Non-maternal transmission is the major mode of ovine lentivirus transmission in a ewe flock: a molecular epidemiology study

Maternal transmission of Small Ruminant Lentivirus has no epidemiological importance

The relative importance of maternal and horizontal transmission of small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), the causative organism in maedi-visna, is poorly understood. Review of the literature shows that maternal transmission is inefficient, infecting only about 10-25 % of the lambs of infected ewes. Theory proves that maternal transmission alone cannot achieve the rates of transmission that would be required to start or maintain an outbreak. Maternal and horizontal transmission are additive in effect, and we use modelling to show that maternal transmission does not amplify or enhance prevalence in the presence of horizontal transmission. Taking steps to avoid maternal transmission by rearing lambs without infected maternal colostrum does have a role in producing a clean flock, but has no significance for the control of a disease outbreak if the conditions for horizontal transmission are present. Efforts to prevent disease by reducing the spread of SRLV must be focussed on minimising horizontal transmission.

The genetic variability of small-ruminant lentiviruses and its impact on tropism, the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines and the effectiveness of control programmes

Introduction

Maedi-visna virus and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus are two closely related lentiviruses which cause multisystemic, progressive and persistent infection in goats and sheep. Because these viruses frequently cross the species barrier, they are considered to be one genetic group called small-ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV). They have in vivo tropism mainly for monocytes and macrophages and organ tropism with unknown mechanisms. Typical clinical signs are pneumonia in sheep, arthritis in goats, and mastitis in both species. Infection with SRLV cannot currently be treated or prevented, and control programmes are the only approaches to avoiding its spread. These programmes rely mainly on annual serological testing and elimination of positive animals. However, the high genetic and antigenic variability of SRLV complicate their early and definitive diagnosis. The objective of this review is to summarise the current knowledge of SRLV genetic variation and its implications for tropism, the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines and the effectiveness of control and eradication programmes.

Material and Methods

Subject literature was selected from the PubMed and the Google Scholar databases.

Results

The high genetic diversity of SRLV affects the performance of diagnostic tools and therefore control programmes. For the early and definitive diagnosis of SRLV infection, a combination of serological and molecular tests is suggested. Testing by PCR can also be considered for sub-yearling animals. There are still significant gaps in our knowledge of the epidemiology, immunology and biology of SRLV and their impact on animal production and welfare.

Conclusion

This information may aid selection of the most effective SRLV spread reduction measures.

Small Ruminant Lentivirus Infection in Sheep and Goats in North Portugal: Seroprevalence and Risk Factors

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) are transmitted among ovine and caprine species. This disease is a severe problem for small ruminant production, not only for animals' well-being but also for flocks' efficiency. The main aim of this research was to quantify the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for SRLV infection in the northern region of Portugal. Samples were collected from a total of 150 flocks, of which 129 (86.0%; 95% CI: 80.67%-91.33%) had at least one seropositive animal. Out of 2607 individual blood samples, 1074 (41.2%) were positive for SRLVs. Risk factors associated with SRLV infection were species (caprine), age (>2 years old), flock size (>100 animals), production system (intensive), food production system (milk), type of activity (professional), participation in livestock competitions (yes), replacement young ewe bought (yes), and natural feeding management (yes). This knowledge empowers the implementation of effective preventive measures. Overall, biosecurity measures should be promoted and implemented with the main aim of reducing viral transmission and reducing the prevalence of this disease. We recognise that government authorities should promote and audit voluntary control and eradication programs in small ruminant flocks in the region studied.

Longitudinal Study on Seroreactivity of Goats Exposed to Colostrum and Milk of Small Ruminant Lentivirus-infected Dams

Introduction

Small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) causes caprine arthritis-encephalitis in goats and maedi-visna disease in sheep. Transmission is via ingestion of colostrum and milk from infected dams or long-term direct contact between animals. Lifelong seroconversion can occur several weeks after infection via ingestion. However, sub-yearling lambs that ingest contaminated colostrum may be able to clear the infection and become seronegative. Whether a similar phenomenon occurs in goats remains unknown. Therefore, the serological status of goats was studied longitudinally from the moment of natural exposure to colostrum and milk of SRLV-positive dams through the age of 24 months.

