Full-length genome reveals genetic diversity and extensive recombination patterns of Saudi GI-1 and GI-23 genotypes of infectious bronchitis virus.

Background: Despite numerous genetic studies on Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV), many strains from the Middle East remain misclassified or unclassified. Genotype 1 (GI-1) is found globally, while genotype 23 (GI-23) has emerged as the predominant genotype in the Middle East region, evolving continuously through inter- and intra-genotypic recombination. The GI-23 genotype is now enzootic in Europe and Asia.

Effect of thymidine kinase-deficiency (∆ORF38) on neuropathogenicity of equine herpesvirus-1 in the mouse model and expression of neighboring genes.

Previous studies showed that deletion of the viral thymidine kinase (TK) gene in several alphaherpesviruses including EHV-1 reduced their virulence. Previously, we found that deletion of ORF37, which is located head-to-head with TK, decreased EHV-1 virulence in mice but did not affect the expression of TK mRNA. Therefore, deletion of ORF38 might also affect virulence by partially deleting the ORF37 promoter.

Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 ORF76 Encoding US9 as a Neurovirulence Factor in the Mouse Infection Model.

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes rhinopneumonitis, abortion, and neurological outbreaks (equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy, EHM) in horses. EHV-1 also causes lethal encephalitis in small laboratory animals such as mice and hamsters experimentally. EHV-1 ORF76 is a homolog of HSV-1 US9, which is a herpesvirus kinase.

Impact of equine herpesvirus-1 ORF15 (EUL45) on viral replication and neurovirulence.

Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory illness, fetal loss, perinatal mortality, and myeloencephalopathy. This study investigated ORF15's impact on virus infectivity and neurovirulence. The Ab4p neurovirulent strain of EHV1 was used as a backbone to create Ab4p attB, Ab4p∆ORF15, and Ab4p∆ORF15R chimeras via BAC DNA transfection into RK-13 cells.

Establishment of a new equine embryo brain primary cell culture with long-term expansion.

Primary cell cultures derived from human embryo lung play a crucial role in virology by aiding virus propagation and vaccine development. These cultures exhibit a notable ability to undergo multiple subcultures, often reaching up to 70 passages. However, finding alternative primary cell cultures with similar longevity and usefulness is challenging.

Isolation, molecular characterization, and genetic diversity of recently isolated foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A in Egypt.

Foot-and-mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting all hoof-cloven animals. Serotypes A, O and SAT 2 of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) are circulating in Egypt. The present study aimed to identify and molecularly characterize the FMDV strains circulating in Northern Egypt during an epidemic that struck the nation in 2022.

Occupational Health Hazards Among Veterinarians in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Veterinarians and other professionals who interact with animals on a daily basis encounter an elevated risk of exposure to both known and as-yet-undiscovered microbial agents. Additionally, they are also exposed to physical, chemical, and environmental hazards. Enhancing occupational health and safety in this context carries significant global significance.

Scanning Electron Microscopic Findings on Respiratory Organs of Some Naturally Infected Dromedary Camels with the Lineage-B of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia-2018.

The currently known animal reservoir for MERS-CoV is the dromedary camel. The clinical pattern of the MERS-CoV field infection in dromedary camels is not yet fully studied well. Some pathological changes and the detection of the MERS-CoV antigens by immunohistochemistry have been recently reported.

Time Course-Dependent Study on Equine Herpes Virus 9-Induced Abortion in Syrian Hamsters.

This study aimed to follow the time-course pathogenesis of EHV-9 abortion in early and late trimesters. Twenty-seven pregnant hamster dams were divided into three groups: (G1) control, (G2) EHV-9-inoculated on the 5th day (early trimester), and (G3) EHV-9-inoculated on the 10th day of gestation (late trimester). Dams were sacrificed at different time points during gestation and examined for viremia and viral DNA in different fetal and maternal tissues and pathological changes in fetal tissue, placenta, and cytokines.

Challenge infection model for MERS-CoV based on naturally infected camels.

Background: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging virus that infects humans and camels with no approved antiviral therapy or vaccine. Some vaccines are in development for camels as a one-health intervention where vaccinating camels is proposed to reduce human viral exposure. This intervention will require an understanding of the prior exposure of camels to the virus and appropriate vaccine efficacy studies in camels.

Some pathological observations on the naturally infected dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) with the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia 2018-2019.

The natural MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels is understudied. Recent experimental studies showed no obvious clinical signs in the infected dromedary camels. To study the pathological changes associated with natural MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels.

The dipeptidyl peptidase-4 expression in some MERS-CoV naturally infected dromedary camels in Saudi Arabia 2018-2019.

