Epidemiologic, pathogenic and molecular analysis of recent encephalomyocarditis outbreaks in Belgium

• Published in: Journal of veterinary medicine. Series B 1999-05, Vol.46 (4), p.217-231
• Main Authors: Koenen, F, Vanderhallen, H, Castryck, F, Miry, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: age; Amino Acid Sequence; amino acid sequences; Animals; Base Sequence; Belgium; Belgium - epidemiology; Cardiovirus A; Cardiovirus Infections; Cardiovirus Infections - epidemiology; Cardiovirus Infections - pathology; Cardiovirus Infections - transmission; Cardiovirus Infections - veterinary; clinical aspects; Consensus Sequence; Disease Outbreaks; Disease Outbreaks - veterinary; disease transmission; disease vectors; Encephalomyocarditis virus; Encephalomyocarditis virus - genetics; Encephalomyocarditis virus - isolation & purification; epidemiology; etiology; Female; field experimentation; genetic markers; genetics; Infertility, Female; Infertility, Female - epidemiology; Infertility, Female - etiology; Infertility, Female - veterinary; isolation & purification; Molecular Sequence Data; mortality; Myocarditis; Myocarditis - epidemiology; Myocarditis - pathology; Myocarditis - veterinary; Myocarditis - virology; Myocardium; Myocardium - pathology; Necrosis; nucleotide sequences; pathogenicity; pathology; Phylogeny; reproduction; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; strain differences; Swine; Swine Diseases; Swine Diseases - epidemiology; Swine Diseases - pathology; Swine Diseases - transmission; Swine Diseases - virology; symptoms; transmission; veterinary; virology; virulence
• ISSN: 0931-1793; 0514-7166; 1439-0450
• DOI: 10.1111/j.0931-1793.1999.0_216.x

In 1991 EMCV was isolated for the first time in Belgium from the offspring of a sow with reproductive failure. From August 1995 until December 1996, EMCV was diagnosed in 154 Belgian pig holdings in association with myocardial failure and sudden death in fatteners and suckling piglets or with reproductive failure in sows. To clarify some epidemiological aspects 3 EMCV isolates characteristic for the different clinical pictures and outbreaks were studied. Field observations and animal experiments indicated that the pathogenicity induced by each isolate is specific for one age category and that the spread of the virus is limited. The presented data also suggest that rodents may play a role in the transmission of EMCV but that pig-to-pig transmission is at least as important. Molecular analysis of two separate regions on the genomes of the respective EMCV isolates showed that the 1995-96 EMCV epizootic in Belgium was due to a new virus introduction. Furthermore, the VP1 coding gene is proposed as a marker of virulence.