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Journal ArticleDOI

Genogroup I picobirnavirus in diarrhoeic foals: can the horse serve as a natural reservoir for human infection?

TL;DR: A PBV strain, PBV/Horse/India/BG-Eq-3/2010, was identified in the faeces of a 10 month old weaned female foal with diarrhoea in January 2010 from Kolkata, India and sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis revealed close genetic relatedness to a human genogroup IPBV strain detected earlier from the same part of India.
Abstract: Picobirnaviruses (PBV) are small, non-enveloped viruses with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome. In this study a PBV strain, PBV/Horse/India/BG-Eq-3/2010, was identified in the faeces of a 10 month old weaned female foal with diarrhoea in January 2010 from Kolkata, India. Surprisingly, sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of a short stretch of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase gene revealed close genetic relatedness (> 98% nucleotide identity) to a human genogroup I PBV strain (Hu/GPBV1) detected earlier from the same part of India. Our observations together with earlier findings on genetic relatedness between human and animal PBV warrant further studies on zoonotic potential.

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The potential of human pathogenic viruses as significant indicators of water quality is emerging and has been proposed as suitable indices for the effective identification of such organisms of human origin contaminating water systems.
Abstract: Water quality through the presence of pathogenic enteric microorganisms may affect human health. Coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and coliphages are normally used as indicators of water quality. However, the presence of above-mentioned indicators do not always suggest the presence of human enteric viruses. It is important to study human enteric viruses in water. Human enteric viruses can tolerate fluctuating environmental conditions and survive in the environment for long periods of time becoming causal agents of diarrhoeal diseases. Therefore, the potential of human pathogenic viruses as significant indicators of water quality is emerging. Human Adenoviruses and other viruses have been proposed as suitable indices for the effective identification of such organisms of human origin contaminating water systems. This article reports on the recent developments in the management of water quality specifically focusing on human enteric viruses as indicators.

99 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The number of viruses found in horses is expanded, and their genomes are characterized to assist future epidemiological studies of their transmission and potential association with various equine diseases.
Abstract: Metagenomics was used to characterize viral genomes in clinical specimens of horses with various organ-specific diseases of unknown aetiology. A novel parvovirus as well as a previously described hepacivirus closely related to human hepatitis C virus and equid herpesvirus 2 were identified in the cerebrospinal fluid of horses with neurological signs. Four co-infecting picobirnaviruses, including an unusual genome with fused RNA segments, and a divergent anellovirus were found in the plasma of two febrile horses. A novel cyclovirus genome was characterized from the nasal secretion of another febrile animal. Lastly, a small circular DNA genome with a Rep gene, from a virus we called kirkovirus, was identified in the liver and spleen of a horse with fatal idiopathic hepatopathy. This study expands the number of viruses found in horses, and characterizes their genomes to assist future epidemiological studies of their transmission and potential association with various equine diseases.

96 citations


Cites result from "Genogroup I picobirnavirus in diarr..."

  • ...The GI, GII and GIII genotypes were seen as distinct branches, consistent with previous analyses (Chen et al., 2014; Ganesh et al., 2011; Gillman et al., 2013; Masachessi et al., 2015; Smits et al., 2014)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Although, PBVs may have an ambiguous clinical implication, they do pose a potential public health concern in humans and control of PBVs mainly relies on nonvaccinal approach.
Abstract: Picobirnavirus (PBV) which has been included in the list of viruses causing enteric infection in animals is highly versatile because of its broad host range and genetic diversity PBVs are among the most recent and emerging small, nonenveloped viruses with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome, classified under a new family “Picobirnaviridae” PBVs have also been detected from respiratory tract of pigs, but needs further close investigation for their inhabitant behavior Though, accretion of genomic data of PBVs from different mammalian species resolved some of the ambiguity, quite a few questions and hypotheses regarding pathogenesis, persistence location, and evolution of PBVs remain unreciprocated Evolutionary analysis reveals association of PBVs with partitiviruses especially fungi partitiviruses Although, PBVs may have an ambiguous clinical implication, they do pose a potential public health concern in humans and control of PBVs mainly relies on nonvaccinal approach Based upon the published data, from 1988 to date, generated from animal PBVs across the globe, this review provides information and discussion with respect to genetic analysis as well as evolution of PBVs of animal origin in relation to human strains

