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Featured researches published by Christine Thys.


Archives of Virology | 2008

Noroviruses and sapoviruses in pigs in Belgium

Axel Mauroy; Alexandra Scipioni; Elisabeth Mathijs; Cora Miry; Dominique Ziant; Christine Thys; Etienne Thiry

Porcine noroviruses and sapoviruses belong to the family Caliciviridae and are rarely reported in European countries. In this study, swine stools from a region representative of northern Europe were screened for these viruses by RT-PCR. Both porcine noroviruses and sapoviruses were detected, showing their circulation in this region. The porcine norovirus strains were genetically related to genotype 19 strains in the genogroup II of the genus Norovirus. The porcine sapovirus strains were genetically related to the porcine enteric calicivirus Cowden reference strain and to newly described porcine strains in the genus Sapovirus.


Archives of Virology | 2009

Molecular detection of kobuviruses and recombinant noroviruses in cattle in continental Europe

Axel Mauroy; Alexandra Scipioni; Elisabeth Mathijs; Christine Thys; Etienne Thiry

Two genotypes (Jena and Newbury2) and two intergenotype recombinant strains have been recognized in bovine noroviruses. Several studies have shown an apparent predominance of bovine infection with Newbury2-related (genotype 2) strains. Bovine stool samples were screened with two primer pairs targeting both the polymerase and the capsid genes. Among the predominant genotype 2 sequences, two were genetically related to the recombinant strain Thirsk10. The detection of sequences genetically related to Thirsk10, together with the very low rate of detection of Jena-related sequences, characterized the bovine norovirus population in Belgium, a representative region of continental Europe. Unexpectedly, bovine kobuvirus-related sequences were also amplified, extending their distribution area in Europe.


Veterinary Microbiology | 2009

Epidemiological study of bovine norovirus infection by RT-PCR and A VLP-based Antibody ELISA

Axel Mauroy; Alexandra Scipioni; Elisabeth Mathijs; Claude Saegerman; Jan Mast; Janice C. Bridger; Dominique Ziant; Christine Thys; Etienne Thiry

Abstract Noroviruses, belonging to the family Caliciviridae, have been identified in human beings and in several animal species including cattle. The distribution of bovine norovirus infections was investigated by both RT-PCR to detect norovirus genomes and a virus-like particles-based ELISA to detect genotype 2 bovine norovirus antibodies. During a 1-year systematic study, a virus prevalence of 7.5% (CI 95%: [3.7; 13.4%]) (10 out of 133 samples) was found in stool samples from diarrhoeic calves screened by RT-PCR. Nucleotide sequencing performed on the polymerase region classified all the norovirus amplicons in the bovine norovirus genotype 2. Rather surprisingly, some rotavirus sequences were also detected. On the basis of the polymerase region, genotype 1 bovine norovirus was not identified. Other enteropathogens were found in all samples. By ELISA, a genotype 2 seroprevalence of 93.2% (CI 95%: [90.4; 95.3%]) was found from calves and adult cattle. Antibody levels against genotype 2 bovine noroviruses rose in the first 6 months of life and were maintained in adults. Together the results of virus prevalence and seroprevalence studies suggest that bovine norovirus infection occurs early in life and that re-infection with serologically related bovine noroviruses strains could occur in adult cattle as reported for rotaviruses. The antibody rise against genotype 2 bovine noroviruses in the adult cattle also suggests a short lived and/or strain specific immunity as already shown in human noroviruses. Genotype 2 bovine noroviruses are endemic in the region investigated.


Vaccine | 2011

Two alternative inocula to reproduce bluetongue virus serotype 8 disease in calves

Ludovic Martinelle; Fabiana Dal Pozzo; Pierre Sarradin; Ilse De Leeuw; Kris De Clercq; Christine Thys; Dominique Ziant; Etienne Thiry; Claude Saegerman

The aim of this study was to investigate the consequences in calves of two forms of inocula alternative to the use of wild type infectious blood. Two groups of five calves were infected with low cell-passaged virus and infectious blood issued from one animal passage of the same strain. A longitudinal study was implemented and characterised by clinical standardised observations, haematology, BTV RNA detection and viral isolation from blood, detection of serogroup and neutralising antibodies, cytokine expression and post-mortem examination 46 days post-infection (PI). Both tested inocula were able to reproduce clinical expression of the disease, in the bloodstream viral genome was detected until the end of the experiment while virus isolation was possible between days 7 and 31 PI. Humoral immune response developed earlier in calves infected with low cell-passaged virus, while in both groups a massive antibody production was confirmed by the immune balance between IL-4 and IFN-γ expression. Both tested inocula are presented as valid alternative to the use of wild type infectious blood in the study of the pathogenesis of BTV-8 or the efficacy of current and future vaccines.


