Surveillance of zoonotic viral diseases by an efficient method for detection of viral genomes

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24405043
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Applied veterinary science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Sawa Hirofumi 北海道大学, 人獣共通感染症リサーチセンター, 教授 (30292006)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ORBA Yasuko 北海道大学, 人獣共通感染症リサーチセンター, 講師 (60507169) ; ISHII Akihiro 北海道大学, 人獣共通感染症リサーチセンター, 助教 (90421982)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 感染症 / 病原微生物 / ウイルス / 野生動物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, we have succeeded to establish the enrichment of the viral genomes from wildlife intestinal contents.
Thereafter, we performed a deep sequencing using isolated and enriched viral nucleic acids. We have finally detected a novel bufavirus named as Mpulungu bufavirus from shrew feces. We have determined the almost whole genome sequences of the novel bufavirus which has a homology with that of human bufavirus (more than 51-53% of amino acid identity).
Based on the obtained sequences, we established a nested PCR method for screening of bufaviruses in spleen samples from wildlife. Finally, we obtained the relatively high positive rate of detection of the viral genome in shrew (17/49=34.7%). Our established nested PCR method is useful for screening of the bufaviruses in mammals.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学