Occurrence, diversity and molecular pathogenicity of avian coronavirus in quail

• Grant number: 12/15007-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: January 01, 2013
• End date: September 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Eduardo Brandão
• Grantee: Carolina Torres Alejo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Diseases caused by Avian Coronavirus are of high importance to poultry industry in terms of economic losses and the possibility of transmission between species of birds. Among the known coronaviruses in poultry production, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and turkey coronavirus (TCoV) are the most important. While the first presents in different serotypes and pathotypes, causing diseases of the respiratory, reproductive, enteric, renal tracts, the second is more frequently associated with enteritis. In quail, which constitute an emerging area of the Brazilian poultry industry, there are few reports of coronavirus occurrence, demonstrating the lack of knowledge about this virus in this species. Therefore, this project aims to study the occurrence, the molecular diversity and pathogenicity of coronaviruses in quails. For this, organs of quail and laying hens kept in the same farms and quail isolated from other creation will be sample in a total of 10 farms. These organs are going to be submitted to a nested RT-PCR targeted to the 3'UTR of the avian coronavirus, and positive samples of quail are going to be subjected to isolation attempts in SPF eggs. Next, the isolates are going to held to a nested RT-PCR leading to partial amplification of the S protein coding region of the avian coronavirus and partial amplification of the region encoding the N protein of IBV, the amplicons obtained are going to be subject to DNA sequencing and phylogeny analysis to determine the avian coronavirus genotypes. Other two RT-PCR are going to used to detect Avian metapneumovirus (AMPV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Finally quail isolates obtained in the experiment samples and other strains previously isolated from chickens, are going to be inoculated into SPF chickens or quail to evaluate virus transmission between species and the role of quail as a reservoir of infectious bronchitis virus of chickens. It is expected to contribute to understanding the epidemiology of avian coronaviroses and their importance in quails, for the generation of bases to the design of prophylactic measures and to further clarify the evolution of the genus Coronavirus.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TORRES, C. A.; LISTORTI, V.; LUPINI, C.; FRANZO, G.; DRIGO, M.; CATELLI, E.; BRANDAO, P. E.; CECCHINATO, M.. Gamma and Deltacoronaviruses in quail and pheasants from Northern Italy. POULTRY SCIENCE, v. 96, n. 3, p. 717-722, MAR 2017. (12/15007-8)

TORRES, C. A.; HORA, A. S.; TONIETTI, P. O.; TANIWAKI, S. A.; CECCHINATO, M.; VILLARREAL, L. Y. B.; BRANDAO, P. E.. Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus in Quail. AVIAN DISEASES, v. 60, n. 3, p. 656-661, SEP 2016. (12/15007-8)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ALEJO, Carolina Torres. Study of the role of quail as reservoirs for avian infectious bronchitis virus. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.