Material and Methods

Between February 2014 and March 2017 a dairy goat herd was studied which had been infected with SRLV for more than 20 years and carried maedi-visna virus-like genotype A subtype A17. Thirty-one kids born to dams seropositive for SRLV for at least a year beforehand were followed. They ingested colostrum immediately after birth and then remained with their dams for three weeks. The goats were tested serologically every month using two commercial ELISAs. The clinical condition of the goats was also regularly assessed.

Results

Out of 31 goats, 13 (42%) seroconverted at the age ranging from 3 to 22 months with a median of 5 months. Two goats seroconverted in the second year of life. The other eleven did so before the age of one year; two of these reverted to seronegative status. Only 9 out of 31 goats (29%) seroconverted in the first year of life and remained seropositive. They were early and stable seroreactors to which SRLV was transmitted lactogenically. The age at which they seroconverted ranged from 3 to 10 months with a median of 5 months. In 8 of the 18 persistently seronegative goats, a single isolated positive result occurred. No goats showed any clinical signs of arthritis. The level of maternal antibodies at the age of one week did not differ significantly between the stable seroreactors and the remainder.

Conclusion

Seroconversion appears to occur in less than 50% of goats exposed to heterologous SRLV genotype A via ingestion of colostrum and milk from infected dams and is delayed by 3-10 months. The natural lactogenic route of transmission of SRLV genotype A in goats appears to be less effective than this route of genotype B transmission reported in earlier studies.

The First Genomic Analysis of Visna/Maedi Virus Isolates in China

Visna/Maedi virus (VMV) is a neglected pathogen that damages sheep and goats' nervous and respiratory systems. The virus was discovered 80 years ago and has been endemic in China for nearly four decades; nevertheless, there is little information regarding Chinese isolates' genotypes and genomic characteristics. In this study, the proviral DNA of strains isolated in 1985 and 1994 were extracted, and the proviral DNA was subjected to Illumina sequencing combined with Sanger sequencing of poor coverage regions. The results showed that the two isolates were clustered with genotype A2 and shared 78.3%−89.1% similarity to reference VMV genome sequences, with the highest similarity (88.7%−89.1%) to the USA strain USMARC-200212120-r (accession no. MT993908.1) and lowest similarity (78.3%−78.5%) to the Italian strain SRLV009 (accession no. MG554409.1). A maximum-likelihood tree showed that the Chinese VMV strains and the USA strain 1150 (accession no. MH916859.1) comprise a monophyletic group with a short tree branch. Our data filled the gap in genomic analysis and viral evolution in Chinese VMV strains, and would be benefit China's source-tracing and eradication program development in China.

Serological, Molecular and Culture-Based Diagnosis of Lentiviral Infections in Small Ruminants

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) infections lead to chronic diseases and remarkable economic losses undermining health and welfare of animals and the sustainability of farms. Early and definite diagnosis of SRLVs infections is the cornerstone for any control and eradication efforts; however, a "gold standard" test and/or diagnostic protocols with extensive applicability have yet to be developed. The main challenges preventing the development of a universally accepted diagnostic tool with sufficient sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy to be integrated in SRLVs control programs are the genetic variability of SRLVs associated with mutations, recombination, and cross-species transmission and the peculiarities of small ruminants' humoral immune response regarding late seroconversion, as well as intermittent and epitope-specific antibody production. The objectives of this review paper were to summarize the available serological and molecular assays for the diagnosis of SRLVs, to highlight their diagnostic performance emphasizing on advantages and drawbacks of their application, and to discuss current and future perspectives, challenges, limitations and impacts regarding the development of reliable and efficient tools for the diagnosis of SRLVs infections.

