G. Paprocka’s research while affiliated with National Veterinary Research Institute and other places

This article presents key information about foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks around the world, based on data from Office International des Epizooties (OIE), World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (WRL FMD) and the European Laboratory for Foot and Mouth Disease (EURL) at the Pirbright Institute. In the years 2014–2015 and early 2016, FMD caused by immunologically diverse serotypes O, A, Asia 1, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3 occurred in areas of Asia and Africa, but there were no new outbreaks of the disease in South America. Within this period of time the dominating serotype was serotype O. For many years there were no reports about outbreaks caused by serotype C, the last of them occurring in 2004 (Brazil, Kenya). Significant epidemiological events were related to spreading of the virus serotype O (ME-SA/Ind-2001) and A (ASIA/G-VII(G-18)) from the Indian subcontinent to new regions. Serotype O (ME-SA/Ind-2001) spread in the years 2013 – 2015 in the Middle East (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain) and North Africa (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco); it was also detected in 2015 in Southeast Asia (Laos). In turn, the serotype A (ASIA/G-VII(G-18)) was recorded in 2010 in Myanmar, and in 2015 appeared in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Armenia, Turkey). Those events constituted a threat to neighbouring countries and increased the risk of intrusion FMD to Europe. A reason for concern was also given by the numerous outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in South Korea, caused by serotype O (SEA/Mya-98). In European countries there have been no outbreaks since 2011 (Bulgaria). For the record, the last outbreak in Poland was identified 45 years ago, in 1971.

A swine vesicular disease virus (SVDV) replication assay in IB-RS-2, SK-6, and PK-15 cell cultures was performed using the xCELLigence system. The cell status was monitored by impedance measurement, expressed as cell index (CI). Proliferation of particular cells was examined at the beginning of the study. The cells exhibited the ability to form a monolayer, and the CI values increased with the cell culture growth. After about 23 h and while still in the growth phase, the cells were infected with decimal virus dilutions (10

##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is considered one of the most contagious and economically devastating diseases affecting cloven-hoofed livestock worldwide. The etiologic agent, FMD virus (FMDV), has a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome, and belongs to the genus Aphthovirus in the family Picornaviridae. FMDV is antigenically variable and consists of seven serotypes (A, O, C, Asia 1, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3) and more than 60 subtypes. Antigenic diversity of FMDV is a major concern for FMD control. An important part of controlling and prevention of foot and mouth disease are still conventional inactivated vaccines. Vaccines against FMD are of major importance in endemic regions for controlling the disease, they are also important as emergency vaccines to limit the spread of outbreaks in FMD-free countries. Inactivated FMD preparations have been used successfully as part of eradication programs. However there are many problems and limitations associated with their use. In order to solve them a new generation vaccines is being developed. The article presents various types of FMD vaccines such as inactivated vaccines, subunit vaccines, live vector vaccines, DNA vaccines and live attenuated vaccines.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a contagious and fatal disease of sheep and goats which significantly affects the production of meat and milk, farm incomes and people’s overall standard of living, contributing to famine and poverty, especially in developing countries of Africa and Asia. This publication presents issues concerning the emergence of this disease of domestic and wild small ruminants, the characteristics of the disease agent and epidemiological situation for over 70 years. The article concentrates on the growing risk of the spread of the disease to new areas. The authors present information concerning the prevention and effective control of the disease, as well as the possibilities of limiting its spread. The latest views on the prospects for developing a global program of eradicating this transboundary animal disease are also discussed.

