Evaluation of the antiviral activity of ultraviolet light and zinc oxide nanoparticles on textile products exposed to Avian coronavirus.

This research has developed a piece of sanitizing locker-model equipment for textiles exposed to avian coronavirus, which has been put under the influence of UV light, UV + zinc oxide nanoparticles (phytosynthesized ZnONP), and water + UV, and, in turn, under the influence of the exposure time (60, 120, 180 s). The results linked to the phytosynthesis of ZnONP indicate a novel method of fabricating nanostructured material, nanoparticles with spherical morphology and an average size of 30 nm. The assays were made based on the viral viability of avian coronavirus according to the mortality of SPF embryonated eggs and a Real-Time PCR for viral load estimation. This was a model to evaluate the sanitizing effects against coronaviruses since they share a very similar structure and chemistry with SAR-CoV-2. The influence of the type of textile treatment evidenced the potential effect of the sanitizing UV light, which achieved 100% of embryo viability. The response of the ZnONP + UV nebulization showed a notorious influence of photoactivation according to the exposure time, and the 60-s treatment achieved a decrease of 88.9% in viral viability, compared to 77.8% and 55.6% corresponding to the 120 and 180-s treatments, respectively. Regarding the decrease in viral load between the types of treatments, UV 180 s reduced 98.42% and UV 60 s + ZnONP reduced 99.46%, respectively. The results show the combinatorial effect of UV light and zinc nanoparticles in decreasing the viral viability of avian coronavirus, as a model of other important coronaviruses in public health such as SARS-CoV-2.

Genetic subtyping and phylogenetic analysis of HA and NA from avian influenza virus in wild birds from Peru reveals unique features among circulating strains in America.

Avian influenza virus (AIV) represents a major concern with productive implications in poultry systems but it is also a zoonotic agent that possesses an intrinsic pandemic risk. AIV is an enveloped, negative-sense and single-stranded RNA virus with a segmented genome. The eight genomic segments, comprising the whole genome, encode for eleven proteins. Within these proteins, Hemagglutinin (HA) and Neuraminidase (NA) are the most relevant for studies of evolution and pathogenesis considering their role in viral replication, and have also been used for classification purposes. Migratory birds are the main hosts and play a pivotal role in viral evolution and dissemination due to their migratory routes that comprise large regions worldwide. Altogether, viral and reservoir factors contribute to the emergence of avian influenza viruses with novel features and pathogenic potentials. The study aimed to conduct surveillance of AIVs in wild birds from Peru. A multi-site screening of feces of migratory birds was performed to isolate viruses and to characterize the whole genome sequences, especially the genes coding for HA and NA proteins. Four-hundred-twenty-one (421) fecal samples, collected between March 2019 and March 2020 in Lima, were obtained from 21 species of wild birds. From these, we isolated five AIV from whimbrel, kelp gull, Franklin's gulls and Mallard, which were of low pathogenicity, including four subtypes as H6N8, H13N6, H6N2 and H2N6. Genetic analysis of HA and NA genes revealed novel features in these viruses and phylogenetic analysis exhibited a close relationship with those identified in North America (US and Canada). Furthermore, H2N6 isolate presented a NA sequence with higher genetic relationship to Chilean isolates. These results highlight that the geographical factor is of major relevance in the evolution of AIV, suggesting that AIV circulating in Peru might represent a new site for the emergence of reassortant AIVs.

Seroprevalencia del virus de la diarrea viral en bovinos de crianza extensiva de la provincia de San Pablo, Cajamarca / Seroprevalence of bovine viral diarrhea virus in grazing cattle in Cajamarca, Peru

El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la seroprevalencia del virus de la Diarrea Viral Bovina (VDVB) en bovinos criollos de crianza extensiva, sin historia de vacunación, en la provincia de San Pablo, Cajamarca. Se emplearon 385 muestras del banco de sueros, colectadas en el 2004. Las muestras se estratificaron en cuatro grupos etarios (2 a 24 meses) y por sexo. La detección de anticuerpos contra el VDVB se hizo mediante la prueba de neutralización viral. El 27.1 ± 4.4% (104/385) de los bovinos presentó anticuerpos contra el VDVB indistintamente del grupo etario o sexo; sin embargo, el 71.2 ± 8.7% (47/66) de los animales entre 12 y 24 meses de edad presentaron títulos de anticuerpos entre 128 a >256. Se concluye que el VDVB está presente con una prevalencia baja en la población de bovinos de la provincia de SanPablo.

The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of Bovine Viral Diarrhea virus (BVDV) in grazing cattle without history of vaccination, in the province of San Pablo, Cajamarca, Peru. It was used 385 samples from the serum bank, collected in 2004. Samples were stratified in four age groups (2 to 24 months) and by sex. The detection of antibodies against BVDV was done by the viral neutralization test. The 27.0 ± 4.4% (104/385) of samples had antibodies against BVDV, and without statistical difference due to age or sex; however, 71.2 ± 8.7% (47/66) of animals between 12 and 24 months of age showed antibody titres between 128 and >256. It was concluded that the BVDV is present with a low seroprevalence in the cattle population of San Pablo province, Cajamarca.