Epidemiology and control of maedi-visna virus: Curing the flock

Maedi-visna (MV) is a complex lentiviral disease syndrome characterised by long immunological and clinical latencies and chronic progressive inflammatory pathology. Incurable at the individual level, it is widespread in most sheep-keeping countries, and is a cause of lost production and poor animal welfare. Culling seropositive animals is the main means of control, but it might be possible to manage virus transmission effectively if its epidemiology was better quantified. We derive a mathematical epidemiological model of the temporal distributions of seroconversion probabilities and estimate susceptibility, transmission rate and latencies in three serological datasets. We demonstrate the existence of epidemiological latency, which has not explicitly been recognised in the SRLV literaure. This time delay between infection and infectiousness apparently exceeds the delay between infection and seroconversion. Poor body condition was associated with more rapid seroconversion, but not with a higher probability of infection. We estimate transmission rates amongst housed sheep to be at about 1,000 times faster than when sheep were at grass, when transmission was negligible. Maternal transmission has only a small role in transmission, because lambs from infected ewes have a low probability of being infected directly by them, and only a small proportion of lambs need be retained to maintain flock size. Our results show that MV is overwhelmingly a disease of housing, where sheep are kept in close proximity. Prevalence of MV is likely to double each year from an initial low incidence in housed flocks penned in typically-sized groups of sheep (c. 50) for even a few days per year. Ewes kept entirely at grass are unlikely to experience transmission frequently enough for MV to persist, and pre-existing infection should die out as older ewes are replaced, thereby essentially curing the flock.

Etiology, Epizootiology and Control of Maedi-Visna in Dairy Sheep: A Review

Maedi-visna (MV) in sheep is caused by maedi-visna virus (MVV), a small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV) that causes chronic infection and inflammatory lesions in infected animals. Pneumonia and mastitis are its predominant clinical manifestations, and the tissues infected by MVV are mainly the lungs, the mammary gland, the nervous system and the joints. MV has a worldwide distribution with distinct MVV transmission patterns depending on circulating strains and regionally applied control/eradication schemes. Nevertheless, the prevalence rate of MV universally increases. Currently, gaps in understanding the epizootiology of MV, the continuous mutation of existing and the emergence of new small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) strains, lack of an effective detection protocol and the inefficiency of currently applied preventive measures render elimination of MV an unrealistic target. Therefore, modifications on the existing MV surveillance and control schemes on an evidentiary basis are necessary. Updated control schemes require the development of diagnostic protocols for the early and definitive diagnosis of MVV infections. The objectives of this review are to summarize the current knowledge in the epizootiology and control of MV in dairy sheep, to describe the research framework and to cover existing gaps in understanding future challenges regarding MV.

Characterization of minimal lesions related to the presence of visna/maedi virus in the mammary gland and milk of dairy sheep

Background

In order to characterize the complete range of lesions, especially minimal, affecting mammary gland and viral antigen distribution and target cells using immunohistochemistry in naturally Visna/maedi (VM) 84 infected sheep were studied, forty-four from flocks with clinical cases (A) and 35 randomly sampled from two abattoirs (B) together with five negative controls (C). An immunocytochemistry technique was developed and further milk samples (n = 39) were used to study viral excretion, carrier cells and the role of milk and colostrum in the transmission of the disease.

Results

All sheep from group C and three sheep from group B were negative to VM in tissue sections by histopathology, immunohistochemistry and PCR, and also in serum using ELISA. Several degrees of CD3 + lymphocytic interstitial mastitis were observed in groups A and B: minimal (+) n = 26 sheep; moderate (++), n = 32 and severe (+++), n = 12. No differences in lesion distribution were observed between groups A and B. Viral presence was confirmed by immunohistochemistry using two different antibodies and/or PCR in every tissue with lesions while serology was negative in six sheep with lesions. Two milk samples taken from milk tanks from two flocks from group A and fourteen milk samples from 29 infected sheep from group B were positive to VM (most of them from animals with moderate and severe lesions). Positivity was only found in macrophages, even in focal and minimal lesions, while no positivity was observed in epithelial or any other cells in either tissue and milk samples.

