First Molecular Characterization of Small Ruminant Lentiviruses in Hungarian Goat Population
László Ózsvári,
Krisztina Bárdos,
Agata Moroz-Fik,
Kinga Biernacka,
Marcin Mickiewicz,
Zofia Nowek,
Carlos Eduardo Abril,
Giuseppe Bertoni,
Snorre Stuen,
Saulius Petkevičius,
Jarosław Kaba,
Michał Czopowicz
Affiliations
László Ózsvári
Department of Veterinary Forensics and Economics, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István u. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
Krisztina Bárdos
Department of Veterinary Forensics and Economics, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István u. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
Agata Moroz-Fik
Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Kinga Biernacka
Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Marcin Mickiewicz
Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Zofia Nowek
Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Carlos Eduardo Abril
Institute of Virology and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Laenggass-Str. 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Giuseppe Bertoni
Institute of Virology and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Laenggass-Str. 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Snorre Stuen
Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Svebastadveien 112, N-4325 Sandnes, Norway
Saulius Petkevičius
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilzes Str. 18, LT-47181 Kaunas, Lithuania
Jarosław Kaba
Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Michał Czopowicz
Division of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159c, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
In 2023, a molecular study was conducted on the Hungarian goat population to determine genotypes and subtypes of small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) infecting these herds. Ten goat herds seropositive for SRLV infection according to a serosurvey conducted earlier in Hungary were selected, and 135 adult goats (>1 year old) were blood sampled. The two-stage nested real-time PCR (nRT-PCR) was used to detect proviral DNA of SRLV and distinguish between two main viral genotypes (A and B). PCR products were submitted for Sanger dideoxy sequencing, and phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary analyses were conducted on the 200–250 bp-long proviral DNA sequences from the end of long terminal repeat (LTR) region and beginning of gag gene using the MEGA11 software. Reference strains included strains most identical to Hungarian sequences according to the Standard Nucleotide BLAST and prototypic strains for the relevant genotypes and subtypes. Proviral DNA of SRLV was detected in goats from all ten tested herds. A single SRLV genotype was detected in 6 herds—genotype A in three herds and B also in three herds. In four herds, mixed infection with genotypes A and B was confirmed. In total, 110/135 seropositive goats tested positive in the nRT-PCR (81.5%): 49/110 goats (44.5%) for genotype A, 54/110 goats (49.1%) for genotype B, and 7/110 goats (6.4%) for both genotypes. Hungarian sequences belonged to subtypes A1/A18, A2, and subtype B1. This is the first study which shows that Hungarian goats are infected by SRLV belonging to both genotypes A and B.
