Silvio

Pesq. Vet. Bras. 18(2):83-90, abr./jun. 1998

Caracterização preliminar de amostras do vírus da Diarréia Viral Bovina (BVDV) isoladas no Brasil1
Sônia A. Botton2, Laura Helena V.G. Gil2, Adriana M. da Silva2, Eduardo F. Flores3,4, Rudi Weiblen3, E. Maristela Pituco5, Paulo M. Roehe6, Valéria Moojen7 e Ana Cristina Wendelstein7
ABSTRACT.- Botton S.A., Gil L.H.V.G., Silva A.M., Flores E.F., Weiblen R., Pituco E.M., Roehe P.M., Moojen V. & Wendelstein, A.C. 1998. [Preliminary characterization of brazilian isolates of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV).] Caracterização preliminar de amostras do vírus da Diarréia Viral Bovina (BVDV) isoladas no Brasil. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira, 18(2)83-90. Depto Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS 97015-900, Brazil. This article reports the preliminary characterization of 19 Brazilian bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) isolates, regarding the biological, antigenic and molecular properties. Eleven viruses were isolated from bovine fetuses, six were obtained from blood of animals from herds with reproductive problems, and two were isolated from clinical cases of gastroenteric disease. The clinical cases affected young animals and were characterized by diarrhea, oronasal and digestive erosions and ulceration, and occasional digestive bleeding and vulvar petechial hemorrhage. Sixteen isolates (84.2%), including those obtained from fetuses and clinical cases, were of the non-cytopathic (ncp) biotype. Replication of three isolates (15.8%) in tissue culture was characterized by appearance of cellular vacuolation and progressive destruction of the monolayers. Analysis of these isolates after cloning revealed a mixed population of cytopathic (cp) and non-cytopathic viruses. Analysis of viral polypeptides by SDS-PAGE followed by “Western immunoblot” revealed the production of the nonstructural protein NS3/p80 in cells infected with the cp viruses. In