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. 2015 Aug 22:11:221.
doi: 10.1186/s12917-015-0516-4.

Schmallenberg virus: experimental infection in goats and bucks

E Laloy  1 , M Riou  2 , C Barc  3 , G Belbis  4 , E Bréard  5 , S Breton  6 , N Cordonnier  7 , D Crochet  8 , R Delaunay  9 , J Moreau  10 , N Pozzi  11 , M Raimbourg  12 , P Sarradin  13 , S Trapp  14   15 , C Viarouge  16 , S Zientara  17 , C Ponsart  18
Affiliations

Schmallenberg virus: experimental infection in goats and bucks

E Laloy et al. BMC Vet Res. .

Abstract

Background: Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is an emerging Orthobunyavirus of ruminant livestock species currently circulating in Europe. SBV causes a subclinical or mild disease in adult animals but vertical transmission to pregnant dams may lead to severe malformations in the offspring. Data on the onset of clinical signs, viremia and seroconversion in experimentally infected adult animals are available for cattle and sheep but are still lacking for goats. For a better understanding of the pathogenesis of SBV infection in adult ruminants, we carried out experimental infections in adult goats. Our specific objectives were: (i) to record clinical signs, viremia and seroconversion; (ii) to monitor viral excretion in the semen of infected bucks; (iii) to determine in which tissues SBV replication took place and virus-induced lesions developed.

Results: Four goats and two bucks were inoculated with SBV. Virus inoculation was followed by a short viremic phase lasting 3 to 4 days and a seroconversion occurring between days 7 and 14 pi in all animals. The inoculated goats did not display any clinical signs, gross lesions or histological lesions. Viral genomic RNA was found in one ovary but could not be detected in other organs. SBV RNA was not found in the semen samples collected from two inoculated bucks.

Conclusions: In the four goats and two bucks, the kinetics of viremia and seroconversion appeared similar to those previously described for sheep and cattle. Our limited set of data provides no evidence of viral excretion in buck semen.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Detection of SBV RNA in blood by RT-qPCR after SBV inoculation in goats and bucks. A, B: goats inoculated with SBV-containing bovine serum; C, D: goats inoculated with SBV-containing ovine blood; E, F: bucks inoculated with SBV-containing bovine serum
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Detection of SBV specific antibodies by ELISA after SBV inoculation in goats and bucks. A, B: goats inoculated with SBV-containing bovine serum; C, D: goats inoculated with SBV-containing ovine blood; E, F: bucks inoculated with SBV-containing bovine serum. S/P < 60 %: negative; S/P > 70 %: positive and S/P between 60 % and 70 %: doubtful
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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