Molecular epidemiology of Akabane virus in Taiwan

Abstract

Background Akabane virus (AKAV) is a teratogenic and neuropathogenic arbovirus that infects livestock and wild animals. AKAVs are endemic arboviruses from dairy farms in Taiwan in 1989, and the first sequence was detected in cattle with nonsuppurative encephalitis in 1992. Objectives This study aims to understand the epidemiological relationships of the akabane viruses between Taiwan and nearby places. Methods In this study, 17 specimens were identified or isolated from vector insects, and ruminant fetuses collected from 1992 to 2015 were sequenced and analysed. Results Sequence analyses revealed all Taiwanese AKAVs belonged to genogroup Ia but diverged into two clusters in the phylogenetic trees, implying that at least two invasive events of AKAV may have occurred in Taiwan. Conclusions The two clusters of AKAVs could still be identified in Taiwan in 2015, and a reassortment event was observed, indicating that the two clusters of AKAVs are already endemic in Taiwan.

Occurrence and surveillance of Taiwanese bovine arboviruses using hematophagous insects in dairy farms during 2012–2019

“…This might be especially important for ecological interactions of Culicoides -borne diseases between Taiwan and nearby islands. Studies of BEFV and AKAV showed the possibility of transboundary transmission by Culicoides -borne diseases that could communicate in both directions between Taiwan and the Yaeyama Islands using meteorological analysis, surveillance, and phylogenetic evidence ( Hayama et al 2016 , Tzeng et al 2019 , 2022 ). However, the identification of transboundary events requires information exchange to link the spatiotemporal and phylogenetic relationships between 2 or more epidemic events.…”

“…This phenomenon is an important mechanism for the transboundary movement of Culicoides -borne viruses onto an island such as Taiwan. BEFV and Akabane virus (AKAV, Peribunyaviridae : Orthobunyavirus ) have been reported to be exchanged between Taiwan and nearby localities ( Lee 2019 , Tzeng et al 2022 ), which indicated that the candidate virus list for Taiwan surveillance could be expanded by including surveillance results from nearby localities, such as the Yaeyama Islands and the southeastern part of China. Currently, 7 viruses have been only identified in Taiwan ( Tzeng et al 2019 , Yanase et al 2020 ).…”

The First Serological Detection and Risk Factors Analysis of Akabane Virus in Egyptian Cattle

“…AD has emerged as a common infection among many domestic and wild animals in many Asian nations, including Japan [14], South Korea [15], Taiwan [16], Iraq [17], and China, where it is one of the seven pandemic diseases that are subject to a mandatory quarantine, and prohibits the importation of cattle, sheep, and goats [18]. It has been also reported in a number of countries in the Middle East [19], and Australia [20].…”