emerging viruses - Emily

Question 1

What is an emerging disease?

Answer 1

-A “real” emergence of a brand new disease
-A geographic emergence in an area not previously affected
-Disease can emerge in species formerly not considered affected
-An unexpected increase of disease incidence in a known area and a known species (which includes a change in pathogenicity)

Question 2

What are some risk factors for pathogen emergence? (just give a couple)

Answer 2

-Rising human population density
-Increased travel (animals and humans)
-Trade
-Poor biosecurity
-Inadequate animal health management
-Growing antimicrobial use
-Poverty
-Changing dietary habits
-Climate change

Question 3

How is agriculture changing that impacts the emergence of diseases?

Answer 3

Bigger operations for increasing demand, rising costs, and shipping of animals all can affect the emergence of diseases

Question 4

What is one porcine virus that has become more of an issue due to changes in agriculture?

Answer 4

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)

Question 5

What is the biggest reason that PRRSV has increased?

Answer 5

Decreasing number of swine farms but an increased herd size

Question 6

What are 3 changes in swine industry demographics that facilitated an explosion in PRRSV?

Answer 6

1. Increasing herd size
2. Multiple-site production with long distance movements
3. Widespread adoption of artificial insemination (“we spread semen all over the place” -Herpes guy)

Question 7

What is a slow emerging disease in US dairy farms?

Answer 7

Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV)

Question 8

What is the increase in herd prevalence of BLV from 1975 to 2018?

Answer 8

66% up to 94.2%

Question 9

What is a disease that is becoming more of an issue due to climate change and travel?

Answer 9

West Nile Virus (WNV) because it’s spread by mosquitoes

Question 10

What are 3 processes that breach barriers and allow for increased transmission of WNV?

Answer 10

1. Dispersal
2. Evolution
3. Environmental change

Question 11

How many cases of WNV were confirmed in Alberta horses in 2023?

Answer 11

9 cases

Question 12

Where did Blue Tongue Virus (BTV) start and spread to?

Answer 12

Started in Northern Africa, spread to the Netherlands (specifically BTV-8)

Question 13

When was BTV-3 introduced in the Netherlands?

Answer 13

September 2023

Question 14

What is BTV transmitted by?

Answer 14

Culicoides (aka no-see-ums aka teeny tiny mosquitoes)

Question 15

What symptoms are seen in offspring born with BTV?

Answer 15

-Malformed and stillbirths
-Arthrogryposis (abnormal joints)
-Hydrocephaly
-Brachygnathia inferior (overshot jaw)
-Ankylosis (stiff joints)
-Torticollis (twisted neck)
-Scoliosis (deformed spine)

Question 16

What are the characteristics of Schmallenberg virus (SBV)?

Answer 16

-Enveloped
-Segmented
-ssRNA (negative sense)

Question 17

What family and genus does Schmallenberg virus belong to?

Answer 17

Family: Bunyaviridae
Genus: Othobunyavirus

Question 18

Which other viruses is Schmallenberg virus related to?

Answer 18

Simbu serogroup viruses (Shamonda, Akabane, Aino viruses)

Question 19

What percent homology does the L-segment of SBV share with Akabane virus?

Answer 19

69%

Question 20

What percent homology does the M-segment of SBV share with Aino virus?

Answer 20

71%

Question 21

What percent homology does the S-segment of SBV share with Shamonda virus?

Answer 21

97%

Question 22

Are Bunyaviruses known to infect humans?

Answer 22

Yes and they’re BAD

Question 23

What are common pathological findings in aborted fetuses with SBV in the CNS?

Answer 23

-Spinal cord hypoplasia
-Cerebrum and cerebellum hypoplasia

Question 24

What other deformities are common in aborted fetuses with SBV?

Answer 24

Musculoskeletal deformities (torticollis, brachygnathia inferior, scoliosis, myositis)

Question 25

What is SBV transmitted by?

Answer 25

Culicoides spp (teeny tiny guys again)

Question 26

Which day post infection is a spike in body temperature likely to occur with SBV infection?

Answer 26

Day 4 post infection

Question 27

What is Hendra virus (HeV)?

Answer 27

An emerging zoonotic virus that infects horses and humans

Question 28

What is the natural host of HeV?

Answer 28

Fruit bats

Question 29

What is the case fatality percentage of HeV in horses?

Answer 29

75%

Question 30

What symptoms can occur in humans infected with HeV?

Answer 30

Mild influenza symptoms to fatal respiratory or neurological disease

Question 31

How can humans get HeV from horses?

Answer 31

Through close contact during care or during necropsies of infected horses

Question 32

Which group of people are most likely to get HeV?

Answer 32

US (vets) and im scared

Question 33

Why are spillover events so hard to understand?

Answer 33

Because there are SO many factors that can lead to a spill over event (swiss cheese model)

Question 34

What are some things that led to the spread of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV)?

Answer 34

-Poor biosecurity
-Inadequate animal health management
-Travel
-Trade
-Changing dietary habits

Question 35

What is a significant cause of the spread of PEDV?

Answer 35

The feeding of spray dried porcine plasma to other pigs