64 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 2014
TL;DR: Pereira et al. as mentioned in this paper presented a review of the veterinary and zoonotic aspects of animal Picobirnavirus infections since its discovery, focusing on the potential role of PBV as either a primary diarrhoeal agent or a potential pathogen in "immunocompetent individuals" or an "innocuous virus" in the intestine.
Abstract: Picobirnavirus (PBV) is a small, non-enveloped, bisegmented double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus of vertebrate hosts. The name ‘Picobirnavirus’ derives from the prefix ‘pico’ (latin for ‘small’) in reference to the small virion size, plus the prefix ‘bi’ (latin for ‘two’) and the word ‘RNA’ to indicate the nature of the viral genome. The serendipitous discovery of PBV dates back to 1988 from Brazil, when human fecal samples collected during the acute gastroenteritis outbreaks were subjected for routine rotavirus surveillance by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and silver straining (S/S). The PAGE gels after silver staining showed a typical ‘two RNA band’ pattern, and it was identified as Picobirnavirus. Likewise, the feces of wild black-footed pigmy rice rats (Oryzomys nigripes) subjected for PAGE assay by the same research group in Brazil reported the presence of PBV (Pereira et al., J Gen Virol 69:2749–2754, 1988). PBVs have been detected in faeces of humans and wide range of animal species with or without diarrhoea, worldwide. The probable role of PBV as either a ‘primary diarrhoeal agent’ in ‘immunocompetent children’; or a ‘potential pathogen’ in ‘immunocompromised individuals’ or an ‘innocuous virus’ in the intestine remains elusive and needs to be investigated despite the numerous reports of the presence of PBV in fecal samples of various species of domestic mammals, wild animals, birds and snakes; our current knowledge of their biology, etiology, pathogenicity or their transmission characteristics remains subtle. This review aims to analyse the veterinary and zoonotic aspects of animal Picobirnavirus infections since its discovery.

58 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The public health aspects of PBV infection, especially its possible association with zoonosis is analyzed, as well as evidence has been found for genetic relatedness between human and animalPBV strains, suggesting extant crossing points in the ecology and evolution of heterologous PBV strains.
Abstract: Picobirnaviruses (PBVs) are small, non-enveloped, bisegmented double-stranded RNA genomic viruses of vertebrate hosts. Since their discovery in the late 1980s in clinical specimens from outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in children, significant efforts have been made to investigate the role of PBV in diarrheic diseases. PBV has been detected in sporadic episodes of diarrhea as sole pathogen or coinfection as well as in outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis and in immunocompromised patients with diarrhea. However, PBV is frequently detected in non-diarrheic healthy hosts, and prolonged shedding has been observed in some individuals. Of interest, similar patterns of PBV infection have also been observed in pigs and other animal hosts. The increasing amount of PBV sequence data gathered from molecular epidemiological studies has evidenced a great sequence diversity of PBVs in various hosts and environmental samples. Importantly, evidence has been found for genetic relatedness between human and animal PBV strains, suggesting extant crossing points in the ecology and evolution of heterologous PBV strains. At present, no cell culture and animal model exists for PBVs. Well-structured epidemiological studies are still the only alternative to demonstrate the potential etiological role of PBVs in acute gastroenteritis or other diseases. This review aims to analyze the public health aspects of PBV infection, especially its possible association with zoonosis.

54 citations


Cites background from "Genogroup I picobirnavirus in diarr..."

  • ...More recently, an equine PBV strain was identified in a diarrheic foal in Kolkata, India, which shared complete sequence identity with a previously described human PBV strain from the same area [45] and close homology with porcine PBV strains reported from Hungary....

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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Faeces samples from diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic lambs and goat kids aged 1–45 days were examined for enteric pathogens and no evidence was found of synergistic effect between the agents studied.
Abstract: Faeces samples from diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic lambs and goat kids aged 1-45 days were examined for enteric pathogens. Cryptosporidium parvum was detected in both diarrhoeic lambs (45%) and goat kids (42%) but not in non-diarrhoeic animals. F5+ (K99+) and/or F41+ Escherichia coli strains were isolated from 26% and 22% of the diarrhoeic lambs and goat kids, respectively, although these strains, which did not produce enterotoxins ST I or LT I, were found with similar frequencies in non-diarrhoeic animals. A F5-F41-ST I+ E. coli strain was isolated from a diarrhoeic lamb (0.6%). Verotoxigenic E. coli was isolated from both diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic lambs (4.1% and 8.2%, respectively) and there was no association between infection and diarrhoea. The prevalence of group A rotavirus infection in diarrhoeic lambs was very low (2.1%). Groups A and B rotaviruses were detected in three (8.1%) and five (13.5%) diarrhoeic goat kids from two single outbreaks. Group C rotaviruses were detected in four non-diarrhoeic goat kids. An association of diarrhoea and infection was demonstrated only for group B rotavirus. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from 10.8% of the diarrhoeic goat kids but not from non-diarrhoeic goat kids or lambs. Salmonella arizonae was isolated from a diarrhoeic goat kid (2.7%) and the clinical characteristics of the outbreaks where these two latter enteropathogens were found different from the rest. Picobirnaviruses were detected in a diarrhoeic lamb. No coronaviruses were detected using a bovine coronavirus ELISA. No evidence was found of synergistic effect between the agents studied. Enteric pathogens were not found in four (8.7%) and three (20%) outbreaks of diarrhoea in lambs and goat kids, respectively.

