Key result
Calf screening identifies an avian-like rotavirus A strain with ~80% nucleotide identity, suggesting bird-to-cattle transmission.
Why the study?
The genetic relationship and potential transmission of avian-like rotavirus A VP4 strains to calves in Japan were not well characterized.
Observational (n=568)
No
The detection of an avian-like rotavirus A strain in a calf suggests potential cross-species transmission from wild birds to cattle.
A total of 568 normal feces from calves on a beef farm in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, in 2011-2012 were examined by RT-semi-nested PCR for rotavirus A (RVA) VP4 genes. Through partial sequencing and BLAST analyses of 84 VP4-positive specimens, we identified an avian-like RVA strain, N2342, which shares highest nucleotide identity (80.0%) with known avian-like bovine strain 993/83, in one specimen. Phylogenetic analysis also revealed a close genetic relationship between N2342 and avian RVAs, suggesting bird-to-cattle transmission. We observed frequent contact of wild birds with calves in the farm, suggesting that these birds were the source of the virus.
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Mitake et al. (2014) conducted an observational in Healthy calves (n=568). Rotavirus A screening was evaluated on Detection of avian-like rotavirus A VP4 genes. Screening of 568 healthy calves identified an avian-like rotavirus A strain (N2342) with 80.0% nucleotide identity to a known avian-like bovine strain, suggesting bird-to-cattle transmission.
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