Conclusions

This new observation of the minimal lesions described in this work increased the prevalence of VM lesions in mammary gland up to 90.9% and VM should be considered as a differential diagnosis when minimal interstitial lesions are detected. A high prevalence of VM was observed in intensive milk-producing sheep, ELISA serology did not detect as positivity all infected animals, while histology, IHC or PCR showed higher sensitivity. The cytological technique developed was very useful in milk-cell studies using hematoxylin and eosin and immunocytochemistry. Viral detection in milk samples (16/39) confirms a potential but limited role of milk/colostrum in viral transmission.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-019-1855-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Achievements of an eradication programme against caprine arthritis encephalitis virus in South Tyrol, Italy

Small ruminant lentivirus infections in goats affect both production and animal welfare. This represents a threat to the qualitative and quantitative growth of goat farming, recently observed in mountainous regions such as the Autonomous Province of Bolzano – South Tyrol (Italy). To monitor and eradicate the caprine arthritis encephalitis virus in this goat population, a compulsory eradication campaign was launched, based on a strict census of small ruminants and yearly serological testing of all animals, followed by the consequent culling of seropositive individuals. The campaign succeeded in completely eliminating cases of clinical disease in goats, while drastically reducing the seroprevalence at the herd as well as individual animal level. The serological outcome of the introduced control measures was determined using commercially available ELISA kits, demonstrating their suitability for use in this type of campaign, aimed at reducing seroprevalence as well as clinical manifestations of these infections. However, this clear success is diminished by the failure to achieve a complete eradication of these viruses. The reasons leading to the observed tailing phenomenon and the occurrence of new infections in already sanitised flocks are discussed and implementation of further measures are proposed.

Maedi-visna virus persistence: Antigenic variation and latency

Maedi-visna virus (MVV), a lentivirus of sheep, shares with other lentiviruses the ability to establish a lifelong infection. In this study five sheep were infected intravenously with MVV and housed together with a number of uninfected sheep for natural transmission. All virus isolates from ten sheep that had been infected naturally had multiple mutations in the principal neutralization domain in Env and were antigenic variants, while three of four isolates from the carrier sheep had identical sequences to the infecting strain and were not antigenic variants. There was evidence of positive selection in the gene, particularly in amino acids comprising the neutralization epitope and some adjacent glycosylation sites. Together these results suggest that virus persistence is acquired by a reservoir of latent viruses, and that there is selection for antigenic variants of virus that is transmitted naturally.

Investigação sorológica das lentiviroses de pequenos ruminantes nas microrregiões homogêneas do Alto Médio Canindé, Picos e Floriano, Piauí, Brasil

RESUMO: Lentivírus de pequenos ruminantes (LV) é o termo genérico utilizado para designar os vírus da artrite encefalite caprina e Maedi-Visna, os quais pertencem à família Retroviridae, subfamília Orthoretrovirinae, gênero Lentivirus. Tais vírus infectam caprinos e ovinos, causando enfermidades de curso lento com lesões inflamatórias, crônicas e degenerativas que podem atingir vários órgãos, provocando caquexia e morte. Os animais infectados eliminam o vírus sobretudo por meio de secreções e excreções e transmitem-no especialmente em situações de estreito contato. Não há tratamento até o momento. O controle é baseado na criação segregada, no manejo e no sacrifício dos positivos. Esse agente infeccioso já foi relatado em várias partes do mundo, sendo responsável por perdas econômicas significativas. Por o agente ter sido verificado em vários estados do Brasil e por não existirem dados soroepidemiológicos nas mesorregiões sudeste e sudoeste piauiense, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo realizar inquérito sorológico para investigar a ocorrência de anticorpos para o LV em ovinos e caprinos nas microrregiões do Alto Médio Canindé, Picos e Floriano, no Piauí. Para tanto, foram coletadas 1.280 e 1.360 amostras de soro caprino e ovino, respectivamente, oriundos de 20 municípios, distribuídos nas três microrregiões, sendo o número de amostras proporcional ao rebanho efetivo de cada município. As amostras de soro foram analisadas utilizando o teste de imunodifusão em gel de agarose (IDGA). Nenhum dos soros pesquisados reagiu positivamente, constatando-se soroprevalência nula. Ressalta-se a importância da implantação de um rigoroso programa de controle para que se possa evitar a introdução e/ou a disseminação desse agente infeccioso nessas microrregiões.

