Feray Alkan

Prevalence, Distribution, and Host Range of Peste des petits ruminants virus, Turkey

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV, genus Morbillivirus), which causes a severe disease in sheep and goats, has only recently been officially declared to be present in Turkey. We carried out a study to determine the prevalence, distribution, and host range of PPRV in Turkey. A total of 1,607 animals, reared in 18 different locations, were monitored for the presence of antibodies to PPRV and the related virus of large ruminants, Rinderpest virus (RPV). Only two farms had animals that were free of antibody responses to either disease. Prevalence for PPRV infection varied (range 0.87%–82.6%) and was higher in sheep (29.2%) than in goats (20%). The overall antibody responses to PPRV and RPV were 22.4% and 6.28%, respectively. Two PPRVs of lineage 4, which comprises many other PPRVs whose origins are in the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, and southern Asia, were isolated from Turkish sheep.

Distribution of G (VP7) and P (VP4) genotypes of group A bovine rotaviruses from Turkish calves with diarrhea, 1997-2008.

Group A rotaviruses are major enteric pathogens of calves. In order to investigate the genetic diversity of bovine rotaviruses (BRVs), a collection of 53 BRVs, detected from diarrheic calves from several Turkish geographical areas, between 1997 and 2008 was analyzed by RT-PCR for specificities of the outer capsid proteins VP7 (G type) and VP4 (P type), for the first time. Overall, G6 was the predominant G type, detected in 40/53 samples (75.4%), while P[11] was the predominant P type, detected in 52/53 samples (98.1%). The most common VP7/VP4 combinations were G6P[11] (60.3%) and G10P[11] (24.5%). Mixed infections were identified in 7/53 samples (13.2%). In the VP7 region the G6P[11] viruses were similar to other ones detected worldwide, forming an independent G6 lineage, distantly related to the G6 gene of the vaccine G6P[1] strain NCDV (90.1% amino acid identity), and suggesting that G6P[11] viruses represent a genetically stable BRV strain. The study of G and P type diversity is pivotal to understand the efficacy of the existing rotavirus vaccines and to provide the basis of future prophylaxis tools against rotaviral diarrhea of calves.

Concurrent occurrence of human and equine West Nile virus infections in Central Anatolia, Turkey: the first evidence for circulation of lineage 1 viruses.

BACKGROUND West Nile fever is an important zoonotic infection caused by West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae. Previous serological data from Turkey suggest widespread WNV circulation. This report includes cases of human and equine WNV infections occurring concurrently, and manifesting as central nervous system infections, in two neighboring provinces of Central Anatolia, Turkey. A partial phylogenetic analysis of the causative virus is given for the first time. METHODS The cases were reported in February (horses) and March (human). Symptoms of the disease were similar in the two species, characterized by neurological manifestations suggesting meningoencephalitis. Real-time/nested PCRs and commercial immunoassays and a plaque reduction neutralization assay were employed for the detection of viral RNA and specific antibodies, respectively. RESULTS WNV RNAs were detected in buffy coat (horses) and cerebrospinal fluid (human) samples. Partial nucleotide sequences of the E-gene coding region revealed that the strains are closely related to viruses of lineage 1, clade 1a. Accompanying equine serosurveillance demonstrated WNV-specific antibodies in 31.6% of the samples. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of acute WNV infections caused by lineage 1 strains from Turkey, in concordance with previous reports from some European and North African countries.

Molecular characterization of Bovine virus diarrhea viruses species 2 (BVDV-2) from cattle in Turkey

Five BVDV species 2 (BVDV-2) isolates were detected from cattle in Turkey. Phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) and E2 coding gene regions, respectively. The isolates were closely related to BVDV-2a strains from North America and Canada used as references. This is the first report of the detection of BVDV-2 in naturally infected Turkish cattle. It is important to consider BVDV-2 for planning future BVDV control and vaccination programs in Turkey.

A large outbreak of enteritis in goat flocks in Marmara, Turkey, by G8P[1] group A rotaviruses

Group A rotaviruses are regarded as major enteric pathogens of large ruminants, while their impact on the health of small ruminants is not well documented. We report the detection of group A rotavirus from a large outbreak of enteritis that occurred in two goat flocks in the town of Kırklareli, Marmara Region, Turkey, in 2007. The disease was observed in young kids, with high morbidity and mortality rates, but not in adult animals. Rotavirus antigen was detected in the stools of the examined animals, and rotaviruses were isolated in MA104 cells. Upon sequencing of the VP4, VP6, VP7 and NSP4 genes, the strain (RVA/goat-tc/TUR/Kirklareli/2007/G8P[1]) was characterized as G8P[1], with E2 NSP4 and VP6 I2 genotype. These findings indicate that group A rotavirus should be included in the diagnostic algorithms for enteric disease in small ruminants.

