Pathology and Clinics of Naturally Occurring Low-Virulence Variants of African Swine Fever Emerged in Domestic Pigs in the South Caucasus.

Shortly after the establishment of African swine fever virus (ASFV) genotype II in 2007, cases of acute fatal infection were observed. However, after several years of circulation in the Eurasian region, the clinical signs of the disease changed. Currently, this disease can occur acutely, subclinically, chronically, or asymptomatically.

African Swine Fever Virus Manipulates the Cell Cycle of G0-Infected Cells to Access Cellular Nucleotides.

African swine fever virus manipulates the cell cycle of infected G0 cells by inducing its progression via unblocking cells from the G0 to S phase and then arresting them in the G2 phase. DNA synthesis in infected alveolar macrophages starts at 10-12 h post infection. DNA synthesis in the nuclei of G0 cells is preceded by the activation of the viral genes K196R, A240L, E165R, F334L, F778R, and R298L involved in the synthesis of nucleotides and the regulation of the cell cycle.

New composition of tungsten has a broad range of antiviral activity.

The water-based combination of two inorganic chemical compounds such as sodium tungstate dihydrate-NaWO × 2HO and Aluminum sulfate octadecahydrate-Al (SO) 3 × 18HO that we have conditionally named 'Vomifal' has a broad antiviral activity in various DNA and RNA viruses, including Human Herpes Virus (HHV), African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), Vaccinia Virus (VV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), Influenza A virus (A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2)). In vitro and In vivo assays in several tissue cultures as well as in laboratory animals, conformed 'Vomifal' has a very low toxicity and the antiviral properties partially are due to its ability to induce gamma-IFN. Based on the results obtained, we can assume the presence of at least two mechanisms of the antiviral action of the studied drug.

Possibility of long-term survival of African swine fever virus in natural conditions.

Background And Aim: In modern scientific literature presents an understanding that African swine fever (ASF) ASF virus (ASFV) is remarkably stable in the environment, and carcasses of the pigs which were died after ASF, play a key role as ASFV reservoir. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of the ASFV (different isolates) survival in bodies of dead animals, bones, remnants of bone marrow, residual organ matrix in natural conditions.

Materials And Methods: Skeletons of ASFV infected pigs which were died and left/abandoned in forests or buried in Armenia at diverse time points and locations had been excavated and examined for the presence of ASFV genome by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and for infection abilities through (hemadsorption test and infection in porcine lung macrophages) as well as by intramuscular infection in healthy pigs.

Immune cell pathology in rabbit hemorrhagic disease.

Aim: The aim of this research was to study the effect of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) on the host immune response by examining the cellular composition/pathology of lymphoid organs and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ).

Materials And Methods: Nine adult rabbits were inoculated with 1 ml of 10% infected liver homogenate, and three rabbits served as controls. The rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD)-induced animals were studied on 3 consecutive days post-infection.

Cardiopathology in acute African Swine Fever.

The present study describes the gross, histopathologic lesions of the heart arising in pigs infected with acute African Swine Fever (ASF) and their biochemical profile. Ten pigs were infected by intramuscular injection of ASF virus (Georgia 2007). Selected heart samples were submitted for histopathological examination and Hematoxylin-Basic Fuchsin-Picric Acid (HBFP) staining.

Pathomorphology of the brain in the acute form of African swine fever.

The brains of 10 infected pigs were examined for histopathology and presence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) DNA ASFV infection induces inflamed meninges, cerebral edema and vascular thrombosis, as well as subdural hematomas. Slight tension in the dura mater, flattening of the gyri and narrowing of the sulci were also observed at four days post infection (dpi). Enlarged perivascular spaces were detected for most vessels of the brain after three to four dpi.

Pathology of porcine peripheral white blood cells during infection with African swine fever virus.

Background: African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of African swine fever (ASF) that is the significant disease of domestic pigs. Several studies showed that ASFV can influence on porcine blood cells in vitro. Thus, we asked ourselves whether ASFV infection results in changes in porcine blood cells in vivo.