The presence of small ruminant lentiviruses in Mexican Pelibuey sheep

The transmission frequency of small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) through the placenta is controversial and may be associated with breed susceptibility. In Mexico, SRLV infections in sheep have been poorly studied. This work explores the presence of antibodies and proviral DNA in Mexican Pelibuey sheep. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs; three commercial kits and two on the basis of synthetic peptides) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR; amplifying the long terminal repeat and gag segments) were performed to diagnose SRLV infection in 25 adult Pelibuey ewes with an average age of 2.5 years and 32 fetuses with gestational ages ranging from 40 to 90 days without clinical signs of SRLV. Two of the three commercial ELISAs and the synthetic peptide-based ones were positive for SRLV antibody detection in 28% and 24% of the ewes, respectively, whereas none of the fetuses were positive by any of the ELISAs. By PCR, 31% of the ewes and, interestingly, two fetuses were positive. Characteristic SRLV lesions were not found in the fetal and/or ewe tissues, including those with positive PCR results. These findings demonstrate the susceptibility of Pelibuey sheep to SRLV infection and the low transmission frequency through the placenta.

Incidence of infection in 39-month-old ewes with TMEM154 diplotypes "1 1," "1 3," and "3 3" after natural exposure to ovine progressive pneumonia virus

Production and well-being of sheep and goats in many countries are harmfully impacted by small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) that cause incurable, progressive diseases. Susceptibility to ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV), the North American form of SRLV, is influenced by variants of the ovine transmembrane protein 154 gene (TMEM154). The experimental objective was to estimate additive and dominance effects of TMEM154 haplotypes 1 and 3 on susceptibility of breeding ewes to infection after natural exposure to OPPV from birth to 39 mo of age. Sires and dams were heterozygous for TMEM154 haplotypes 1 and 3, producing ewe lambs with diplotypes "1 1," "1 3," and "3 3." These lambs were raised by mature, infected dams to ensure natural, maternal exposure to OPPV. Ewe lambs (n = 108) were kept for breeding and joined an infected flock of ewes to guarantee natural, nonmaternal exposure to OPPV. Ewes were bred to lamb at 1, 2, and 3 yr of age. Serum samples were collected at breeding, 1 mo before lambing and shortly after weaning each year to monitor infection status to 39 mo of age. During the experiment, 9 of the 108 ewes died while uninfected and data collected on these ewes were not analyzed. Infection status of the remaining 99 ewes at 39 mo of age was analyzed using logistic regression procedures. Effects of ewe type of birth, ewe type of rearing, and breed type of dam were not detected (P > 0.10), and the estimated sire variance component was nil. Ewe diplotype affected infection status (P < 0.0001), as did additive (P < 0.0001) and dominance (P < 0.0022) effects. Predicted probabilities of infection for ewes with diplotypes "1 1," "1 3," and "3 3" were 0.10, 0.88, and 0.89, respectively, and confidence intervals for diplotypes "1 3" and "3 3" were distinct from "1 1." Haplotype 3 was completely dominant to haplotype 1 at 39 mo of age. The probability of infection for ewes with either diplotype "1 3" or "3 3" averaged 8.5 times that of ewes with diplotype "1 1." Diplotype "1 3" and "3 3" ewes were highly susceptible to nonmaternal transmission of OPPV, in contrast to diplotype "1 1" ewes. Therefore, the distribution of ewes with diplotypes "1 1," "1 3," and "3 3" within a flock will influence the number of infections caused by each route of transmission. Selection and mating strategies can be implemented to produce sheep that are genetically less susceptible to OPPV infection.

