Arterivirus - Pathogenesis, Lab diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention, Control

Pathogenesis of Arterivirus

Pathogenesis of Arterivirus includes:

1. Equine viral arteritis (EVA)

2. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV)

3. Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV)

4. Simian Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (SHFV)

Equine viral arteritis

Equine viral arteritis is a respiratory and reproductive disease that is encountered in the equine population worldwide. In the field, Equine arteritis virus (EAV) infections are frequently subclinical or persistent, but the arterivirus is also capable of inducing a variety of symptoms. These symptoms include characteristics of lesions of the small muscular arteries (arthritis), acute anorexia and fever, edema, abortion in pregnant mares, and interstitial pneumonia in neonates.

PRRSV

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) have rapidly become one of the most important viral diseases of swine. The arterivirus continues to evolve, causing numerous acute disease outbreaks, resulting in swine mortality and abortion storms, or in atypical porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome.

Reported primary target cells for PRRSV replication are fully differentiated porcine lung alveolar macrophages and other cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. Clinical manifestations include occasional discoloring of the skin, most often on the ears (‘blue ear disease’) and vulva. Further symptoms are fever, anorexia, breathing difficulties lymphadenopathy, lung lesions, and abortion. After spreading through the circulation, PRRSV can replicate persistently in the tonsils, lungs, and lymphoid organs.

LDV

Lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) infection causes increased serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase in mice. The arterivirus was initially isolated from laboratory mice, but subsequently also found in wild mice. LDV infection is life-long but asymptomatic.

SHFV

Simian Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (SHFV) was originally discovered following an outbreak of fatal hemorrhagic fever in captive rhesus macaques, which likely contracted the arterivirus from asymptomatically infected African monkeys. Clinical signs in macaques included early fever, edema, dehydration, and various hemorrhagic manifestations, usually culminating in death within 2 weeks with mortality rates.

Lab diagnosis of Arterivirus

Lab diagnosis of Arterivirus begins with the collection of specimens/samples.

Specimen

• nasopharyngeal swabs or washings

• blood

• conjunctival swabs

Serology

A virus neutralization assay remains the gold standard for the detection of serum Ab against EAV, and Arterivirus.

PRRSV can be detected using immunohistochemistry, virus isolation, and (indirect) fluorescent Ab (IFA or FA) tests in serum or tissue samples.

In serology, ELISA is the most widely used test to detect Ab against PRRSV but IFA and neutralization assay can also be used.

Molecular test

Furthermore, (real-time) RT-PCR assays are available to specifically detect arterivirus RNA in serum, semen, and tissue samples

Treatment, Prevention, and Control of Arterivirus

Both modified live virus (MLV) and inactivated vaccines are commercially available for arteriviruses of veterinary importance.