Hayes Yard virus: a novel ephemerovirus isolated from a bull with severe clinical signs of bovine ephemeral fever is most closely related to Puchong virus

Abstract

Bovine ephemeral fever is a vector-borne disease of ruminants that occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australia. The disease is caused by a rhabdovirus, bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV), which occurs as a single serotype globally. Although several other closely related ephemeroviruses have been isolated from cattle and/or arthropods, only kotonkan virus from Nigeria and (tentatively) Mavingoni virus from Mayotte Island in the Indian Ocean have been previously associated with febrile disease. Here, we report the isolation of a novel virus (Hayes Yard virus; HYV) from blood collected in February 2000 from a bull (Bos indicus) in the Northern Territory of Australia. The animal was suffering from a severe ephemeral fever-like illness with neurological involvement, including recumbency and paralysis, and was euthanised. Histological examination of spinal cord and lung tissue identified extensive haemorrhage in the dura mata with moderate perineuronal oedema and extensive emphysema. HYV displayed cone-shaped morphology, typical of rhabdoviruses, and was found to be most closely related antigenically to Puchong virus (PUCV), isolated in 1965 from mosquitoes in Malaysia. Analysis of complete genome sequences of HYV (15 025 nt) and PUCV (14 932 nt) indicated that each has a complex organisation (3′ N-P-M-G-G NS-α1-α2-β-γ-L 5′) and expression strategy, similar to that of BEFV. Based on an alignment of complete L protein sequences, HYV and PUCV cluster with other rhabdoviruses in the genus Ephemerovirus and appear to represent two new species. Neutralising antibody to HYV was also detected in a retrospective survey of cattle sera collected in the Northern Territory.

Hefer Valley virus – a novel ephemerovirus detected in blood of a cow with severe clinical signs, Israel, 2022

“…The genus Ephemerovirus, which belongs to the family Rhabdoviridae comprises viruses that primarily infect ruminants and are transmitted by blood-sucking insects [1,2], including e.g. Puchong virus (PUCV) from mosquitoes in Malaysia in 1965 and Hayes Yard virus (HYV) from a bull in Australia in 2000 [3,4]. However, several ephemeroviruses were detected in other origins, as porcine ephemeroviruses 1 and 2, which were identi ed in porcine tissues in China [5], and New Kent County virus was isolated from ticks in Northern America (origin:GenBank).…”

Hefer valley virus: a novel ephemerovirus detected in the blood of a cow with severe clinical signs in Israel in 2022

“…The genus Ephemerovirus, which belongs to the family Rhabdoviridae comprises viruses that primarily infect ruminants and are transmitted by blood-sucking insects [1,2], including e.g. Puchong virus (PUCV) from mosquitoes in Malaysia in 1965 and Hayes Yard virus (HYV) from a bull in Australia in 2000 [3,4].…”

Yata Virus (Family Rhabdoviridae, Genus Ephemerovirus) Isolation from Mosquitoes from Uganda, the First Reported Isolation since 1969

“…Bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV), for which the Ephemerovirus genus is named, is the most well-characterized of the ephemeroviruses. It is found extensively in Africa, Asia and Australia, and it causes severe, debilitating, febrile illness in cattle and water buffalo [ 7 ]. Outbreaks occur seasonally and can have a large impact on the dairy industry [ 7 , 8 ].…”

“…It is found extensively in Africa, Asia and Australia, and it causes severe, debilitating, febrile illness in cattle and water buffalo [ 7 ]. Outbreaks occur seasonally and can have a large impact on the dairy industry [ 7 , 8 ]. Due to their potential impact on livestock and widespread distribution, it is important to continue to improve our understanding of viruses in this genus.…”