Small ruminant lentivirus infections and diseases

Small ruminant lentiviruses include viruses with diverse genotypes that frequently cross the species barrier between sheep and goats and that display a great genetic variability. These characteristics stress the need to consider the whole host range and to perform local surveillance of the viruses to opt for optimum diagnostic tests, in order to establish control programmes. In the absence of effective vaccines, a comprehensive knowledge of the epidemiology of these infections is of major importance to limit their spread. This article intends to cover these aspects and to summarise information related to characteristics of the viruses, pathogenesis of the infection and description of the various syndromes produced, as well as the diagnostic tools available, the mechanisms involved in transmission of the pathogens and, finally, the control strategies that have been designed until now, with remarks on the drawbacks and the advantages of each one. We conclude that there are many variables influencing the expected cost and benefits of control programs that must be evaluated, in order to put into practice measures that might lead to control of these infections.

Effects of TMEM154 haplotypes 1 and 3 on susceptibility to ovine progressive pneumonia virus following natural exposure in sheep

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) adversely affect production and well-being of sheep and goats throughout much of the world. The SRLV, including ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV) in North America, cause lifetime infections, and management procedures to eradicate or reduce disease prevalence are costly. Variants of ovine transmembrane protein 154 gene (TMEM154) affect susceptibility to OPPV. The primary experimental objective was to estimate additive and dominance effects of TMEM154 haplotypes 1 and 3 on susceptibility to OPPV infection following natural exposure. A group of 187 trial lambs was born and raised by mature, infected ewes to ensure natural exposure to OPPV. Parents of trial lambs were heterozygous for haplotypes 1 and 3, producing lambs with diplotypes "1 1," "1 3," and "3 3." A group of 20 sentinel lambs was born and raised by mature, uninfected ewes that were diplotype "1 1." Sentinel lambs had diplotypes "1 1" and "1 3," being sired by the same set of rams as trial lambs. Trial and sentinel lambs were comingled during the experiment. Lambs were weaned at 60 d of age, bled 1 wk after weaning, and thereafter at intervals of 4 or 5 wk until 9 mo of age when OPPV infection status was determined by use of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Only 1 sentinel lamb became infected. Infection status of trial lambs was analyzed using logistic regression procedures to account for the binary nature of infection status and random effects of sires. Effects of sex, type of birth, type of rearing, age of dam, breed type of dam, and sires were not detected (P>0.20). Infection status was affected by diplotype of lamb (P=0.005), with additive (P=0.002) and dominance (P=0.052) effects identified. Predicted probabilities of infection for lambs with diplotypes "1 1," "1 3," and "3 3" were 0.094, 0.323, and 0.346, respectively. Confidence intervals for probabilities of infection for diplotypes "1 3" and "3 3" were similar, but distinct from diplotype "1 1." These results are consistent with complete dominance of haplotype 3 relative to haplotype 1. The probability of infection at 9 mo of age for lambs with either diplotype "1 3" or "3 3" averaged 3.56 times that of lambs with diplotype "1 1." Genetic susceptibility to OPPV infection can be reduced by selection to increase the frequency of haplotype 1, resulting in a greater proportion of lambs with diplotype "1 1."

Retroviral infections in sheep and goats: small ruminant lentiviruses and host interaction

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) are members of the Retrovirus family comprising the closely related Visna/Maedi Virus (VMV) and the Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus (CAEV), which infect sheep and goats. Both infect cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage and cause lifelong infections. Infection by VMV and CAEV can lead to Visna/Maedi (VM) and Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis (CAE) respectively, slow progressive inflammatory diseases primarily affecting the lungs, nervous system, joints and mammary glands. VM and CAE are distributed worldwide and develop over a period of months or years, always leading to the death of the host, with the consequent economic and welfare implications. Currently, the control of VM and CAE relies on the control of transmission and culling of infected animals. However, there is evidence that host genetics play an important role in determining Susceptibility/Resistance to SRLV infection and disease progression, but little work has been performed in small ruminants. More research is necessary to understand the host-SRLV interaction.