Maturation of Immunoglobulin G Avidity after Inactive gE Deleted Bovine Herpesvirus Type 1 (BHV-1) Marker Vaccination

Particularly for countries in which the prevalence of infection is high, prevention and control of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) can be done by vaccination programs. Recently, marker vaccines have been used in the control and eradication of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) infection. Vaccine protection and virus circulation were estimated by individual serological testing using both gB- and gE-ELISA blocking tests. However, the efficacy of vaccines in terms of avidity maturation for BHV-1 infection has not yet been clarified. A total of 40 animals divided into two groups were vaccinated twice at 6-mo intervals with either commercial or in-house killed gE-deleted marker BHV-1 vaccines, respectively. Immunoglobulin G avidity maturation for BHV-1 was monitored in serum samples collected 1 mo postvaccination and compared between groups. The avidity index (AI) was expressed as a percentage and results were presented as mean AI + SD. The overall data showed that optical density (OD) values in wells with or without urea treatment had obviously increased. In relation to this, geometric means of AIs increased from 71% to 96% after primary and booster vaccinations, respectively. Based on group-specific data, mean AI was calculated to be 68.99 +/- 24.6 after the primary vaccination, and 96.74 +/- 8.3 after the booster vaccination in group I. For group II, the mean AI for primary vaccination was 57.40 +/- 23.9, and it increased to 97 +/- 8.9 after the booster vaccination. The increase in AI for both groups after the second vaccinations was found to be significant (p < 0.001).

Identification of a bovine enteric calicivirus, Kırklareli virus, distantly related to neboviruses, in calves with enteritis in Turkey.

ABSTRACT A calicivirus was detected in neonatal calves with enteritis in Kırklareli, Thrace, Turkey. In the full-length genome, Kırklareli virus was related (48% nucleotide identity) to bovine enteric caliciviruses (Nebovirus genus). The virus was also detected in a herd in Ankara, Central Anatolia, but not in other Turkish prefectures.

Characterisation of env and gag gene fragments of bovine leukemia viruses (BLVs) from cattle in Turkey

The aim of this work was to investigate the molecular characteristics of bovine leukemia viruses (BLVs) in Turkey. The variability of env and gag fragments of BLVs was examined using DNA from blood samples obtained for sequence analysis of BLVs in four cattle herds from three different geographical areas in Turkey. The env gene sequences were highly similar to those of Brasilian, Argentine, and Japanese BLV strains, while gag genes from Turkish BLV isolates showed greatest similarity to those of Iranian isolates. This paper is the first report on the partial characterisation of env and gag genetic fragments of BLVs from Turkey.

The detection and genetic characterization based on the S1 gene region of BCoVs from respiratory and enteric infections in Turkey.

Summary We investigated bovine coronavirus (BCoV) as an etiological agent in cattle with clinical respiratory and digestive signs using 147 feces and 199 nasal swab samples. A total of 18 test samples (16 feces and 2 nasal swap samples) were detected positive by ELISA and/or RT‐PCR targeting the BCoV N gene. The partial S1 gene regions of BCoVs (An‐4 and An‐11) detected in feces samples from two herd‐mate dairy calves were compared. Virological and serological results indicated that BCoVs are widespread in Turkey and are likely etiological agents in diarrhea cases in calves.

A teat papillomatosis case in a Damascus goat (Shami goat) in Hatay province, Turkey: a new putative papillomavirus?

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are epitheliotropic viruses that cause benign proliferative lesions in the skin (warts or papillomas) and mucous membranes of their natural hosts. Recently, new PVs have been found in many animal species. The most common current approach for identifying novel PV types is based on PCR, using various consensus or degenerated primer (broad-range primers), designed on the basis of the multiple alignment of nucleotide or amino acid sequences of a large number of different human papillomaviruses (HPV). PVs have been classified according to the sequence similarity of one of their capsid proteins, L1, without taking into account other regions of the genome and without considering the phenotypic characteristics of the viral infection. In this study, we performed molecular detection and typing of a PV in a goat with teat papillomatosis. Firstly, PCR was performed using the FAP59/FAP64 and MY09/MY11 primer pairs for the L1 gene region. The PV DNA was found to be positive only with the FAP59/FAP64 primer pair. PV DNA was then tested with three primer sets in four different combinations (L2Bf/FAP64, L2Bf/L1Br, FAP59/FAP64, L1Bf/LCRBr) for the gene region encoding the L1, L2 and LCR proteins. The goat teat papilloma sample was amplified using FAP59/FAP64 primers and two primer pairs (L2Bf/FAP64 and L2Bf/L1Br). We obtained products matching approximately 604 bp of the L1 region of the virus. PV DNA was used for typing using sequence analysis/PCR with some type-specific primers for bovids, caprids and cervids. The results of the sequence analysis suggested one new putative PV type with sequence identity ranging from 46.45 to 80.09% to other known papillomaviruses, including Capra hircus papillomavirus (ChPV-2), bovine papillomavirus (BPV) 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12, Rangifer tarandus papillomavirus 3 (RtPV-3) and BPV-7Z (Alpine wild ruminant papillomavirus; Cervus elaphus papillomavirus). We therefore propose that this is the first identification of a new putative type, MG523274 (HTY-goat-TR2016), in a goat with teat papillomatosis. It is essential to identify PV types in different animal species and investigate their prevalence/distribution and clinical consequences in order to develop appropriate prophylactic and/or therapeutic procedures and to determine the interspecies transmission potential and evolution of PVs.