Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection
This study reports on a fatal case of a captive great grey owl infected with the West Nile virus (WNV) in the zoological garden Košice, eastern Slovakia (Central Europe). The tissue samples of the dead owl were used for virus isolation and genetic characterization. The novel isolate is genetically c...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/4/699 |
| _version_ | 1797537328627974144 |
|---|---|
| author | Katarína Peňazziová Ľuboš Korytár Patrik Pastorek Juraj Pistl Diana Rusňáková Tomáš Szemes Viktória Čabanová Martina Ličková Kristína Boršová Boris Klempa Tomáš Csank |
| author_facet | Katarína Peňazziová Ľuboš Korytár Patrik Pastorek Juraj Pistl Diana Rusňáková Tomáš Szemes Viktória Čabanová Martina Ličková Kristína Boršová Boris Klempa Tomáš Csank |
| author_sort | Katarína Peňazziová |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study reports on a fatal case of a captive great grey owl infected with the West Nile virus (WNV) in the zoological garden Košice, eastern Slovakia (Central Europe). The tissue samples of the dead owl were used for virus isolation and genetic characterization. The novel isolate is genetically closer to Hungarian, Greek, and Bulgarian strains from the central/southern European clade of lineage 2 than to the strains previously isolated in Slovakia. Interestingly, it carries NS3-249P, a molecular virulence determinant associated with higher neurovirulence, which has not previously been observed in Slovakia. Subsequent serological investigation of the captive owls revealed additional seropositive animals, indicating local WNV transmission. Although no WNV-positive mosquitoes were found, the presence of the WNV principal vector <i>Culex pipiens</i> complex together with the described fatal case and further serological findings indicate an endemic focus of bird-neurovirulent WNV variant in the area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:13:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a6a6fd679b44610a10ead0d5de21cfb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:13:33Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a6a6fd679b44610a10ead0d5de21cfb2023-11-21T16:00:04ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-04-0113469910.3390/v13040699Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl InfectionKatarína Peňazziová0Ľuboš Korytár1Patrik Pastorek2Juraj Pistl3Diana Rusňáková4Tomáš Szemes5Viktória Čabanová6Martina Ličková7Kristína Boršová8Boris Klempa9Tomáš Csank10Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181 Košice, SlovakiaDepartment of Epizootiology, Parasitology and Protection of One Health, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181 Košice, SlovakiaZOO Košice, Ulica k Zoologickej Záhrade 1, 04001 Košice, SlovakiaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181 Košice, SlovakiaDepartment of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 8, 84104 Bratislava, SlovakiaDepartment of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 8, 84104 Bratislava, SlovakiaBiomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Department of Virus Ecology, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, SlovakiaBiomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Department of Virus Ecology, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, SlovakiaBiomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Department of Virus Ecology, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, SlovakiaBiomedical Research Center of Slovak Academy of Sciences, Department of Virus Ecology, Institute of Virology, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 84505 Bratislava, SlovakiaDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181 Košice, SlovakiaThis study reports on a fatal case of a captive great grey owl infected with the West Nile virus (WNV) in the zoological garden Košice, eastern Slovakia (Central Europe). The tissue samples of the dead owl were used for virus isolation and genetic characterization. The novel isolate is genetically closer to Hungarian, Greek, and Bulgarian strains from the central/southern European clade of lineage 2 than to the strains previously isolated in Slovakia. Interestingly, it carries NS3-249P, a molecular virulence determinant associated with higher neurovirulence, which has not previously been observed in Slovakia. Subsequent serological investigation of the captive owls revealed additional seropositive animals, indicating local WNV transmission. Although no WNV-positive mosquitoes were found, the presence of the WNV principal vector <i>Culex pipiens</i> complex together with the described fatal case and further serological findings indicate an endemic focus of bird-neurovirulent WNV variant in the area.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/4/699West Nile virusgreat grey owlvirulence determinantzoological gardenzoonosis |
| spellingShingle | Katarína Peňazziová Ľuboš Korytár Patrik Pastorek Juraj Pistl Diana Rusňáková Tomáš Szemes Viktória Čabanová Martina Ličková Kristína Boršová Boris Klempa Tomáš Csank Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection Viruses West Nile virus great grey owl virulence determinant zoological garden zoonosis |
| title | Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection |
| title_full | Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection |
| title_fullStr | Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection |
| title_short | Genetic Characterization of a Neurovirulent West Nile Virus Variant Associated with a Fatal Great Grey Owl Infection |
| title_sort | genetic characterization of a neurovirulent west nile virus variant associated with a fatal great grey owl infection |
| topic | West Nile virus great grey owl virulence determinant zoological garden zoonosis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/4/699 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katarinapenazziova geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT luboskorytar geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT patrikpastorek geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT jurajpistl geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT dianarusnakova geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT tomasszemes geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT viktoriacabanova geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT martinalickova geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT kristinaborsova geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT borisklempa geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection AT tomascsank geneticcharacterizationofaneurovirulentwestnilevirusvariantassociatedwithafatalgreatgreyowlinfection |