Veterinary Microbiology | 2013

Experimental co-infections of calves with Bluetongue virus serotypes 1 and 8

Fabiana Dal Pozzo; Ludovic Martinelle; Christine Thys; Pierre Sarradin; Ilse De Leeuw; Willem Van Campe; Kris De Clercq; Etienne Thiry; Claude Saegerman

The contemporary circulation of multiple bluetongue virus (BTV) serotypes or strains within the same territory can imply the co-infection of the ruminant and/or the vector populations. As a consequence, the clinical and pathological outcomes of co-infections as well as the biological properties of the viral progeny could be influenced and exhibit relevant variation. In this study, two independent co-infection experiments were carried out in calves using European strains of BTV serotypes 1 and 8 (BTV-1 and BTV-8, respectively), with the objective of studying the clinical and virological outcomes in comparison with BTV-1 and BTV-8 single infections. Synchronous co-infections using the same titre for the two viral strains were performed and the clinical signs were quantified using a standardized clinical form. Serotype-specific real-time RT-PCRs and viral isolation were used to monitor the course of viraemia. Neutralizing antibody titres were measured during the experiments, and necropsy with viral detection in the affected organs was performed. In the co-infected calves, a high BTV-8 viraemia was detected, while BTV-1 viraemia was irregular and sporadic. During BTV-1 single infection the development of viraemia and high titres of anti-BTV-1 neutralizing antibodies proved that the inoculum was infectious and the detection protocols were efficient. Several hypotheses could explain the predominant detection of BTV-8 in the co-infected calves, such as the occurrence of a privileged BTV-8 segment 2 reassortment, as recently described during in vitro BTV-1/BTV-8 co-infections; interference between the two viral strains; or a higher BTV-8 tropism for the bovine species.


Veterinary Microbiology | 2013

Pulmonary artery haemorrhage in newborn calves following bluetongue virus serotype 8 experimental infections of pregnant heifers.

Ludovic Martinelle; Fabiana Dal Pozzo; Pierre Sarradin; Ilse De Leeuw; Kris De Clercq; Christine Thys; Etienne Thiry; Claude Saegerman

The emergence of bluetongue disease (BT) among livestock in Europe in 2006 raised many questions including the occurrence and epidemiological significance of foetal infections in cattle. To clarify these aspects, vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnant heifers were sequentially infected twice in an isolation facility (biosafety level 3) with a northern European outbreak strain of Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8). The study was terminated 2 months after calving with necropsy of the dams and their offspring. The cattle were monitored throughout the study by clinical scoring and for the presence of circulating neutralising antibodies, and after calving for the presence of infectious virus and viral RNA in blood and milk. Four calves, one born from a vaccinated dam and three from non-vaccinated ones, that were infected at 120 days of gestation had obvious haemorrhage of the pulmonary artery at necropsy. Although haemorrhage of the pulmonary artery is highly characteristic of BT, viral RNA was not detected in any of these calves. Furthermore, although none of the calves born from heifers infected prior to mid-gestation had teratogenic BTV typical brain lesions, some had lesions at birth suggestive of in utero BTV infection. Despite the lack of viral RNA detection, the presence of haemorrhage of the pulmonary artery deserves to be reported as a new observation in the context of the multiple investigations having as main subject the BTV placental crossing in cattle.


