The Male Reproductive Organs in African Swine Fever–Implications for Transmission

Roszyk, Hanna; Franzke, Kati; Breithaupt, Angele; Deutschmann, Paul; Pikalo, Jutta; Carrau, Tessa; Blome, Sandra; Sehl-Ewert, Julia

doi:10.20944/preprints202111.0252.v1

2021

DOI: 10.20944/preprints202111.0252.v1

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The Male Reproductive Organs in African Swine Fever–Implications for Transmission

Hanna Roszyk¹,

Kati Franzke²,

Angele Breithaupt³

et al.

Abstract: African swine fever (ASF) has evolved from an exotic animal disease to a threat to global pig production. An important avenue for wide-spread transmission of animal diseases is the dissemination of viruses through boar semen used for artificial insemination (AI). In this context, we investigated the role of male reproductive organs in ASF. Mature domestic boars and adolescent wild boar inoculated with different ASF virus strains were investigated by means of virological and pathological methods. Additionally, … Show more

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Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

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Impact of ASFV Detergent Inactivation on Biomarkers in Serum and Saliva Samples

et al. 2022

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African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable viral disease of domestic and wild suids. Despite intensive research efforts, the pathogenesis of the disease is still far from being understood. Analysis of biomarkers in different body fluids may supplement traditional pathogenesis studies. As reliable protocols are often established in laboratories with lower biosafety, the reliable inactivation of samples is crucial. The objective of this study was to find a procedure that inactivates the virus while preserving the biomarkers for downstream analyses. To this means, three different inactivation protocols were employed, namely Tergitol-type NP-40 (NP-40), polyoxyethylene-p-t-octylphenol (Triton X-100) and one with 95 °C heating. It could be demonstrated that all samples treated with 0.5% (v/v) concentration of both detergents showed an absence of virus infectivity. The same was true for heated samples. However, heated serum was not suitable for analyses. Next, the impact of treatment on biomarker readouts was assessed. While all protocols had an impact on the detection of biomarkers, correlation was retained. In particular, NP-40 may be the desired detergent for more accurate measurements while achieving efficient virus inactivation. Based on these studies, samples can be reliably inactivated for most biomarker analyses, and thus broader interdisciplinary cooperation is possible.

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Impact of ASFV Detergent Inactivation on Biomarkers in Serum and Saliva Samples

et al. 2022

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Artificial Insemination as an Alternative Transmission Route for African Swine Fever Virus

Friedrichs

Reicks²,

Hasenfuß³

et al. 2022

Pathogens

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The rapid spread of the African swine fever virus (ASFV), causing severe disease with often high fatality rates in Eurasian suids, prevails as a threat for pig populations and dependent industries worldwide. Although advancing scientific progress continually enhances our understanding of ASFV pathogenesis, alternative transmission routes for ASFV have yet to be assessed. Here, we demonstrate that ASFV can efficiently be transferred from infected boars to naïve recipient gilts through artificial insemination (AI). In modern pig production, semen from boar studs often supplies many sow herds. Thus, the infection of a boar stud presents the risk of rapidly and widely distributing ASFV within or between countries. Daily blood and semen collection from four boars after intramuscular inoculation with ASFV strain ‘Estonia 2014’ resulted in the detection of ASFV genomes in the semen as early as 2 dpi, in blood at 1 dpi while semen quality remained largely unaffected. Ultimately, after insemination with extended semen, 7 of 14 gilts were ASFV positive by 7 days post insemination, and all gilts were ASFV positive by 35 days post insemination. Twelve out of 13 pregnant gilts aborted or resorbed at the onset of fever. A proportion of fetuses originating from the remaining gilt showed both abnormalities and replication of ASFV in fetal tissues. Thus, we present evidence for the efficient transmission of ASFV to gilts via AI and also to implanted embryos. These results underline the critical role that boar semen could play in ASFV transmission.

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Pathology of African Swine Fever in Reproductive Organs of Mature Breeding Boars

Sehl-Ewert

Friedrichs

Carrau

et al. 2023

Viruses

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African swine fever (ASF) is a severe, globally important disease in domestic and wild pigs. The testing of alternative transmission routes has proven that the ASF virus (ASFV) can be efficiently transmitted to sows via semen from infected boars through artificial insemination. Boars intramuscularly inoculated with the ASFV strain “Estonia 2014” showed grossly and microscopically visible changes in the testis, epididymis, prostate, and vesicular gland. The gross lesions included hemorrhages on the scrotum, testicular membranes, and parenchyma; edema; hydroceles; and proliferations of the tunica vaginalis. Histopathologically, vasculitis and perivasculitis was detected in the testis and epididymis. Subacutely infected animals further revealed a degeneration of the testicular and epididymal tubules, pointing to the destruction of the blood–testis and blood–epididymis barriers upon disease progression. This was confirmed by evidence of semen round cells and sperm abnormalities at later time points after the infection. The histopathology was associated with the presence of viral DNA and the infectious virus, and in a limited amount with viral antigens. In most scenarios, the impact of these changes on the reproductive performance and long-term persistence of the virus is probably negligible due to the culling of the animals. However, under backyard conditions and in wild boar populations, infected males will remain in the population and the long-term fate should be further evaluated.

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The Male Reproductive Organs in African Swine Fever–Implications for Transmission

Cited by 3 publications

References 37 publications

Impact of ASFV Detergent Inactivation on Biomarkers in Serum and Saliva Samples

Impact of ASFV Detergent Inactivation on Biomarkers in Serum and Saliva Samples

Artificial Insemination as an Alternative Transmission Route for African Swine Fever Virus

Pathology of African Swine Fever in Reproductive Organs of Mature Breeding Boars

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