Identification of a recombinant equine coronavirus in donkey, China.
Abstract: Equine coronavirus (ECoV) was first identified in the USA and has been previously described in several countries. In order to test the presence of ECoV in China, we collected 51 small intestinal samples from donkey foals with diarrhoea from a donkey farm in Shandong Province, China between August 2020 and April 2021. Two samples tested positive for ECoV and full-length genome sequences were successfully obtained using next-generation sequencing, one of which was further confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The two strains shared 100% sequence identity at the scale of whole genome. Bioinformatics analyses further showed that the two Chinese strains represent a novel genetic variant of ECoV and shared the highest sequence identity of 97.05% with the first identified ECoV strain - NC99. In addition, it may be a recombinant, with the recombination region around the NS2 gene. To our knowledge, this is the first documented report of ECoV in China, highlighting its risk to horse/donkey breeding. In addition, its potential risk to public health also warrants further investigation.
Publication Date: 2022-03-22 PubMed ID: 35311478PubMed Central: PMC8986280DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2056522Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article talks about the identification of a new variant of Equine coronavirus (ECoV) in donkey foals with diarrhoea in China. This variant has a considerable genetic difference in comparison to earlier identified strains of ECoV, and it might also have resulted from recombination.
Sample Collection and Identification
- The researchers collected 51 small intestine samples from young donkeys suffering from diarrhoea in a donkey farm in Shandong Province, China between August 2020 and April 2021.
- When the samples were tested, two of them indicated the presence of ECoV.
- Full-length genome sequences from these positive samples were successfully extracted using a technology called next-generation sequencing. One of these positive samples was further authenticated through another process known as Sanger sequencing.
Nature of Identified Strains
- Complete genome analysis revealed that both strains were identical to each other, sharing a 100% sequence identity at the genome level.
- Bioinformatics analyses disclose that the identified Chinese strains of ECoV represent a new genetic variant. These strains exhibit the highest sequence similarity (97.05%) with NC99, the earliest identified strain of ECoV.
- Moreover, researchers found indications that suggest this variant may have resulted from a recombinant process, with the recombination region surrounding the NS2 gene.
Significance of the Findings
- This is the first documented incidence of ECoV in China, indicating potential risk to the horse and donkey breeding industry.
- The study also raises possible public health concerns due to infections transmitted from animals to humans (zoonotic infections). More investigation is needed to assess this risk.
In summary, the study has identified a new genetic variant of ECoV in donkeys in China which bears strong resemblance to the initially identified ECoV strain, NC99. These findings hold significant implications for the equine industry, public health, and future research.
Cite This Article
APA
Qi PF, Gao XY, Ji JK, Zhang Y, Yang SH, Cheng KH, Cui N, Zhu ML, Hu T, Dong X, Yan B, Wang CF, Yang HJ, Shi WF, Zhang W.
(2022).
Identification of a recombinant equine coronavirus in donkey, China.
Emerg Microbes Infect, 11(1), 1010-1013.
https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2056522 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- School of Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People's Republic of China.
- Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People's Republic of China.
- Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
- School of Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- Liaocheng Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
- School of Public Health, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics of MARA, and Shandong Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Control and Breeding, Institute of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ji'nan, People's Republic of China.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Betacoronavirus 1
- China / epidemiology
- Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
- Coronavirus Infections / veterinary
- Diarrhea / veterinary
- Equidae
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Phylogeny
Conflict of Interest Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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