Menangle virus, a pteropid bat paramyxovirus infectious for pigs and humans, exhibits tropism for secondary lymphoid organs and intestinal epithelium in weaned pigs

Abstract

This study is the first report of experimental infection and transmission of Menangle virus (MenPV) in pigs. Isolated in 1997 from piglets that were stillborn at a large commercial piggery in New South Wales, Australia, MenPV is a recently identified paramyxovirus of bat origin that causes severe reproductive disease in pigs and an influenza-like illness, with a rash, in humans. Although successfully eradicated from the infected piggery, the virus was only isolated from affected fetuses and stillborn piglets during the period of reproductive disease, and thus the mode of transmission between pigs was not established. To investigate the pathogenesis of MenPV, we undertook time-course studies in 6-week-old pigs following intranasal administration of a low-passage, non-plaque-purified isolate from the lung of an infected stillborn piglet. Viraemia was of short duration and low titre, as determined by real-time RT-PCR and virus isolation. Following an incubation period of 2–3 days, virus was shed in nasal and oral secretions, faeces and urine, typically for less than 1 week. Cessation of shedding correlated with the development of neutralizing antibodies in sera. Secondary lymphoid organs and intestine were identified, using quantitative real-time RT-PCR, as major sites of viral replication and dissemination, and this was confirmed by positive immunolabelling of viral antigen within various lymphoid tissues and intestinal epithelium. These data provide new insights into the pathogenesis of MenPV in weaned pigs, and will facilitate future control and eradication programmes should it ever re-emerge in the pig population.

Novel Paramyxoviruses in Free-Ranging European Bats

“…Paraffin blocks were cut at 2–5 µm thickness and stained with hematoxylin-eosin [19]. Immuno-histochemistry was performed on all organs of PCR positive bats using rabbit immune sera against Beilong virus, J-virus, Menangle virus, Tioman virus and Nipah virus as described previously [20]. Samples of lung, liver, heart, and kidney, and conspicuous tissues (e.g.…”

Alston Virus, a Novel Paramyxovirus Isolated from Bats Causes Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in Experimentally Challenged Ferrets

“…Tissues were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, and then trimmed and processed using routine histological methods as previously described [32]. Sections were assessed for the presence of histopathological lesions and viral antigen following routine hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining using rabbit antibodies raised against a recombinant AlsPV N protein peptide (Genscript, Piscataway, NJ, USA).…”

Bats: carriers of zoonotic viral and emerging infectious diseases

“…Several teratogenic defects such as brachygnathia, arthrogryposis and kyphosis were also reported (Barr et al, 2012). It has been proved that Menangle virus has significant tissue tropism for secondary lymphoid organs in pigs and humans and for intestinal epithelium in weaned piglets (Bowden et al, 2012). Serological analysis of persons in contact with the infected pigs also showed the high titers of antibodies against Menangle virus along with clinical signs of febrile illness with measles like rash.…”