BMC Veterinary Research | 2012

Development and application of a SYBR green RT-PCR for first line screening and quantification of porcine sapovirus infection

Axel Mauroy; Wim H. M. van der Poel; Renate Hakze-van der Honing; Christine Thys; Etienne Thiry

BackgroundSapoviruses are single stranded positive sense RNA viruses belonging to the family Caliciviridae. The virus is detected in different species including the human and the porcine species as an enteric pathogen causing asymptomatic to symptomatic enteritis. In this study, we report the development of a rapid real time qRT-PCR based on SYBR Green chemistry for the diagnosis of porcine sapovirus infection in swine.ResultsThe method allows the detection of porcine sapoviruses and the quantification of the genomic copies present in stool samples. During its development, the diagnostic tool showed good correlation compared with the gold standard conventional RT-PCR and was ten-fold more sensitive. When the method was applied to field samples, porcine noroviruses from genogroup 2 genotype 11b were also detected. The method was also applied to swine samples from the Netherlands that were positive for PoSaV infection. Phylogenetic results obtained from the samples showed that PoSaV sequences were genetically related to the currently described genogroup III, to the proposed genogroup VII and also to the MI-QW19 sequence (close to the human SaV sequences).ConclusionsA rapid, sensitive, and reliable diagnosis method was developed for porcine sapovirus diagnosis. It correlated with the gold standard conventional RT-PCR. Specificity was good apart for genogroup 2 genotype 11b porcine noroviruses. As a first line screening diagnosis method, it allows a quicker and easier decision on doubtful samples.


Applied and Environmental Microbiology | 2016

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotyping and Distribution of Coxiella burnetii Strains from Field Samples in Belgium

Fabiana Dal Pozzo; Bénédicte Renaville; Ludovic Martinelle; Robert Renaville; Christine Thys; François Smeets; Nathalie Kirschvink; Fabien Grégoire; Laurent Delooz; Guy Czaplicki; Claude Saegerman

ABSTRACT The genotypic characterization of Coxiella burnetii provides useful information about the strains circulating at the farm, region, or country level and may be used to identify the source of infection for animals and humans. The aim of the present study was to investigate the strains of C. burnetii circulating in caprine and bovine Belgian farms using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) technique. Direct genotyping was applied to different samples (bulk tank milk, individual milk, vaginal swab, fetal product, and air sample). Besides the well-known SNP genotypes, unreported ones were found in bovine and caprine samples, increasing the variability of the strains found in the two species in Belgium. Moreover, multiple genotypes were detected contemporarily in caprine farms at different years of sampling and by using different samples. Interestingly, certain SNP genotypes were detected in both bovine and caprine samples, raising the question of interspecies transmission of the pathogen.


Transboundary and Emerging Diseases | 2017

Q Fever Serological Survey and Associated Risk Factors in Veterinarians, Southern Belgium, 2013

F. Dal Pozzo; Ludovic Martinelle; Philippe Leonard; Bénédicte Renaville; Robert Renaville; Christine Thys; François Smeets; Guy Czaplicki; M. Van Esbroeck; Claude Saegerman

A sero-epidemiological survey was organized among veterinarians working in Southern Belgium to estimate the seroprevalence of Q fever and the risk factors associated with exposure. A total of 108 veterinarians took part to this cross-sectional study, with a majority practicing with livestock animals. The overall seroprevalence was 45.4%, but it increased to 58.3% among veterinarians having contact with livestock. Three main serological profiles were detected (relatively recent, past and potentially chronic infections). The contact with manure during the prior month was the risk factor associated with seropositivity after multivariate logistic regression analysis. Classification and regression tree analysis identified the age as the most predictive variable to exclude potentially chronic infection in apparently healthy seropositive veterinarians. In conclusion, livestock veterinarians practicing in Southern Belgium are highly exposed to Q fever, a neglected zoonosis for which serological and medical examinations should be envisaged in at risk groups.


Acta Gastro-enterologica Belgica | 1996

Incidence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Province of Liege (Belgium). La Societe De Gastroenterologie Liegeoise

Pascale Latour; Jacques Belaiche; Edouard Louis; Fernand Fontaine; Jean-Luc Deflandre; Jean Loly; Annick Oger; P. Defrance; A. Di Valentin; Michel Delforge; Guy Daenen; Maud Lebas; E. Mohr; E. Wain; Claudine Gillard; Christine Thys

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Pierre Sarradin

Institut national de la recherche agronomique

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