The Investigation of Pestivirus and Rift Valley Fever Virus Infections in Aborted Ruminant Foetuses in the Blacksea Region in Turkey

Abstract

SummaryIn this study, aborted foetuses (cattle, sheep and goat) in either coastal or inland Blacksea region of Turkey were surveyed for the presence of nucleic acids from pestiviruses (bovine viral diarrhoea virus-BVDV, border disease virus-BDV) and rift valley fever virus (RVFV) by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR). Pestivirus nucleic acids were found in 39 of 53 aborted calves (73.6%), in 34 of 37 aborted lambs (91.9%) and in 2 of 2 aborted kids (100%) by RT-PCR. In addition RVFV has been investigated in the same foetuses, however RVFV nucleic acid has not been confirmed in any samples. Keywords: Aborted foetus, RT-PCR, Pestivirus, RVFV, Turkey Karadeniz Bölgesinde Ruminant Atık Fötüslerinde Pestivirus ve Rift Vadisi Humması Virus Enfeksiyonlarının Araştırılması ÖzetBu çalışmada, Karadeniz bölgesinin sahil ve iç kesimlerinden elde edilen atık sığır koyun ve keçi fötüsleri pestiviruslar (bovine viral diare virus-BVDV, border hastalığı-BDV) ve rift vadisi humması virus (RVFV) nükleik asitleri yönünden reverz transkriptaz polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu (RT-PZR) ile test edildi. RT-PZR ile 53 atık buzağının 39'unda (%73.6), 37 atık kuzunun 34'ünde (%91.9) ve 2 atık oğlağın tamamında (%100) pestivirus nükleik asidi tespit edildi. Ayrıca aynı atık fötusların tamamında RVFV araştırıldı, fakat hiçbirisinde RVFV nükleik asidi tespit edilemedi.

Novel and emergent sandfly‐borne phleboviruses in Asia Minor: a systematic review

“…Review articles that present general or agent‐specific information on vector‐borne infections in Turkey including phleboviruses comprised 7 of the entries, and they were examined for further cited research on phleboviruses. Two reports presented surveillance data on the mosquito‐borne pathogenic phlebovirus Rift Valley fever virus, where serological and nucleic acid tests gave negative results in 350 sera (from cattle, horse, sheep, goat, and water buffaloes) and in aborted fetuses, collected from the Black Sea region of Turkey.…”

“…A total of 1693 database entries that comprise 1491 (88.1%) international and 202 (11.9%) regional reports were accessed. Following the omission of repetitive and/or unrelated records, 42 manuscripts emerged . A detailed assessment of content in this cohort revealed that 2 reports were merely focusing on West Nile virus without presenting data on phleboviruses and were subsequently omitted .…”

The risk of Rift Valley fever virus introduction and establishment in the United States and European Union

“… 44 Additionally, it is possible that RVFV-carrying vectors could travel to EU via the Middle East, particularly through Turkey. 45 However, RVFV remains non-existent or undetected in Turkey at present. 45 Assuming that this is a viable pathway, the risk of dissemination to the EU would be elevated during epidemic periods.…”

“… 45 However, RVFV remains non-existent or undetected in Turkey at present. 45 Assuming that this is a viable pathway, the risk of dissemination to the EU would be elevated during epidemic periods. 36 In comparison, it is highly unlikely that a vector could traverse the Atlantic Ocean to the US via natural wind dispersal, even in hurricane winds.…”

Investigation of Rift Valley Fever Virus Infection Serologically and Pathologically in Aborted Cattle, Sheep, Goats and in Fetuses

“…Limited research has been carried out on RVFV in Turkey. In their study on ruminant unborn fetus and many various species of domestic farm animals around northern areas of Turkey, Albayrak and Ozan [28,29] did not encounter any RVF infection. Yılmaz et al [30] found RVF infection seronegative in their study on sheep around Kars region.…”