In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever

African swine fever is an extremely infectious viral disease that can cause nearly 100% mortality in domestic pigs. In this study, we isolated an ASFV strain HB31A and characterized it using hemadsorption assay, immunofluorescence assay, and electron microscopy. We then performed animal experiments...

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Main Authors: Qian Xu, Dongfan Li, Xiaoyu Chen, Xiaoli Liu, Hua Cao, Hui Wang, Haowei Wu, Tangyu Cheng, Wenhui Ren, Fengqin Xu, Qigai He, Xuexiang Yu, Wentao Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Veterinary Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/11/9/403
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author Qian Xu
Dongfan Li
Xiaoyu Chen
Xiaoli Liu
Hua Cao
Hui Wang
Haowei Wu
Tangyu Cheng
Wenhui Ren
Fengqin Xu
Qigai He
Xuexiang Yu
Wentao Li
author_facet Qian Xu
Dongfan Li
Xiaoyu Chen
Xiaoli Liu
Hua Cao
Hui Wang
Haowei Wu
Tangyu Cheng
Wenhui Ren
Fengqin Xu
Qigai He
Xuexiang Yu
Wentao Li
author_sort Qian Xu
collection DOAJ
description African swine fever is an extremely infectious viral disease that can cause nearly 100% mortality in domestic pigs. In this study, we isolated an ASFV strain HB31A and characterized it using hemadsorption assay, immunofluorescence assay, and electron microscopy. We then performed animal experiments on 20-day-old pigs through intramuscular and oronasal inoculations with HB31A. Pigs in the intramuscular group exhibited more consistent clinical disease, with an incubation period of 4.33 ± 0.47 days and a 100% mortality rate within 6.67 (±0.47) days post-inoculation (dpi). In contrast, the oronasal group experienced a longer course of disease, with an incubation period of 6.00 ± 0.82 days. Two out of three pigs in the oronasal group died at 8 and 10 dpi, while the surviving pig exhibited chronic disease and persistent infection, intermittently excreting ASFV through the oral, nasal, and rectal pathways. Virus DNA was found in oral, nasal, and rectal swabs at 1–3 dpi in the intramuscular group and at 3–5 dpi in the oronasal group. In summary, HB31A is highly lethal to domestic pigs, and field-infected pigs have the potential to develop non-lethal, chronic disease and persistent infection, with intermittent viral shedding, even when infected with a highly virulent strain. These findings offer a valuable understanding of the viral dynamics and pathogenicity of ASFV and highlight the difficulties in diagnosing, preventing, and controlling African swine fever.
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spelling doaj-art-9c4e1b98fdb746448f3614fc16cf899c2025-08-20T01:55:57ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812024-09-0111940310.3390/vetsci11090403In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine FeverQian Xu0Dongfan Li1Xiaoyu Chen2Xiaoli Liu3Hua Cao4Hui Wang5Haowei Wu6Tangyu Cheng7Wenhui Ren8Fengqin Xu9Qigai He10Xuexiang Yu11Wentao Li12College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaAfrican swine fever is an extremely infectious viral disease that can cause nearly 100% mortality in domestic pigs. In this study, we isolated an ASFV strain HB31A and characterized it using hemadsorption assay, immunofluorescence assay, and electron microscopy. We then performed animal experiments on 20-day-old pigs through intramuscular and oronasal inoculations with HB31A. Pigs in the intramuscular group exhibited more consistent clinical disease, with an incubation period of 4.33 ± 0.47 days and a 100% mortality rate within 6.67 (±0.47) days post-inoculation (dpi). In contrast, the oronasal group experienced a longer course of disease, with an incubation period of 6.00 ± 0.82 days. Two out of three pigs in the oronasal group died at 8 and 10 dpi, while the surviving pig exhibited chronic disease and persistent infection, intermittently excreting ASFV through the oral, nasal, and rectal pathways. Virus DNA was found in oral, nasal, and rectal swabs at 1–3 dpi in the intramuscular group and at 3–5 dpi in the oronasal group. In summary, HB31A is highly lethal to domestic pigs, and field-infected pigs have the potential to develop non-lethal, chronic disease and persistent infection, with intermittent viral shedding, even when infected with a highly virulent strain. These findings offer a valuable understanding of the viral dynamics and pathogenicity of ASFV and highlight the difficulties in diagnosing, preventing, and controlling African swine fever.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/11/9/403African swine fever viruspathogenicityintramuscular inoculationoronasal inoculationhistopathology
spellingShingle Qian Xu
Dongfan Li
Xiaoyu Chen
Xiaoli Liu
Hua Cao
Hui Wang
Haowei Wu
Tangyu Cheng
Wenhui Ren
Fengqin Xu
Qigai He
Xuexiang Yu
Wentao Li
In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever
Veterinary Sciences
African swine fever virus
pathogenicity
intramuscular inoculation
oronasal inoculation
histopathology
title In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever
title_full In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever
title_fullStr In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever
title_full_unstemmed In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever
title_short In Vivo Study of Inoculation Approaches and Pathogenicity in African Swine Fever
title_sort in vivo study of inoculation approaches and pathogenicity in african swine fever
topic African swine fever virus
pathogenicity
intramuscular inoculation
oronasal inoculation
histopathology
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/11/9/403
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