Establishment of diagnostic methods for virus infections in wild and fur-bearing animals Type of project: All Short description: Wild animals such as foxes, roe deer, rodents and farmed fur-bearing animals are often affected by infections that can cause diarrhea, but knowledge about which pathogens including viruses that are involved is often missing. Based on published assays and alignments of sequences from gene databases, PCR assays for rotaviruses, coronaviruses, caliciviruses, astroviruses etc. will be established and validated on material collected from animals and farms, with and without diarrhea problems. Detailed description: Background: Wild animals such as foxes, roe deer, rodent and farmed fur-bearing animals are often affected by infections that can cause diarrhea, pneumonia, abortions or high mortality. As opposed to diseases in humans, pets and production animals, very little knowledge exists concerning which pathogens, including viruses, are involved in the diseases of these animal species, even though these disea-ses 40 are important and each year cost many animal lives. To be able to prevent and control these infections, it is necessary to know which viruses that are involved, demanding the development of diagnostic methods. Diarrhea is one of the most frequent clinical diseases in mink after weaning and in adult animals. In spite of that, the general knowledge about the mink intestine and the characterization of diffe-rent types of enteritis is limited according to the literature. Rotavirus, coronavirus, calicivirus and astrovirus are some times reported in association with diarrhea, while other cases probably are caused by feeding and/or multifactorial conditions. Overall, the current knowledge about which types of enteritis that occurs among Danish minks and wildlife fur animals is insufficient. The project: On the basis of published assays and alignments of sequences from gene databases, PCR as-says for the relevant viruses will be designed, so that they can run in same PCR set-up. The methods will initially be established from analysis of known positive samples. General methods for extraction of nucleic acids and PCR are already established routines in the laboratory. When the specific methods are established and have been validated on known positive samples, the assays will be validated on material collected from farms and/or animals with and without problems with diarrhea (case-control study). Enquiry: Senior adviser Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager ckhj@vet.dtu.dk and Molecular biolologist Jesper Schak Krog jsck@vet.dtu.dk, Section for Diagnostics and Scientific Advice, and professor Lars Erik Larsen lael@vet.dtu.dk, Section for Virology; DTU Vet, Bülowsvej 27, 1870 Frederiksberg C. ECTS: Flexible
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