Detection and genetic diversity of water buffalo astrovirus in Guangxi
province of China reveals neurotropic, genetic recombinant and possible
interspecies transmission
Abstract
Astroviruses (AstVs) are major causative agents of gastroenteritis in
children and had been detected worldwide. Recently, the novel
neurotropic AstV associated with encephalitis and meningitis has been
found in different species including human, bovine and ovine. However,
little is known about the prevalence of neurotropic AstVs in water
buffalo of China. In this study, we examined fecal samples from water
buffalo in the Guangxi province of China and found different lineages of
Water Buffalo Astrovirus (BufAstV) infections. In addition, we confirmed
that the BufAstV infection of the brain tissues of a dead calf by
immunohistochemistry technology in this study. Based on the 3’RACE and
next-generation sequencing technologies, 2 full-length genomes
(BufAstV-NNA-14 and BufAstV-NNA-12) and 2 ORF2 genes (BufAstV-NND-s2 and
BufAstV-NNA-17) of AstVs from this source were sequenced. Phylogenetic
analysis of the ORF2 indicated 3 major lineages of BufAstVs including a
novel neurotropic BufAstV, a BufAstV which is related to Bovine
Astrovirus (BoAstV) and a classical BufAstV. Moreover, the occurrence of
genomic recombination between BufAstV and BoAstV strains have been
identified. This is the first report to found a BufAstV infected in
brain of water buffalo in China and details of the epidemiology, genetic
diversity and possible interspecies transmission of BoAstV and BufAstV
in water buffalo from the Guangxi province of China are described.
KEYWORDS: astrovirus, water buffalo, bovine, neurotropic, genetic
diversity, Guangxi province