Small ruminant lentiviruses: genetic variability, tropism and diagnosis

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLV) cause a multisystemic chronic disease affecting animal production and welfare. SRLV infections are spread across the world with the exception of Iceland. Success in controlling SRLV spread depends largely on the use of appropriate diagnostic tools, but the existence of a high genetic/antigenic variability among these viruses, the fluctuant levels of antibody against them and the low viral loads found in infected individuals hamper the diagnostic efficacy. SRLV have a marked in vivo tropism towards the monocyte/macrophage lineage and attempts have been made to identify the genome regions involved in tropism, with two main candidates, the LTR and env gene, since LTR contains primer binding sites for viral replication and the env-encoded protein (SU ENV), which mediates the binding of the virus to the host’s cell and has hypervariable regions to escape the humoral immune response. Once inside the host cell, innate immunity may interfere with SRLV replication, but the virus develops counteraction mechanisms to escape, multiply and survive, creating a quasi-species and undergoing compartmentalization events. So far, the mechanisms of organ tropism involved in the development of different disease forms (neurological, arthritic, pulmonary and mammary) are unknown, but different alternatives are proposed. This is an overview of the current state of knowledge on SRLV genetic variability and its implications in tropism as well as in the development of alternative diagnostic assays.

Reduced lentivirus susceptibility in sheep with TMEM154 mutations

Visna/Maedi, or ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP) as it is known in the United States, is an incurable slow-acting disease of sheep caused by persistent lentivirus infection. This disease affects multiple tissues, including those of the respiratory and central nervous systems. Our aim was to identify ovine genetic risk factors for lentivirus infection. Sixty-nine matched pairs of infected cases and uninfected controls were identified among 736 naturally exposed sheep older than five years of age. These pairs were used in a genome-wide association study with 50,614 markers. A single SNP was identified in the ovine transmembrane protein (TMEM154) that exceeded genome-wide significance (unadjusted p-value 3×10⁻⁹). Sanger sequencing of the ovine TMEM154 coding region identified six missense and two frameshift deletion mutations in the predicted signal peptide and extracellular domain. Two TMEM154 haplotypes encoding glutamate (E) at position 35 were associated with infection while a third haplotype with lysine (K) at position 35 was not. Haplotypes encoding full-length E35 isoforms were analyzed together as genetic risk factors in a multi-breed, matched case-control design, with 61 pairs of 4-year-old ewes. The odds of infection for ewes with one copy of a full-length TMEM154 E35 allele were 28 times greater than the odds for those without (p-value<0.0001, 95% CI 5–1,100). In a combined analysis of nine cohorts with 2,705 sheep from Nebraska, Idaho, and Iowa, the relative risk of infection was 2.85 times greater for sheep with a full-length TMEM154 E35 allele (p-value<0.0001, 95% CI 2.36–3.43). Although rare, some sheep were homozygous for TMEM154 deletion mutations and remained uninfected despite a lifetime of significant exposure. Together, these findings indicate that TMEM154 may play a central role in ovine lentivirus infection and removing sheep with the most susceptible genotypes may help eradicate OPP and protect flocks from reinfection.

Ovine lentivirus targets the host immune system and causes persistent retroviral infections affecting millions of sheep worldwide. In primates, lentivirus resistance is attributed to mutant virus coreceptors that are not expressed. In sheep, some animals are resistant to lentivirus infection despite repeated exposure; however, the mechanism of resistance is unknown. We designed a genome-wide association study to test whether sheep might have genetic variation that protects against lentivirus infection. Our results showed that variation in an ovine gene (TMEM154) was associated with infection. Sheep with the ancestral type of this gene were nearly three times more likely to become infected than those with mutant forms. We also discovered two mutant forms predicted to abolish the protein's function. Although the biological function of TMEM154 is unknown, our results indicate that it plays an important role in lentivirus infection in sheep. Producing sheep with the least susceptible form of TMEM154 may help eradicate the ovine disease caused by lentivirus.