruno Da Rocha-Azevedo, Melissa Jamerson, Arunakumar Gangaplara, David Steffen, Rana Zabad, Zsolt Illes, Raymond Sobel

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

We recently reported that Acanthamoeba castellanii (ACA), an opportunistic pathogen of the central nervous system (CNS) possesses mimicry epitopes for proteolipid protein (PLP) 139–151 and myelin basic protein 89–101, and that the epitopes induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in SJL mice reminiscent of the diseases induced with their corresponding cognate peptides. We now demonstrate that mice infected with ACA also show the generation of crossreactive T cells, predominantly for PLP 139–151, as evaluated by T cell proliferation and IAs/dextramer staining. We verified that PLP 139–151-sensitized lymphocytes generated in infected mice contained a high proportion of T helper 1 cytokineproducing cells, …

Protective Humoral Immune Response Induced By An Inactivated Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Expressing The Hypo-Glycosylated Glycoprotein 5, Jung-Ah Lee, Byungjoon Kim, Fernando A. Osorio, Asit K. Pattnaik, Nak-Hyung Lee, Sang-Won Lee, Seung-Yong Park, Chang-Seon Song, In-Soo Choi, Joong-Bok Lee

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Although inactivated and live vaccines are commercially available for the control of PRRS, both types of vaccine have not always proven successful in terms of generating a protective immune response, particularly in the case of inactivated vaccines. In this study, we tested whether an inactivated vaccine could induce a humoral immune response to PRRS during a homologous challenge. Amino acid substitutions were introduced into glycoprotein (GP) 5 of the FL12 strain of the PRRS virus (PRRSV) using site-directed mutagenesis with a pFL12 infectious clone. The …

Light Stimulates The Mouse Adrenal Through A Retinohypothalamic Pathway Independent Of An Effect On The Clock In The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Silke Kiessling, Patricia J. Sollars, Gary E. Pickard

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The brain’s master circadian pacemaker resides within the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). SCN clock neurons are entrained to the day/night cycle via the retinohypothalamic tract and the SCN provides temporal information to the central nervous system and to peripheral organs that function as secondary oscillators. The SCN clock-cell network is thought to be the hypothalamic link between the retina and descending autonomic circuits to peripheral organs such as the adrenal gland, thereby entraining those organs to the day/night cycle. However, there are at least three different routes or mechanisms by which retinal signals transmitted to the hypothalamus may be conveyed …

Moraxella Spp. Isolated From Field Outbreaks Of Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis: A Retrospective Study Of Case Submissions From 2010 To 2013, John Dustin Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), also known as pinkeye, is the most costly eye disease of cattle. The principal etiologic agent of IBK is the Gram-negative bacterium Moraxella bovis. However, there have been reports of IBK outbreaks associated with Moraxella bovoculi. A retrospective study of IBK diagnostic cases submitted from July 1, 2010, through October 31, 2013, was conducted. Included in the study were 1,042 Moraxella isolates from 1,538 swabs of lacrimal secretions collected from 282 herds from 30 U.S. states. Moraxella isolates were identified to the species level and were composed of M. bovoculi (701 isolates), M. bovis …

Bovine Herpesvirus 1 Productive Infection Stimulates Inflammosome Formation And Caspase 1 Activity, Jianlin Wang, Jeffrey Alexander, Matthew S. Wiebe, Clinton J. Jones

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), a significant viral pathogen of cattle, causes inflammation in affected tissue during acute infection. Consequently, we tested whether productively infected bovine cells stimulate inflammasome formation. Expression of two components required for inflammasome formation, the DNA sensor IFI16 (gamma-interferon-inducible protein 16) and NLRP3 (NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3), were induced in bovine kidney cells by eight hours after infection. IFI16 was detected in punctate granules localized to the cytoplasm and nucleus. During productive infection, more than ten times more cells were caspase 1 positive, which is activated following inflammasome formation. Two caspase 1 inhibitors had …

Experimental Infection Of Pregnant Goats With Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (Bvdv) 1 Or 2, Thomas Passler, Kay P. Riddell, Misty A. Edmondson, Manuel F. Chamorro, John D. Neill, Bruce W. Brodersen, Heather L. Walz, Patricia K. Galik, Yijing Zhang, Paul H. Walz

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Infections with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) of the genus pestivirus, family Flaviviridae, are not limited to cattle but occur in various artiodactyls. Persistently infected (PI) cattle are the main source of BVDV. Persistent infections also occur in heterologous hosts such as sheep and deer. BVDV infections of goats commonly result in reproductive disease, but viable PI goats are rare. Using 2 BVDV isolates, previously demonstrated to cause PI cattle and white-tailed deer, this study evaluated the outcome of experimental infection of pregnant goats. Pregnant goats (5 goats/group) were intranasally inoculated with BVDV 1b AU526 (group 1) or BVDV 2 …