Two different epidemiological scenarios of border disease in the populations of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica) after the first disease outbreaks

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2012Author
Fernández Sirera, Laura
Cabezón Ponsoda, Óscar
Allepuz Palau, Alberto
Rosell Bellsola, Rosa
Riquelme Guerrero, Cristina
Serrano Ferrón, Emmanuel
Lavín González, Santiago
Marco, Ignasi
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Fernández Sirera, Laura;
Cabezón Ponsoda, Óscar;
Allepuz Palau, Alberto;
Rosell Bellsola, Rosa;
Riquelme Guerrero, Cristina;
Serrano Ferrón, Emmanuel;
...
Marco, Ignasi.
(2012)
.
Two different epidemiological scenarios of border disease in the populations of Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica) after the first disease outbreaks.
PLoS ONE, 2012, vol. 7, núm. 12, e51031.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051031.
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Since 2001 several outbreaks of a new disease associated with Border disease virus (BDV) infection have caused important
declines in Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) populations in the Pyrenees. The goal of this study was to analyze the
post-outbreak BDV epidemiology in the first two areas affected by disease with the aim to establish if the infection has
become endemic. We also investigated if BDV infected wild and domestic ruminants sharing habitat with chamois.
Unexpectedly, we found different epidemiological scenarios in each population. Since the disease outbreaks, some chamois
populations recuperated quickly, while others did not recover as expected. In chamois from the first areas, prevalence was
high (73.47%) and constant throughout the whole study period and did not differ between chamois born before and after
the BDV outbreak; in all, BDV was detected by RT-PCR in six chamois. In the other areas, prevalence was lower (52.79%) and
decreased during the study period; as well, prevalence was significantly lower in chamois born after the disease outbreak.
No BDV were detected in this population. A comparative virus neutralisation test performed with four BDV strains and one
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) strain showed that all the chamois had BDV-specific antibodies. Pestivirus antibodies
were detected in all the rest of analyzed species, with low prevalence values in wild ruminants and moderate values in
domestic ruminants. No viruses were detected in these species. These results confirm the hypothesis that outbreaks of BDV
infection only affect the Pyrenean chamois, although other wild ruminants can occasionally be infected. In conclusion, two
different scenarios have appeared since the first border disease outbreaks in Pyrenean chamois: on the one hand frequent
BDV circulation with possible negative impact on population dynamics in some areas and on the other, lack of virus
circulation and quick recovery of the chamois population.
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