129 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
25 Nov 2000-Virology
TL;DR: The view that picobirnaviruses constitute a distinct family of viruses is supported, as they were detected in samples from two outbreaks of gastroenteritis in long-term elder care facilities but were not determined to be the primary pathogen.

118 citations


"Genogroup I picobirnavirus in diarr..." refers background or methods in this paper

  • ...Recently, additional sequence information of full or nearly full genome segments has been made available in the public DNA databases for other human strains [8,9] as well as a lapin [10] and a bovine PBV strain [11]....

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  • ...Broadly reactive primer pairs for RT-PCR [8] have served as an alternative to PAGE, for molecular detection and characterisation of PBV....

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  • ...(Similarly, RT-PCR assay using the primers [32] targeting the rotavirus VP4 and VP7 genes failed to detect the group A rotavirus)....

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  • ...PBV: picobirnavirus; dsRNA: double-stranded RNA; kbp: kilo base pair; ORF: open reading frame; RdRp: RNA dependent RNA polymerase; PAGE: polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; RT-PCR: reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; nt: nucleotide; aa: amino acid; Hu: human; Po: porcine; Bo: bovine; Eq: equine...

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  • ...Subsequently, the viral RNA was amplified using the primers and algorithms described previously [8,14]....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A survey of normal and diarrhoeic foals in Britain and Ireland from 1987 to 1989 revealed a significantly higher prevalence of Group A rotaviruses and Aeromonas hydrophila in diarrhoea, and diagnostic tests for rotavirus in the faeces showed electron microscopy and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) to have similar sensitivity.
Abstract: Summary A survey of 77 normal and 326 diarrhoeic foals in Britain and Ireland from 1987 to 1989 revealed a significantly higher prevalence of Group A rotaviruses and Aeromonas hydrophila in diarrhoeic foals. The prevalence of cryptosporidia, potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridium perfringens was similar in normal or diarrhoeic foals. Rotaviruses had a similar prevalence in all age groups of scouring foals up to three months of age, with an overall prevalence of 37 per cent among diarrhoeic foals. The number of cases of diarrhoea varied considerably from year to year, but in all three years of the survey rotavirus was a significant pathogen. A comparison of diagnostic tests for rotavirus in the faeces showed electron microscopy (EM) and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) to have similar sensitivity. The Rotazyme ELISA test kit was found to have the same sensitivity as a combination of EM and PAGE. A. hydrophila had an overall prevalence of 9 per cent among diarrhoeic foals, although its prevalence was higher in some age groups. A. hydrophila has not been established previously as a significant enteric pathogen in foals. Other putative pathogens found at very low prevalence were coronavirus, the putative picobirnavirus, Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. No evidence was found of synergistic effects between rotavirus, cryptosporidia and potentially pathogenic E. coli. Neither coccidia nor non-Group A rotaviruses were found in any of the samples examined.

115 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Examination of the intestinal contents of free-living Oryzomys nigripes rats by PAGE revealed two sharply defined bands that could be stained by ethidium bromide or by silver nitrate with comparable intensities, suggesting that these particles represent an as yet undescribed virus with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome, for which the name 'picobirnavirus' is proposed.
Abstract: Examination of the intestinal contents of free-living Oryzomys nigripes rats by PAGE revealed two sharply defined bands that could be stained by ethidium bromide or by silver nitrate with comparable intensities. The molecules forming these bands were susceptible to digestion by pancreatic RNase A but not by RNase T1 or by DNase I. Their lengths were estimated to be about 2.6 and 1.5 kbp, respectively, by comparison with rotavirus SA11 genome segments. They cosedimented in CsCl gradients at a density of 1.39 to 1.40 g/ml, together with uniform particles approximately 35 nm in diameter with indistinct surface structure. It is suggested that these particles represent an as yet undescribed virus with a bisegmented double-stranded RNA genome, for which the name 'picobirnavirus' is proposed.

103 citations


"Genogroup I picobirnavirus in diarr..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Abbreviations: Hu, Human; Po, Porcine; Bo, Bovine; Eq, Equine; ARG, Argentina; BRA, Brazil; Hun, Hungary; Thai, Thailand; USA, United States of America; Ven, Venezuela. thus conclusions on the evolutionary relationships between any two PBV may have limitations....

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  • ...Historically, PBV were first detected in the faecal specimens of humans and free-living rats (Oryzomys nigripes) in 1988 from Brazil [1,12]....

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Journal ArticleDOI

98 citations