MERS-CoV usually causes respiratory and renal failure in some patients, which may be the underlying cause of death. Dromedary camels are the only known reservoir of the virus until now. They shed the virus in their body secretions thus potentiate a risk for human infection.

Humoral Immunogenicity and Efficacy of a Single Dose of ChAdOx1 MERS Vaccine Candidate in Dromedary Camels.

MERS-CoV seronegative and seropositive camels received a single intramuscular dose of ChAdOx1 MERS, a replication-deficient adenoviral vectored vaccine expressing MERS-CoV spike protein, with further groups receiving control vaccinations. Infectious camels with active naturally acquired MERS-CoV infection, were co-housed with the vaccinated camels at a ratio of 1:2 (infected:vaccinated); nasal discharge and virus titres were monitored for 14 days. Overall, the vaccination reduced virus shedding and nasal discharge (p = 0.

Rabies among animals in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Rabies is a fatal viral disease that continues to threaten human and animal health in endemic countries. Rabies is endemic in animals in the Arabian Peninsula. Although Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Peninsula, little has been reported in the country about rabies situation.

Poxvirus infection in a Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus).

A severely emaciated adult Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) was found dead with electrocution-induced severe wing laceration, and with multiple cutaneous pock nodules at the periocular regions of both sides nearby the medial canthi and rhamphotheca. Histopathological examination of the nodules revealed hyperplasia of the epidermis with vacuolar degeneration and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (Bollinger bodies). The proventriculus was severely affected by nematodes and was ulcerated.

Development and characterization of ORF68 negative equine herpes virus type-1, Ab4p strain.

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is an important pathogen, which infects horses worldwide with high morbidity but low mortality rates. The respiratory disorders and abortions are the most common indicators. Ab4p (an abortigenic and paralytic virus) is one of the most important and virulent strains.

The prevalence of Middle East respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in livestock and temporal relation to locations and seasons.

Background: The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) has been reported for the first time infecting a human being since 2012. The WHO was notified of 27 countries have reported cases of MERS, the majority of these cases occur in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Dromedary camels are likely to be the main source of Middle East respiratory syndrome virus (MERS-CoV) infection in humans.

Cross-sectional study of MERS-CoV-specific RNA and antibodies in animals that have had contact with MERS patients in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly emerged coronavirus that is associated with a severe respiratory disease in humans in the Middle East. The epidemiological profiles of the MERS-CoV infections suggest zoonotic transmission from an animal reservoir to humans.

Methods: This study was designed to investigate animal herds associated with Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-infected patients in Saudi Arabia, during the last three years (2014-2016).

Morphologic and molecular characteristics of Sarcocystis atraii n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) infecting the common coot (Fulica atra) from Egypt.

A single morphologic type of Sarcocystis cysts found in two out of 43 examined common coots, Fulica atra, is considered to represent a new species for which the name Sarcocystis atraii n. sp. is proposed and its description is provided.

Comprehensive Serology Based on a Peptide ELISA to Assess the Prevalence of Closely Related Equine Herpesviruses in Zoo and Wild Animals.

Equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) causes respiratory disorders and abortion in equids while EHV-1 regularly causes equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a stroke-like syndrome following endothelial cell infection in horses. Both EHV-1 and EHV-9 infections of non-definitive hosts often result in neuronal infection and high case fatality rates. Hence, EHV-1 and EHV-9 are somewhat unusual herpesviruses and lack strict host specificity, and the true extent of their host ranges have remained unclear.

Functional characterization of EUL47 in productive replication, morphogenesis and infectivity of equine herpesvirus 1.

EUL47 is a major component of the tegument of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1). To determine its function, we used Red/ET cloning to delete its gene (gene 13) from EHV-1 strain Ab4p inserted into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), yielding Ab4pattBΔ13. We also examined the reverted virus (Ab4pattB13R).

Cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) may not become infected with equine herpesvirus 9.

Background: It was suggested that Equine herpesvirus 9 (EHV-9) could be transmitted to higher non-human primates.

Methods: Four cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) were inoculated with EHV-9 by the nasal route.

Results: No abnormalities were observed pathologically, immunohistochemically, and genetically.

The ORF37 (UL24) is a neuropathogenicity determinant of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in the mouse encephalitis model.

Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) bacterial artificial chromosome clone (Ab4p BAC) was established based on neuropathogenic strain Ab4p. ORF37 encoding UL24 was replaced with a selection cassette, rpsL-neo gene, to produce an ORF37 deletion mutant, Ab4pORF37. Transfection of RK-13 cells with Ab4pORF37 genome DNA produced infectious virus, indicating that ORF37 is not essential for EHV-1 replication in cell culture.