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is the most contagious disease of domesticated and wild cloven-hoofed animals, caused by a virus of the Aphthovirus genus in the Picornaviridae family. Foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) exists as seven different serotypes (O, A, C, Asia 1, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3), which are not uniformly distributed across the globe. Six of the seven serotypes of FMD (O, A, C, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3) occur in Africa, four (O, A, C, Asia 1) in Asia, and only three (O, A, C) in South America. FMD-endemic areas of the world are high-risk zones for introducing FMD to countries free of the disease. In 2010-2011 and at the beginning of 2012, FMD caused by different serotypes occurred in Asia, Africa and South America. It also occurs in Europe, in Bulgaria. Asia is still the main source of outbreaks for the Middle East and Europe. In the period considered, the dominant serotype was O, and no serotype C was observed. It is noteworthy that serotype C has not been recorded since 2004. Its disappearance has not yet been explained. This article presents key information on the outbreaks of FMD around the world based on the data from Office International des Epizooties (OIE) and the World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (WRL FMD).

In order to determine the genetic variability of Polish RHD virus strains and to confirm the presence of genetic variant (RHDVa) subtype the partial nucleotide sequences of capsid protein gene, including two highly variable regions C and E, were examined. Phylogenetic analyses of 15 viral strains obtained over 18 years revealed the presence of three genetic groups. The oldest RHDV strains exhibit very close amino acid sequence similarity (98-99%) to the German FRG89 reference strain and most of European strains of the same period, as well as Chinese isolate from 1984. The HA-negative strains and isolates with variable reactivity in the HA test belong to the second subgroup and exhibit an intermediate level of variability (about 3%) in the analysed VP60 gene fragment. The most genetically variable strains (6-7%) clustered to RHDVa subtype. The analysis of nucleotides and amino acid sequences demonstrated three pairs of well conserved RHDV strains, isolated over 3, 6 and 10-year period.

Foot-and-mouth-disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects cloven-hooved livestock and wildlife. The virus can infect members of the Artiodactyla order as well as a few species in other orders. Each species varies in its susceptibility to infection and clinical disease, as well as in its ability to transmit the virus to other animals. Livestock susceptible to FMD are mainly cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. FMD virus can also infect species of wild animals, including African buffalo, bison, elk, wild boar, warthogs, kudu, impala, gazelles and several species of deer. Susceptible non cloven-hooved species include hedgehogs, capybaras, guinea pigs, rats and mice. With these exceptions, wildlife hosts do not seem to be able to maintain FMD viruses, and are usually infected by contact with domesticated livestock. The pathogenicity of FMD among wildlife ranges from asymptomatic to fatal. The signs of FMD in wildlife are generally similar to those in domestic animals; FMD vesicles develop at multiple sites, usually on the feet and in the mouth. In enzootic regions, eradication of FMD is complicated by the presence of infected wild animals which may serve as a reservoir of reintroduction to domestic herds. The most important data regarding FMD in wildlife are presented in this article.

A real-time RT–PCR method for the rapid detection of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) in the liver and serum samples of rabbits was described. A primer set that targets 3’ part of VP60 gene and TaqMan probe specific for the conserved region in RHDV genome was used in the method. The assay was able to detect genetic material in rabbits infected with classic RHDV as well as RHDVa variant. RNA of both haemagglutinating and non-heamagglutinating strains were also detected in samples with different virus strains. The detection limit of RHDV RNA by rRT-PCR was 10-7. The method can provide quantitative and qualitative information and is more sensitive and faster than the conventional RT-PCR. Therefore, it seems to be a valuable tool to complete the routine diagnostic procedure in RHD diagnosis.

A number of diseases have similar or identical clinical symptoms as does foot-and-mouth disease, including swine vesicular disease (SVD), vesicular stomatitis (VS), rinderpest (RP) and peste des petits ruminants (PPR). SVD is an acute, highly contagious viral disease of pigs caused by a virus belonging to the genus Enterovirus in the family Picornaviridae. VS is a vesicular disease of horses, cattle and pigs caused by vesiculoviruses of the family Rhabdoviridae. RP and PPR are acute viral diseases caused by the Morbillivirus genus within the family Paramyxoviridae. Classic descriptions of RP refer to it as a highly fatal disease of domestic cattle, buffaloes and yaks. PPR affects sheep and goats and occasionally small wild ruminants. Laboratory investigations are a key to their precise diagnosis. The most important data regarding these diseases are presented in this article.